West77 Partners is a real estate investment and development firm with offices in Bellevue, Washington and Salt Lake City, Utah. The firm sources and places debt and equity for the acquisition and development of real estate through its investment group and key lending relationships. The company is able to successfully manage outcome for its investors via West77 Partners’ vertical integration of services including acquisitions, design & entitlement, construction management, asset management, and investment sales. West77 Partners is a strategic investor, developer and manager of best-in-class properties throughout the United States.
About Us
History
$250 Millon Plus
West77 Partners is currently developing over $250 Million in real estate assets
Over $1 Billion
Senior executives have collectively developed real estate projects totaling over $1 Billion
One Focus
Research-driven
investment focus for maximum yield
“The success of West77 Partners stems from our dedication to applying a discerning eye toward every investment we pursue. At West77 Partners, we see ourselves as investors first. Since we invest our own capital in every project we undertake, our interests are aligned with our investors from the inception of each transaction.”
Michael J. Nielson, Founder and CEO
Investment Philosophy
West77 Partners seeks well-located real estate assets with high barriers to entry where value can be added via our operational expertise and capitalization proficiency. Examining a transaction as an operator allows us to home in on aspects of the investment that are core to its operational success. Since the ultimate sale of any asset is difficult to predict, we interest ourselves more in the annual cash flow a property produces. We strongly believe there is a time to develop, a time to acquire, and a time to hold. The services West77 Partners provides are driven by our desire to prudently invest, and not the other way around.
As real estate markets cycle so too should our investment approaches. When the economy is expanding rapidly, capitalization rates are compressing, and consumer demand intensifies, development-related investments typically present better yields for our investors. Alternatively, when economies soften, capitalization rates increase, and consumer confidence wanes, acquisition opportunities abound in the face of investment panic. Although seemingly counter-intuitive, there are also times when we should simply do nothing except continue to manage our portfolio for better yields. Knowing when to acquire, develop or hold is what distinguishes West77 Partners from most real estate firms.
Team
Michael J. Nielson
Founder & CEO
Dan Barrett
President
Kevin Dailey
Chief Operating Officer
Paul Duncan
Chief Development Officer
Jeremy Raymond
General Counsel
Kerri Findlay
Director of Acquisitions & Finance
Todd Lust
Controller
AAron Converse
Director of Development & Asset Management
Lori DeLeon
Vice President of Sales
Nick Blayden
Director of Development
Jacque Nielson
Design Manager
Tracy Winter
Project Manager
Angie Borg
Accounting Manager
Schyler Shoemaker
Acquisitions Analyst
Michael J. Nielson
Founder & CEO
Primarily focused on acquisitions and development initiatives for the company, Mike also oversees structured financing and investor relations for the company. Prior to forming West77 Partners, Mike served as the President of Wasatch Commercial Management, a Salt Lake City based real estate investment firm with over $4 Billion of assets under management. Mike is a graduate of Brigham Young University and its J. Reuben Clark Law School, where he earned a Juris Doctorate after graduating in business finance. Mike is a member of the Utah Bar and a licensed real estate broker in Utah and Washington.
Dan Barrett
President
Dan is the President of West77 Partners leading all aspects of the company’s design and construction activities. Dan is also President of Wasatch DC Builders NW, the general contracting division of West77 Partners, where he oversees all construction operations. Prior to joining West77 Partners Dan was Executive Vice President at Sellen Construction, a leading Seattle-based commercial general contractor where he managed multiple operating divisions, business development, and corporate strategy. Dan graduated from Stanford University with a Masters in Engineering and from Washington State University with degrees in Finance and Construction Management.
Kevin Dailey
Chief Operating Officer
Kevin is primarily focused on day-to-day operations including branding, budgeting, technology, vendor management, sales, and marketing, and overall guest experience. Prior to joining our team, Kevin served as President & Chief Operations Officer at Nationwide Hotel Management Company, LLC where he led a team of 1,100 associates managing 14,500 rooms in the extended stay hotel segment. Kevin also held the position of Executive Vice President of Corporate Operations at LaQuinta Inns & Suites where he was responsible for hundreds of hotels and 4,000+ team members. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from East Stroudsburg University.
Paul Duncan
Chief Development Officer
Paul leads and manages the company’s development pipeline. As a player-coach, he oversees site due diligence, entitlements, design, and permitting through the start of construction. Prior to joining West77, Paul served as Vice President of Extended Stay Development at Concord Hospitality where he led the extended stay development platform, opening over 1,800 rooms with another 1,000+ under construction. Paul is a licensed real estate broker in North Carolina and began his career in construction. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering and Management from NC State University.
Jeremy Raymond
General Counsel
Jeremy is General Counsel for West77 Partners, overseeing the company’s legal affairs and compliance matters. He is responsible for implementation of legal strategies and solutions pertaining to the company and its real estate holdings. Jeremy plays a key role in real estate acquisitions, including deal structure, due diligence, entitlements, financing, and overall operations, as well as advising the company with respect to risk management. Prior to West77 Partners, Jeremy was a Partner at Olson and Hoggan, LLC, a mid-sized Utah law firm. At Olson & Hoggan, Jeremy specialized in business and employment law, contracts, real estate, and transactional law. Jeremy graduated from Utah State University with a B.S. in Accounting and from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law where he earned a Juris Doctorate degree. Jeremy is a member of the American Bar Association, Utah State Bar, and Cache County Bar Association.
