LAUNCH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- President
- President - Land Advisors Organization
- President of the Land Advisors Organization
Brian is the President of the Land Advisors Organization. Since joining the Company in 1999, Brian has played a vital role in the creation and implementation of the Company's vision and associated growth strategies.
As President, Brian is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Company across the entire country. From strategic direction, office identification, infrastructure, financial management, compliance, process improvement, and talent acquisition/management, Brian's deep operational knowledge and team-building skills have helped Land Advisors remain at the forefront of the land brokerage industry.
Prior to joining the Land Advisors, Brian was a Senior Manager with the global management consulting firm Accenture. In that role, Brian was responsible for improving the technology, business processes, and human capital elements of Fortune 500 companies across the country. He has used these skills and his experiences to help a rapidly growing Land Advisors Organization leverage the best practices employed by leading companies in a variety of industries.
Brian has an MBA with concentrations in Marketing and Finance from the University of Arizona, and a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Operations Management from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Managing Principal of Launch Development Finance Advisors
- Member of the Urban Land Institute
Carter is the Managing Principal of Launch Development Finance Advisors. Prior to the founding of Launch, Carter was the co-founder and Managing Principal of a national real estate consulting firm for 27 years. Preceding this, Carter was a Manager in the real estate consulting department of the national accounting firm of Kenneth Leventhal & Company in both the Phoenix, Arizona, and Newport Beach, California offices. Carter is a Certified Public Accountant in Arizona, California, and Texas, as well as a former State Certified Real Estate Appraiser in Arizona. Carter holds a master's degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California and a bachelor's degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Carter has over forty years of experience in the real estate consulting industry. Carter's area of specialty is in the formulation and implementation of land-secured financings for large-scale developments and the formulation of development strategies for large-scale master-planned communities.
Carter served as a City of Phoenix's Camelback Village Planning Committee member. Carter is a full member of the Urban Land Institute, Valley Partnership, and is a member of numerous Building Industry Associations in Arizona, California, Idaho, and Texas. Carter was the author of the 2008 and 2016 National Association of Home Builders' Impact Fee Handbook.
Job Titles:
- Associate Manager - Launch Reimbursement Services
Curry Froelich is the business segment leader of Launch Development Finance Advisor's Public Bidding and Reimbursement Services division. Mr. Froelich is also one of the key architects of the Launch Reimbursement System (the "LRS").
Prior to joining Launch, Curry began his consulting career at Development Planning & Financing Group primarily working on the creation of special purpose taxing districts and development impact fee reviews.
Curry is currently active with special districts and processing reimbursements in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas. Curry holds a Bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and is also a member of the Urban Land Institute.
After joining the Land Advisors Organization in 1996, Ethan began developing a custom geographic information system focused on modeling the complex variables that drive land parcel purchasing decisions. This system helped transform the Land Advisors Organization from a small regional land brokerage firm to one with national presence. This growth has, in turn, led to an extremely sophisticated geographic database of land parcels around the country enabling the Land Advisors the ability to offer brokerage consulting in nearly any market.
Ethan's ultimate accomplishment was to put this system into the hands of non-technical sales agents by creating an easy to use interface. Additionally, Ethan built a department to support the agents in efficiently creating custom map products for real estate transactions and clients. The Land Advisors' IT department is continually recognized as utilizing the latest mapping technology and sets a high standard for the practical application of GIS.
Ethan still remains deeply involved in the IT operations helping to craft creative solutions, manage integration of emerging technologies and to ultimately steer the technological direction of the company. He enjoys working with the other Land Advisors sales agents to enhance their deal-making ability through geographic analysis and identify new opportunities where technology can play a vital role.
Ethan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on Planning from Binghamton University. He pursued a Masters in Geography from Arizona State University. Ethan also holds a real estate license in the State of Arizona since 2003.
Job Titles:
- Associate Supporting Our Clients in Arizona and Nevada
Gerson Meira joins Launch Development Finance Advisors as an Associate supporting our clients in Arizona and Nevada. Gerson focuses on creating and running financial models to provide clients with the special district financing options that best suit their respective goals. Although Gerson's primary focus is on Arizona & Nevada, he is involved in multiple segments across the business.
