Movers & Shakers: Compass acquires Orange County team, Colliers recruits El Warner… and more

Mark Kitching also left Compass to join Douglas Elliman

From left: Rex McKown, Marcy Weinstein and El Warner
From left: Rex McKown, Marcy Weinstein and El Warner

Compass has resumed its shopping spree. The firm acquired a 15-person team, known as McKown Weinstein Associates, from Surterre Properties in Orange County. The team is led by principals Rex McKown and Marcy Weinstein, and includes 11 agents and two staff members. Collectively, they’ve brokered some of the biggest sales in Orange County, such as a record breaking $30.5 million dollar sale in Newport Coast’s Crystal Cove and a $25 million dollar sale in Harbor Island. The team will be based in Compass’ Newport Beach office.

Compass also recently poached WSA Real Estate, a 22-agent team, from Coldwell Banker. Led by partners Ron Wynn, Steve Sawaii and Fiora Aston, the team focuses on Westside cities like Santa Monica, Venice and neighboring areas. The recruitment deal, effective June 1, included a sign-on bonus and stock options, a source close to the deal told The Real Deal.

The behemoth brokerage also lost one of its agents recently. Mark Kitching, a founding member at the now defunct Partners Trust, has left Compass to join Douglas Elliman. A former film and television manager, Kitching made about $70 million in sales last year. His major deals include selling the home of Ron Radziner, principal of Marmol Radziner, as well as homes designed by architects John Lautner and Charles Ward.

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In commercial real estate, Colliers International has hired a familiar face to join the firm as executive vice president of capital markets. El Warner, who previously worked at the firm’s Downtown Los Angeles office, is a leading retail investment broker with more than $2 billion in total sales volume. He most recently worked as the national director of shopping centers for Matthews Realty Advisors. In the past, he’s held senior roles at CBRE.

Cushman & Wakefield also recruited in Orange County, hiring a four-person team that specializes in multi-tenant retail. Joseph Lising joins the firm as managing director in capital markets, while Matthew Godman and Mitchell Neff join as associates. Richard Salinas joins as brokerage coordinator. The team, which will be based in the firm’s Irvine office, has completed notable retail investment sales over the past few years, including the $10 million sale of the Seagate Plaza in Huntington Beach.