Kerri Findlay
Director of Acquisitions & Finance
As Director of Acquisitions & Finance, Kerri manages all land acquisition and asset sales for West77 Partners along with coordinating the company’s structured financing needs. In addition, Kerri plays a lead role in investor relations and risk management. Previous to joining West77 Partners, Kerri worked for Wasatch Commercial Management, a Salt Lake City-based real estate investment firm, where she was responsible for commercial leasing and construction accounting for tenant improvements across the company’s commercial assets. Kerri holds a degree in finance from Southern Utah University.
Todd Lust
Controller
As Controller, Todd manages the company’s accounting, accounts payable, and development project accounting. He also plays a critical role in establishing development proformas and operational budgets for future projects. Previous to joining West77 Partners, Todd worked as a project accountant and controls manager for Vulcan, a Seattle-based real estate development firm whose projects extend to the Amazon Campus and Century Link Stadium, home of the Seattle Seahawks. Todd holds a degree in finance and accounting from Washington State University.
AAron Converse
Director of Development & Asset Management
AAron is a Director of Development & Asset Management at West77 Partners, managing end-to-end details of project development including construction management, project openings and stabilizing operations. AAron collaborates directly with jurisdictions, design professionals, contractors, procurement and management companies to ensure the timely and successful completion of projects. Prior to joining West77 Partners, AAron led logistical operations in manufacturing in Salt Lake City. AAron earned a double major in Sports Management and Marketing from the University of Utah.
In 2010 AAron received the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year award while attending Kansas Wesleyan University.
Lori DeLeon
Vice President of Sales
Lori is Vice President of Sales, primarily focused on national sales & marketing. Lori brings over 35 years of sales experience in national, regional, and local sales and marketing. Lori’s previous experience includes Divisional Vice President of Sales at Nationwide Hotel Management Company, LLC providing sales, marketing and training for over 14,500 rooms in the extended stay hotel segment. Prior to that she held a senior sales position at G6 Hospitality providing sales leadership to over 1,400 Motel 6 and Studio 6 hotels, as well as senior sales and marketing positions at some of the leading brands in the hospitality industry including Red Roof Inns, Radisson Plaza, Wyndham and Doubletree Hotels by Hilton.
Nick Blayden
Director of Development
As Director of Development, Nick is responsible for all aspects of project due diligence, design, entitlement, permitting and project delivery. Previous to joining West77 Partners, Nick worked for PEG Companies, a Utah-based real estate company, where he was responsible for entitling properties, designing custom luxury hotels, and working closely with contractors to construct company projects. Nick began his career as an architect which has served as an excellent platform for real estate development. Nick holds a Bachelors degree in Architecture from The NewSchool of Architecture & Design and earned a Masters degree in Real Estate Development from Woodbury University.
Jacque Nielson
Design Manager
As Design Manager for West77 Partners and affiliated companies, Jacque oversees all aspect of interior and exterior design for the firm’s projects. Prior to joining West77 Partners, Jacque worked as a design specialist with a luxury condominium project in the Seattle area. Before that Jacque ran marketing efforts for Coldwell Banker Commercial in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jacque holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University – Hawaii and is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Utah.
Tracy Winter
Project Manager
As Project Manager, Tracy is responsible for ensuring the timely and on-budget completion of our development projects by overseeing all phases of construction. This includes preconstruction support, bidding and executing subcontracts and coordinating equipment and materials. Tracy also spends time onsite overseeing quality control for projects and providing support for the superintendent in the field. Prior to joining West 77 Partners, Tracy was Vice President & Senior Project Manager at Sellen Construction in Seattle, Washington. During his 33 years with Sellen, he managed everything from small commercial projects to large high-rise towers. Tracy graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Construction Management.
Angie Borg
Accounting Manager
As Accounting Manager, Angie manages the company’s accounting, accounts payable and development project accounting. Before joining West77 Partners, Angie worked as a project accountant and draw manager for Sundance Bay, a real estate private equity firm that specializes in debt, multifamily equity, and net lease investments in middle markets throughout the Mountain West and Sunbelt regions. Angie holds over 20 years of experience in both domestic and international (Canada, Costa Rica, Philippines) accounting. Angie holds a degree in accounting from the University of Phoenix.
Schyler Shoemaker
Acquisitions Analyst
As Acquisitions Analyst, Schyler evaluates markets and individual sites for West77 Partner’s extended stay hotel development projects. Schyler also assists in negotiations and contracting of sites, aiding in the due diligence process, and other various functions for the firm. Prior to joining West77 Partners, Schyler worked for Streamline Capital, a Salt Lake City-based real estate investment firm, where he was responsible for sourcing and underwriting multifamily investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, and assisting in capital raising and asset management. Schyler holds a degree in Finance with an emphasis in Real Estate from Brigham Young University.
Careers
West77 Partners is always seeking bright professionals who share common goals avnd values with the company. As a mantra, we believe you must have “the right people on the bus” in order to achieve success as a company.
Our people are our most valuable assets. Therefore, we are constantly looking for the industry’s most talented people to join us. Qualified applicants should submit a resume to careers@west77partners.com