Gerson holds a bachelor's degree in Financial Management as well as a certification in Data Analytics from Franklin University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer of the Land Advisors Organization
- Founder and CEO - Land Advisors Organization
Since founding the company in 1987, Mr. Vogel has applied his unique knowledge in the areas of land economics, land use and market trends to become a trusted advisor and broker to a broad spectrum of clients including financial institutions, investors, homebuilders and master planned community developers.
As Chief Executive Officer of the Land Advisors Organization, Mr. Vogel has led the expansion of the company into 22 markets across the United States. Over the past 25 years he has been involved in hundreds of transactions including several of the highest valued land transactions in the country. He has developed an extreme level of expertise in large scale community development and the representation of large land owners in unique structured transactions.
Mr. Vogel received his B.S. in Real Estate from Arizona State University in 1985. He is a past Trustee and Governor for the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the past Chair of the ULI Community Development Council (BlueFlight) and currently sits on the ULI Foundation Board of Directors. Mr. Vogel focuses his philanthropic and civic involvement on the Arizona State University Foundation (Trustee, Board member and Operations Committee member) and Arizona State University's Masters of Real Estate Development Advisory Board (Co-Chairman).
Job Titles:
- Associate Manager - Launch Development Finance Advisors
James Miller is the business segment leader of Launch Development Finance Advisor's modeling division. James is responsible for ensuring that all mathematical models are up to date and running smoothly.
James is involved in multiple segments across our business and has experience in Arizona, Texas, Idaho, New Mexico, and Nevada. James holds a bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics as well as a certificate in Applied Business Data Analytics from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Development Finance Advisors As an Associate
- Senior Associate - Launch Development Finance Advisors
Jose Almazan joined Launch Development Finance Advisors as an Associate supporting our clients in Texas. Jose focuses on creating and running financial models to provide clients with the special district financing options that best suit their respective goals. Although Jose's primary focus is on Texas, he is involved in multiple segments across the business.
Jose holds a bachelor's degree in Finance as well as a minor in Management Information Systems from The University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer - California Division
Katie brings more than 10 years' experience in the real estate industry to her role as Chief Operating Officer for the California Division. She is responsible for designing and implementing business operations, overseeing finances, and managing marketing and branding efforts. Katie excels at executing strategies and vision with a strong focus on details.
Since joining Land Advisors 2011, Katie has played several roles for the firm including Director of Marketing, Director of Operations, and currently Chief Operating Officer. Additionally, she assisted in the startup of Land Advisors' additional business lines: Landmark Capital Advisors, Market InSite Real Estate Advisors and QTative.
Prior to joining Land Advisors, Katie spent three years as a Marketing Coordinator for Strategic Land Advisors, where she was responsible for providing strategic and creative marketing direction for a land brokerage firm targeting Northern and Southern California markets. She also spent a year at Developers Research focusing on graphic delineation of maps.
Katie holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. She is a member of the Land Advisors California Board of Directors and a licensed California Real Estate Broker.
Job Titles:
- City Treasurer
- Senior Manager - Launch Development Finance Advisors - Southwest / Mountain Regions
- Senior Manager With Launch Development Finance Advisors
Kent Rock is a Senior Manager with Launch Development Finance Advisors. He retired from the City of Boise in 2012 having served there since 1981. In 1984, Kent was appointed City Treasurer, a position that he held until his retirement. Previously, Kent worked in the planning and development and banking sectors. Since leaving the City Kent has worked in the development financial consulting sector, first for Development Planning and Financing Group and since 2018 for Launch Development Finance Advisors.
As City Treasurer, Kent oversaw the City's banking, investment, debt management, collections, purchasing and risk management activities. He was a member of the City's Deferred Compensation Administrative Board and was the first Chairman of the Employee Health Care Trust.
