Movers and shakers

Meringoff Properties, the management and leasing arm of Himmel + Meringoff Properties [TRDataCustom], has promoted Jason Vacker to president and chief executive. He replaces Farrell Virga, who plans to retire after 32 years at the firm. Vacker joined Meringoff in 2008 and was previously chief operating officer.

John Busi has joined Newmark Grubb Knight Frank as president, in charge of valuation and advisory. He comes to the firm from Cushman & Wakefield, where he spent 35 years, most recently as president of valuation and advisory and global practice.

Marcus & Millichap’s J.D. Parker has been promoted to Northeast division manager, overseeing Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York, New Jersey, Westchester, New Haven, Boston, and the firm’s Ottawa and Toronto offices. He previously oversaw the firm’s New York Tri-State subdivision as district manager.

Marc Possick has joined the CBRE Group’s Manhattan office as managing director overseeing capital markets activities. He comes to the firm from GE Capital. Nicole LaRusso has joined CBRE as director of research and analysis for the Tri-State Region. She comes to the firm from the Alliance for Downtown New York.

The Naftali Group has hired David Hochfelder to lead the firm’s acquisitions team. He comes to the firm from RFR Holding.

Ellie Johnson, senior vice president and manager of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Upper East Side office, has resigned after 11 years in the role. Marissa Ghesquiere, the company’s former corporate counsel, is filling in until the firm recruits a replacement.

JLL has hired Kevin Stahl as a New York-based managing director. He comes to the firm following a nine-month stint at Stan Johnson Company, where he was executive managing director.

MNS has hired Daniel Rash as director of sales and leasing. He comes from Citi Habitats’ subsidiary Aptsandlofts.com, where he was a project manager in the new developments division. He will be joined by his four-member team at Aptsandlofts.com.

Douglaston Development has hired Jessica Sherman as a project manager with the firm’s affordable housing team.

Annette Gallo has been tapped by Warburg Realty as chief marketing officer based at its Tribeca office. She comes to the firm from Condé Nast, where she was head of digital development. She is joined by Rosana Vidal, who will serve as executive director of marketing.

Whitney Kraus has joined Halstead Property Development Marketing as a project manager. She comes to the firm from Selldorf Architects, where she was an associate and project architect.