Movers & Shakers

Bernards KFA Partners Trust Moves
From left: Jeff M. Bernards, John Arnold, Lise Bornstein, Jonathan Watts and Sarah Kosasky

After 23 years at his family’s construction firm Bernards, former senior vice president Jeff M. Bernards has flown the coop. He has joined the LA drywall contracting firm Sharpe Interior Systems, founded by CEO Steve M. Sharpe in 1976, in the newly created position of executive vice president.

“Working inside of the family business has been a true blessing for me,” Bernards said, adding that his reasons for leaving were personal and not related to Bernards’ business. “At the same time, I suppose a similar entrepreneurial spirit that caused my father and his brothers to start their firm in 1974 is in my blood, and I have always had the itch to make my own way.”

His family will continue to run Bernards in his absence, he said. He does not have equity in the company.

The brokerage Partners Trust continues to expand in Malibu. The firm first opened a Malibu office in 2014 when they merged with Areté Estates. Last year, Million Dollar Listing star Madison Hildebrand and his team joined that office, among many others. But now, Partners is opening a second Malibu office to serve as its Westside headquarters. Founding partner Sarah Kosasky will lead the office at 23410 Civic Center Way in the Malibu Country Mart. The office will have a grand opening celebration next month.

New KFA Partners

From left: Wade Killefer, Barbara Flammang, Jonathan Watts, Lise Bornstein and John Arnold of KFA

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For the first time ever, husband-and-wife team Wade Killefer and Barbara Flammang will not be the sole partners of Santa Monica architecture firm Killer Flammang Architects. The couple has added three new partners that will join the company they founded 40 years ago.

John Arnold and Lise Bornstein were bumped up to partner status after working at KFA as longtime principals. Jonathan Watts joined the firm from Cuningham Group Architecture, where he was a principal.

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