Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (HFF) LP said it has expanded its presence in the area by opening an office in Seattle, WA with an immediate focus on debt, equity placement and investment advisory services. The opening of the Seattle operation represents HFF’s 25th office location.

In the firm’s new Seattle office, Thomas Wilson, senior managing director and member of HFF’s debt placement group will handle the day-to-day operations of the Seattle office in conjunction with senior managing director Ira Virden, who is a member of HFF’s investment advisory multi-housing group in its Portland office. The pair will jointly lead the firm’s Pacific Northwest platform in Portland and Seattle. Wilson was formerly in HFF’s Portland office. …full story  

Bridge Investment Group, a privately held real estate investment management firm focused on select U.S. real estate sectors, has appointed Edward Pierzak to be its managing director of investment strategy. He will be based in the firm’s Salt Lake City headquarters. In his new role, Pierzak will focus on investment strategy and research for five major investment sectors, including multifamily, seniors housing, commercial office, affordable housing and real estate-backed fixed-income investment portfolios.

Previously, Pierzak was a managing director at TIAA where he directed strategy and research efforts for the firm’s Global Real Estate investment management team. Prior to that, he was a portfolio manager for Henderson Global Investors and its Henderson North American Property Fund.

Walker & Dunlop continues to grow its capital markets platform. This week, the Bethesda, MD-based company said it hired Greg Krafcik as managing director in its Atlanta office. At Walker & Dunlop, Krafcik’s key responsibilities include sourcing and structuring permanent, bridge and construction loans for all commercial property types.

Krafcik joins Walker & Dunlop from Greystone & Co., where he headed commercial mortgage-backed securities origination in the Southeast. His experience, transaction record and connections make Krafcik a critical addition to Walker & Dunlop, said Bill Wein, senior vice president and chief production officer for the Eastern Region of its capital markets group. Prior to working at Greystone, Krafcik spent more than eight years as a director and loan officer at Prudential Mortgage Capital Co., which became part of PGIM Real Estate Finance early this year.

Kentwood Real Estate, a longtime Denver-based company that sold in 2016 to Berkshire Hathaway-affiliated HomeServices of America, has significantly expanded its commercial brokerage service with the launch of Kentwood Commercial. Peter Niederman, CEO of Kentwood Real Estate, will oversee both the residential and commercial arms.

Joining Niederman (pictured, right) in the new boutique commercial real estate practice are David Morrison, Mike Fickinger and Rodney Gustafson as senior vice presidents, and Matt Anton as a retail broker associate. Zeile will also serve as a senior vice president for the platform.

Laura Goetz joined Grover Corlew as a vice president of property management in the firm’s Pompano Beach, FL office. In her new role, Goetz will oversee all property management activities for the firm across a portfolio spanning three states. She will supervise and manage commercial centers as well as coordinate asset improvement projects.

Goetz was previously a district property manager for Stiles Property Management in Fort Lauderdale, where she managed 3.5 million square feet of retail and office space throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Her career also includes property management roles with Washington Real Estate Partners, Brenner Real Estate Group, Terranova Corporation and Natapow Properties.