• Newmark Group, Inc. has hired industry expert Justin Shepherd as co-head and vice chairman of its U.S. Healthcare Capital Markets practice. Based in Irvine, Shepherd will serve alongside co-heads and vice chairmen Ben Appel and Jay Miele along with vice chairman, head of Healthcare Debt John Nero. 

• Longtime multifamily real estate executive Randy Friend, who founded Eagle Real Estate Group in 2000, has launched an affiliate company, Eagle Partners, alongside co-founders Taylor Friend, Shahny Lutfeali and Clay Friend. Randy Friend has acquired and developed approximately 6,000 multifamily units throughout his career and will serve as chairman of Eagle Partners. 

• Chairman and CEO Michael Covarrubias of TMG Partners, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest mixed-use property developers, announced three executive team promotions. Former co-CEO Matt Field is now vice chairman; former regional partner Ben Kochalski is promoted to president and CIO; and Ken Dupee, formerly managing director of development is now managing director of real estate. 

• Storm Properties Inc., a developer, owner and manager of residential, industrial and commercial properties, announced that Bryan Leon has joined the company as land acquisitions manager. Leon brings more than four years of experience in real estate acquisitions and asset management, with a strong background in underwriting, entitlements and financing. 

• National accounting and consulting firm Novogradac promoted Peter Lawrence to chief public policy officer. He now leads the company’s public policy department, collaborates on the development and execution of Novogradac’s public policy strategy and provides insights and guidance to leadership on policy matters. 

• Wexford Science & Technology hired Monique Brown as manager of programs and partnerships for Aggie Square, a two-million-square-foot joint venture between UC Davis, Wexford and the City of Sacramento. She was most recently managing director for Growth Factory, a Rocklin-based nonprofit startup accelerator which she co-founded. 

• At Procore Technologies, Inc., a provider of construction management software, founder, president and CEO Tooey Courtemanche intends to transition to executive chairman upon the appointment of a successor. The board of directors will initiate a comprehensive search process to find Courtemanche’s successor. 

Don’t miss Connect Orange County, coming up on Thursday, March 20^th at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. Register to join OC’s leading CRE names and major industry players for an afternoon of insightful discussion panels, presentations, and top-notch networking. Be there to get the expert take on what’s coming to OC for the balance of 2025, across asset classes. www.ConnectOC2025.com