Commercial/Multifamily People in the News July 13, 2023

Donald Billingsley Chosen for HUD Post

Donald Billingsley

Donald Billingsley was named as Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Billingsley has had a long career in multifamily real estate and affordable housing; he most recently served as Vice President with Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, a Truist Bank subsidiary.

Billingsley also has previously held varied positions at HUD.

Blake Okland

Blake Okland Joins Greystone as CRO

Greystone, New York, announced the addition of Blake Okland as Chief Revenue Officer.

This is a new position for the company, and Okland will focus on scaling Greystone’s industry-leading multifamily financing offerings and investor relationships and further leverage the firm’s strategic joint venture with Cushman & Wakefield.

Previously Okland was Vice Chairman and Head of Multifamily Investment Sales for Newmark. He has also held roles with ARA, CBRE and Archstone-Smith Communities Trust.

JLL Adds Keely Polczynski to Capital Markets Team

JLL, Chicago, has added Keely Polczynski as Managing Director in its Chicago office.

Keely Polczynski

Polczynski will lead the firm’s Midwest Retail Investment Sales Platform in Chicago with Senior Director Michael Nieder. She will also continue her focus on transactions involving urban and high street assets in Chicago and throughout the U.S.

She had previously spent two decades with CBRE in Chicago, most recently as Senior Vice President with the Capital Markets Institutional Properties team.

Steve Hartschuh

Kriss Law/Atlantic Closing & Escrow Welcomes Steve Hartschuh

Steve Hartschuh will serve as Senior Vice President/National Commercial Sales at Kriss Law/Atlantic Closing & Escrow, Needham, Mass., assisting with the continuing nationwide expansion of the company’s Commercial Services Division as well as supporting existing clients.

He has nearly two decades of commercial title experience, most recently working as a Vice President – Senior Sales Executive with a national title underwriter.