As Employment Sags, RE Firms Still Adding Execs

 As the difficult economic times continue, the unemployment rate keeps on the increase. Still, new hire announcements hit my inbox every day and I'm writing news briefs for CPN’s People on the Move section on an almost daily basis. One thing that has caught my attention is that many firms are busy tapping new managing directors, senior vice presidents and other high-level executive postitions. Just yesterday, Canyon Capital Realty Advisors announced the hiring of David Ridini to serve as managing director with responsibility for identifying and overseeing investment in the Northeast. And Trammell Crow Co. recently appointed David Stahl as senior vice president with the firm’s real estate acquisition group. Also, Mike Neal joined Colliers Spectrum Cauble as senior vice president of retail. Last week, Susan Carras joined Cushman & Wakefield Sonnenblick Goldman as senior managing director, based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Also last week, Rockwood Capital L.L.C. announced that veteran real estate investment professional Frank Orioli had joined the firm as managing director of transactions. Finally, Jones Lang LaSalle just hired Terry Darrow as a managing director to lead its Dallas/Fort Worth industrial practice. And these are just a few examples of what I receive in my inbox on the daily basis.

    

    As the nationwide unemployment rate continues to march upward, will real estate firms continue to make new executive hires? Or could the employment slowdown reach the upper management levels?