Joseph Petro has joined Realpoint as vice president of sales. He will be responsible for leading sales, account development and client retention for the Web-based research firm. Prior to joining Realpoint, Petro was director of sales for Internet Publishing Group's Commercial Real Estate Direct.
Cynthia Shelton, vice president of corporate accounts for Orlando, Fla.-based Commercial Net Lease Realty, has been elected as the 2002 national president of the CCIM Institute. The 13,000-member organization confers the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. Shelton is the second woman to hold that office.
Ronald Rubin, the current chief executive of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), also has been named chairman of its board of trustees. Rubin has served as CEO since 1987 and succeeds the late Sylvan M. Cohen as chairman of the of the equity company based in Philadelphia.
Thilo Best has been named president and CEO of Chicago-based Horizon Bay Management LLC, a national seniors housing management company. Best previously served as board member and senior vice president of finance with Holiday Retirement Corp.
Mike Neal has been named president of San Diego, Calif.-based H.G. Fenton Co., the latest in a series of internal job changes at the company. Harry Hunte remains chairman and CEO. Geoff Swortwood will head the firm's commercial building development and acquisitions activities, and Shelly Weld and Mary Day Dewart will oversee the property management of the company's commercial portfolio.
Russell L. Dixon has joined Insignia/ESG as national director of the company's Multi-Housing Properties Group and as senior managing director of the Capital Advisors Group.
Denise Chomicki has joined Pace Properties Inc. as CFO. The St. Louis-based firm focuses on investment and development, property services such as brokerage and management, and retail and non-retail corporate services.
Gabriel Hernandez has been named vice president of operations of Tarzana, Calif.-based NewMark Merrill Cos. In his new role, Hernandez will oversee 45 company assets, which represent more than 4 million sq. ft. of retail space.
Thomas W. Lattin has been named executive managing director of San Francisco-based PKF Consulting's capital markets group. Lattin has spent 14 years as a hotel company executive, including seven years as president of the Mariner Corp.
Randy Brant recently joined The Macerich Co. in the newly created position of senior vice president of development leasing. From the company's Santa Monica, Calif., home office, Brant will work with senior executives in the company's leasing and real estate departments on Macerich's shopping center redevelopment projects.
Kevin Lewis has been appointed brand president of Atlanta-based GuestHouse International Franchise Systems Inc. He replaces Rob Wilson, who will be leaving the company to pursue other interests. Lewis previously served as managing director of franchise sales for parent company Suburban Lodges of America Inc.
Laura A. Quayle has joined the Midwest Corporate Services division of Addison, Texas-based The Staubach Co. as senior vice president. Quayle will be responsible for business development in the Midwest region, and will be based in Chicago.
George S. Quay IV has been appointed COO of Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Village Green Cos., a developer and manager of luxury apartments. Quay formerly served as senior vice president of strategic planning for the company.
Patricia Barnett is the new director of real estate for the Western region of Pearl River, N.Y.-based Katz & Associates Corp. Formerly the West Coast real estate manager with Consolidated Stores, Barnett will identify and secure retail real estate locations based on market and demographic characteristics. She will be based in San Francisco.
Michael Di Cosola will oversee tenant outreach and leasing activities across the country for Boston-based MarketPlace Development, one of the nation's premier airport retail developers. Di Cosola, who previously served as vice president of real estate for Lids Corp. and head of real estate at Sunglass Hut International, also will spearhead new business development initiatives.
Phillip W. Wegele has joined Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. as senior vice president of industrial brokerage. Wegele also will serve as the head of the Chicago area industrial brokerage team.