He has served as president and on the boards of directors for the Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers' Association, Idaho Public Risk Managers Association and the Association of Public Treasurers of the US and Canada. He chaired the Committee on Cash Management and Investment Practices for Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada and was a member of their Advisory Committee to the US Treasury on Arbitrage. He chaired the Investment Policy and Debt Policy Certification Committees of the Association of Public Treasurers. He also served on the Idaho State Treasurer's Investment Policy Advisory Committee.
Kent has been certified by the Association of Public Treasurers as Certified Finance Administrator and as a Certified Public Investment Manager and has received their Dr. Jackson R.E. Phillips Award for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions to the Management of Public Funds. The Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers Association has also recognized him with the Dr. James B. Weatherby Service Award for outstanding service to that Association. He has also received certification as a public investment officer from the Government Finance Officers Association.
Kent attended the University of Idaho and has a BA in Business Management from Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director - Land Advisors Capital
Michael Zarola joined Land Advisors Capital in April 2020, serving as the company's President/Managing Director with ultimate responsibility of leading the Land Advisors Capital team. Michael has held leadership positions in business development, origination, asset management and disposition for residential land and housing advisory firms spanning over his 20+ year career in the real estate sector. His experience has been focused in several of the top homebuilding markets including; Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington. Throughout his career, Michael has successfully drawn upon his analytical, problem solving, financial modeling and interpersonal skills to negotiate workouts between parties on complex projects and distressed assets to achieve optimal return on investments.
Previously, Michael served as Senior Vice President at The Resmark Companies, advisor to the California State Teachers (CalSTRS) pension fund, where he personally opened up new markets and established a presence on behalf of the company in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah and Washington. Prior thereto, he was a Vice President for Lowe Enterprises Residential Advisors and its predecessor company TriPacific Capital Advisors, an exclusive advisor to Los Angeles County Employment Retirement Association (LACERA) pension fund at the time. On behalf of Lowe and TriPacific, Michael originated and managed assets in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Texas.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Designated Broker - Land Advisors Organization
Mike Schwab has been with Land Advisors Organization since 1989, offering clients 30-plus years of experience as a licensed agent and broker in Arizona. Clients benefit from his wealth of market knowledge in both the listing and sale of planned communities, residential land & lots, commercial land, industrial land, investment land and agricultural land.
Specializing in the western metropolitan Phoenix communities, Mike maintains relationships in multiple jurisdictions and is uniquely qualified to assist his clients with market intelligence, land economics, property due diligence and entitlements.
Mike is a member of the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and Western Maricopa Coalition (a public-private partnership of the 15 communities, the business community, and the educational sector in the West Valley). He is past president and board member of the Hon Kachina Council, and was a trustee with St. Luke's Health Initiatives.
Mike received his Bachelor of Science in Real Estate with a minor in Finance from Arizona State University in 1987
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager - Launch Development Finance Group - California
Nick Kral, a seasoned California and Nevada financial consultant has joined the Orange County, CA office of Launch Development Finance Advisors as a Senior Manager.
Nick has extensive experience in preparing home builder due diligence and fee reports, impact fee credit analysis, establishing community facilities districts, issuing bonds, tracking reimbursable impact/school fees and eligible public infrastructure costs, processing reimbursement packages as well as preparing fiscal impact studies. Nick's experience also includes preparation and review of AB1600 impact fee nexus studies and specific plan area fees.
Prior to joining Launch, Nick was a Project Manager with Harris & Associate's Municipal & District Finance Group and a Senior Consultant at Development Planning & Financing Group.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager - Launch Development Finance Advisors - Southwest / Mountain Regions
Ozzie has been providing financial and analytical services in both the public and private sector for almost 30 years. He spent the first half of his career working as an analyst and financial manager in the casino industry and the second as a budget and financial manager at the City of Boise. He left the city to work with a colleague, providing consulting services to government agencies throughout the northwest. In the early 2000's, he relocated to Meridian, ID to enable his family to be closer to their relatives. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Principal - Launch Development Finance Advisors - Southwest / Mountain Regions
Pam Giss structures and negotiates complex land secured public finance projects for real estate developments in the Southwest and Midwest regions of the United States. Pam is a licensed Missouri attorney practicing almost two decades for a large regional St. Louis-based law firm in its real estate development and public finance departments. For a decade, she assisted land developers, big box chains, national retailers and sports teams with land acquisitions, leases, entitlements, and public finance. In 2005, Pam moved to Shanghai, China to manage the firm's Asia operations and spent the decade following assisting US companies expand their Asian presence.
