Movers & Shakers: Housing Trust Group taps new COO, CBRE team expands…and more

Miami-based Housing Trust Group tapped Scott Osman as its chief operating officer.

Osman, promoted from senior vice president of operations and finance at HTG, will oversee the multifamily developer’s construction, property management, asset management, accounting and finance functions, and development. The firm, which specializes in affordable housing, has 5,900 units in its existing portfolio and more than 1,300 units in the pipeline for the next 18 months.

Osman was previously chief financial officer at New Urban Development, the housing development affiliate of the Urban League of Greater Miami, and also worked for LG Capital Partners and Cornerstone Development Group.

CBRE Senior Vice President Tom O’Loughlin and Vice President Larry Genet brought on Yuri J. Quispe to their team, which focuses on sales and leasing of industrial, flex, call center and office properties across South Florida. Quispe was previously with Americas Commercial Real Estate Group, where he focused on business development.

Driftwood Acquisitions and Development named four executives to its corporate team, including: owner liason Ed Miranda, director of investor relations Elric Martinez, investment sales director Andre Salle and accounting manager Syed U. Zafar. Miranda has worked with the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Blackstone Group affiliate LXR Luxury Resort and OTO Development, and Martinez previously worked at Lippert Heilshorn and Legrand Hart. They’ll both report to CEO Carlos Rodriguez.

Shutts & Bowen LLP named Rafael A. Aguilar a partner in the firm’s real estate practice group based in Miami. Aguilar has represented developers, home builders, banks, private equity funds and other investors on commercial deals in the U.S. and Latin America. He was a founding partner of Jones Day’s Miami office and the founder and former co-chair of Akerman LLLP’s Latin American and Caribbean practice.

Candace McIntosh returned to Platinum Properties as a luxury real estate agent. McIntosh, who focuses on Jupiter, Tequesta and Hobe Sound, has closed $12 million in sales since the beginning of 2015. She left Keller Williams’ Jupiter office to return to Platinum, which last year merged with the Keyes Co.

Crossman & Company brought on Buffy Gillette as director of office leasing and sales and Rachel Slater in asset management. The company has more than 28 million square feet under leasing and management in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina. Mississippi and Virginia.

Victor Petrescu was named a partner in Miami-based law firm Levine Kellogg Lehman Schneider + Grossman LLP. Petrescu focuses on complex commercial litigation. He was an associate at the firm for the last three years, where he also works on bankruptcy and receiverships and other real estate-related issues.

Premier Design + Build Group hired Andy Perez as a superintendent. Perez has experience working with construction firms, most recently leading projects in the $20 million range.

Arnstein & Lehr launched the agriculture practice group chaired by attorney Katie Edwards. The team represents farmers, ranchers and nursery growers on issues that include estate planning, real estate deals, land use, eminent domain, water, environmental regulations, debt collection and food safety and labor.

Christopher Zoller was elected by the Miami Association of Realtors as its 2017 chairman of the board. Zoller specializes in custom properties for commercial and residential clients, was residential president of the association in 2015, and is a director of the Florida Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.