Commercial and Multifamily People in the News Nov. 3, 2022
Transwestern Taps Peter Conte to Direct National Laboratory and Life Sciences Practice
Transwestern Real Estate Services named Peter Conte to direct the firm’s national Laboratory + Life Sciences advisory group, which provides agency leasing, tenant advisory, asset services, capital markets and research services to life sciences tenants and building owners.
Conte leads a full-service life sciences team of nine people in offices throughout the U.S. Transwestern’s Laboratory and Life Sciences advisory group has completed transactions for a wide range of companies and properties, including BioMed Realty, Marker Therapeutics, Genesis (South San Francisco), Ilume Innovation Center (North Scottsdale, Arizona), and the Landmark at Eastview (Westchester County, New York).
Conte joined Transwestern in 2015 and is a Senior Vice President in the firm’s San Francisco office, where he continues to lead the Bay Area life sciences team, in addition to his new national role. Before embarking on his 20-year career in commercial real estate, Peter worked in research with the USDA and as a post-graduate Research Associate for the cancer research laboratory of Lexrite Laboratories, a privately run biotech connected to the University of California, Davis, gaining direct experience that benefits his life sciences clients. He has also held broker roles at other commercial real estate firms and worked in Wells Fargo’s Builder Division.
“Demand for life sciences facilities has been outpacing supply in the leading markets of San Francisco, Boston and San Diego for some time now, which has created exciting opportunities in emerging markets, such as Houston, Raleigh-Durham, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and New York City,” said Conte. “Transwestern has proven experience in delivering creative, customized real estate solutions that support the mission-oriented business goals of life sciences companies, as well as unique insight gained by working with clients across the commercial real estate spectrum, whether it be brokerage, asset services, development or investment management.”
Casey Merrill Joins W&D’s Apprise Team
Walker & Dunlop, Bethesda, Md., expanded its Apprise platform by adding Casey Merrill as Managing Director — West Coast Region Lead.
Merrill will provide strategic valuations and consulting services on a variety of property types nationally, and on the West Coast, where he will be expanding Apprise’s presence.
Before starting his commercial real estate career, Merrill was a defensive end in the NFL. Playing for eight seasons on the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, he was drafted into the NFL in 1979.
Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Merrill worked as executive managing director of the Southwest Region for Colliers International Valuation & Advisory Services where he was responsible for valuations and consulting services in CA, HI, AZ, NV and NM. Before Colliers, Merrill worked as a managing director at CBRE and vice president of appraisals at Wells Fargo.
JLL Adds Jennifer Hara to Clean Energy and Infrastructure Practice
JLL hired Jennifer Hara as a Vice President for its Clean Energy and Infrastructure Advisory team. She will play a key part in expanding JLL’s public-private partnership business and managing transportation and energy engagements.
Hara brings with her more than 15 years of experience with project development and financing and has extensive knowledge of working with various sources of financing for large-scale, capital-intensive projects such as export credit agencies, multilateral agencies and commercial banks. Prior to joining JLL, Hara was a brand director with Access Intelligence and Director of P3 Services at the Institute for Public-Private Partnerships, a Tetra Tech Company. She also spent the beginning of her career at Taylor-DeJongh, a boutique international project finance advisory firm.