Upon returning to the States, she joined Launch Development Finance Advisors in its Scottsdale Office. Pam assists developers and builders in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Missouri and Oklahoma develop and implement plans to finance real estate development projects, including master-planned communities, mixed-used developments and commercial and entertainment venues. Pam has an intimate knowledge of district finance, tax increment financing, tax abatement, state grants and government buy-lease back statutes throughout the Southwest/Midwest regions.
Pam also leads the group's District Administration practice.
She is a national board member of Boys Hope Girls Hope, an advocate for and participant in several animal rescue organizations and an avid runner, hiker, traveler and an exceptionally poor golfer.
Job Titles:
- Founding Principal and Chief Executive Officer - Land Advisors Organization - California Division
As a Founding Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Land Advisors California, Jeff is responsible for creating and communicating the organization's vision, strategy, and overall direction. Along with providing leadership to the firm, Jeff is a dominant real estate expert in West Riverside County, bringing his extensive market knowledge and strong relationships to the firm's clientele. He's played an integral role in the sale of more than 130,000 residential units for consideration exceeding $5 billion.
Jeff has an extensive 40+-year history in the real estate industry. In 1997, Jeff established Park Place Partners, Inc., along with Co-founding Principals, Brian Carricaburu and Terry Ruckle. In March 2009, Park Place Partners, Inc., California's largest residential land brokerage and advisory firm, merged platforms with Land Advisors Organization, based in Scottsdale, Arizona and created the California Division of Land Advisors Organization. The combined platform is the only national brokerage and advisory network dedicated to the residential land development industry with offices located across the United States.
Prior to establishing Land Advisors, Jeff began his career at Grubb & Ellis, where he enjoyed an acclaimed 17-year tenure and ranked amongst the top 10% producers. While at Grubb & Ellis, Jeff was involved in over 200 transactions totaling more than $275 million in consideration. He opened Grubb & Ellis' Inland Empire office and later took a leadership role in the firm's Newport Beach office where he specialized in the sale of residential subdivisions.
Jeff is a licensed California real estate broker, and earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager - Launch Development Finance Advisors - Dallas / Fort Worth
Ryan Mills comes to us from JP Morgan where he served as a vice president in public finance underwriting municipal and non-profit deals. Ryan has extensive experience in the public sector in urban planning and public finance before spending time at rating agencies in public finance. Ryan holds a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Southern California as well as an MBA from Indiana University.
Job Titles:
- President of Land Advisors Organization - California Division
Tony brings decades of leadership, real estate brokerage, and finance experience to his role as President of Land Advisors Organization - California Division. He began his career in land brokerage in 2007 and has since been directly responsible for the purchase and sale of more than 9,000 residential lots with total consideration exceeding $750 million. Tony's primary expertise is in the sale of master planned communities in California, but he has also participated in the sales of residential and commercial land in Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Prior to joining Land Advisors, Tony was the Vice President - Land Disposition for The Lewis Group of Companies, one of the nation's premier developers of master planned communities with 10,500 acres and approximately 42,000 residential lots in California and Nevada. Tony began his career in real estate when he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of O'Donnell/Atkins, California's largest land brokerage firm at the time. Tony previously held positions of increasing responsibility from financial analyst to controller and eventually Chief Financial Officer of various publicly traded and private firms.
Tony graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis with a Bachelor of Science degree and received a commission in the United States Marine Corps in 1988. During his service, Tony spent five years at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in an F/A-18 squadron where he accumulated more than 1,000 hours of flight time in the Hornet. After leaving active duty, Tony returned to school and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School in New York City where he was a member of the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. Tony is a licensed California real estate