The ORION Team
Built as one, ORION is, moves, and acts as a team; highlighting each of their strengths collectively creating a light so bright, it commands the attention of others with natural ease. Formulating an entity of life professionals, ORION’s team comes together standing above all others, living by the success of each other, all for the wellness of the client, exemplifying the best of the very best.
Jay D. Carnahan, Managing Partner
Judy Hirsch, Chief Financial Officer
Robert W. Thagard, Managing Principal
Evangelo Karantonis, Associate
Sandra Davis, Director of Operations
Ashley Carnahan, Marketing Coordinator
Alexandra Hawthorne, Marketing Coordinator
Jay D. Carnahan, Managing Partner
jayc@oppre.com, 949.721.6980
Jay Carnahan founded ORION Property Partners, Inc. after spending more than two decades in senior leadership positions with a number of the nation’s largest commercial real estate service, investment, and development companies. Over the course of his career, Carnahan has been involved in the acquisition, development, property management, and marketing and leasing of over 50 million square feet on behalf of leading institutional owners and for some of the most significant Class A real estate properties on the West Coast. He has held primary responsibility for acquiring, staffing, and directing a portfolio in excess of 35 million square feet of institutional third party property management and exclusive leasing assignments throughout the western US.
As Founder and President of ORION, Carnahan is responsible for the overall business of the firm, and is the senior executive primarily responsible for the delivery of ORION’s real estate services including project leasing, corporate services, investment and development, and market analysis.
Prior to founding ORION, Carnahan held senior executive positions with Cushman & Wakefield, Transpacific Development Company, PM Realty Group and Transwestern Commercial Services Company.
In his various leadership roles, Carnahan has been directly responsible for consummating more than 20 million square feet of lease, lease equity, and joint venture lease transactions either on behalf of institutional owners or tenants throughout California’s major office markets.
Unique to his experience, Carnahan has been directly involved as a general partner in all phases of the development, lease-up and management of over 5 million square feet of institutional quality high rise and suburban office and industrial properties throughout California and Hawaii. Today the majority of this portfolio has been acquired by Spieker Properties, a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).
Carnahan graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He serves on the advisory board for The Center for Real Estate at the Paul Merage School of Business and is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a California Licensed Real Estate Broker.
Judy Hirsch, Chief Financial Officer
Judy Hirsch serves as Chief Financial Officer for ORION Property Partners, Inc. In this role, she provides strategic direction and leadership, specializing in the strategic management of real estate portfolios to
help clients maximize returns. She has extensive financial management experience in real estate accounting, financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, financing, and bank relations. Prior to joining ORION Property Partners, Hirsch was chief financial officer of Bixby Land Company where she retains the Emeritus title. Previously, Hirsch was vice president of finance for the Hapsmith Company and has performed similar services for some of California’s most respected developers including Transpacific Development Company and Ernest W. Hahn, Inc.
Robert W. Thagard, Managing Principal
bobt@oppre.com 949.721.6983
Robert W. Thagard is an award winning broker specializing in both landlord and tenant representation. Regarded as one of the top real estate brokers in the County, Thagard has been instrumental in shaping the Orange County office market over the last 25 years having represented local, regional and national clients to complete more than 10 million square feet of transactions with a value in excess of $750 million. Many of the transactions completed by Thagard have ranked as the largest in the Orange County Airport market.
Prior to joining ORION Property Partners, Inc., Thagard was director of leasing for Irvine Company overseeing a 6.5 million square foot portfolio. In this capacity, he gained a deep understanding of how to evaluate leases from the Landlord’s perspective. This in-depth ability to analyze a lease transaction from both the Tenant and Landlord perspective is a key strength that allows Thagard to craft the best deal possible for his clients. During Thagard’s four years with the Irvine Company he completed 400 lease transactions. Thagard was also an award-winning broker at CB Richard Ellis where he earned numerous awards including “Top Broker of the Year” for six consecutive years.
Thagard credits much of his success to an ability to create and maintain strong client relationships believing that people choose to do business with people they have confidence in, believe are trustworthy, and are enjoyable to be around. Thagard is a graduate of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
riche@oppre.com 949.721.6021
Richard Essen brings an intimate knowledge of the leasing process from both the landlord and tenant perspective to his work at ORION Property Partners, Inc. He has been part of the commercial estate industry since 1981. He has represented landlords and tenants in more than 5 million square feet of transactions with a consideration totaling over $400 million. An expert in the Orange County office market, Essen has been responsible for leasing many high-profile multi-tenant office properties including Irvine Concourse, South Coast Metro Center, Newport Gateway, Stadium Gateway, AT&T Tower, Jamboree Center, 100 Bayview, Metro Pointe, Century Centre, South Coast Corporate Center, 3 Hutton Centre, Tower 17, Executive Park and The Landmark Building.
His extensive tenant representation work has included work with well known firms such as All State, American Express, Bates Advertising USA, Bausch & Lomb, Bell Atlantic Properties, General Electric, Geneva Companies, Canon Computer Systems, Converse, Procter and Gamble, Pfizer, Pharmacia, Sullivan Curtis Monroe, Infiniti, Nissan Motor Corp, Intel, Fieldman Rolapp Associates, Siemens, Sullivan Curtis & Monroe, Xerox Corp. as well as Westinghouse, among many others.
Prior to joining ORION, Essen spent 25 years with Cushman & Wakefield as a senior director. He is a member of NAIOP SoCal and is a licensed California Real Estate Broker. Essen received his Associate’s degree from Bristol College.
barryg@oppre.com 949.721.6031
Barry Gail brings more than 29 years of Orange County market experience to his role. Over the course of his career, Gail has been responsible for leasing over 7 million square feet of space. With expertise in tenant representation consulting services and designing strategies, Gail has been responsible for leasing high profile properties for some of the nation’s most recognized organizations including MetLife, Dean Witter, Morgan Stanley, Irvine Company, CarrAmerica, Transpacific Development Company, Berwyn Property Group, John Hancock, Emkay Development, Brinderson Development, Hewitt, and the Koll Company. Gail brings market knowledge, depth of experience, relationships, integrity, and persistence in negotiating transactions.
Prior to joining ORION Property Partners, Inc., Gail was a senior director with Cushman & Wakefield, where he was lead broker for some of Orange County’s most recognized Class A office properties. During that time, he was consistently recognized as one of the top ten producers. Gail is a multiple recipient of Irvine Company’s Broker of the Year and Koll Company’s Broker of the Year. Gail received his bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
markb@oppre.com 949.721.6987
Mark Bennett is a senior real estate professional with more than 28 years experience in the office, corporate headquarters, and industrial property sectors. His experience includes transactions totaling 6 million square feet valued at $1.1 billion. As a principal with ORION Property Partners, Inc., Bennett is focused on tenant representation. His strengths include lease restructuring, market leveraging, financial analysis, lease document and work letter negotiations, acquisitions/dispositions, and build-to-suit expertise.
During the course of his career, Bennett has developed strategic real estate plans for several Fortune 500 clients on a regional and national basis.
Prior to joining ORION, Bennett was with The PRES Companies. His experience also includes founder of Lincoln Property Companies’ Corporate Services Group for the West Coast and managing director and top producing broker at Studley. He has earned broker of the year recognition from both the Irvine Company and South Coast Metro. Bennett is a California licensed real estate broker and an avid fly fisherman, skier, mountain biker, golfer and coach. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Edwards University.
markm@oppre.com 949.721.6986
Mark McAdams brings close to 30 years of commercial real estate knowledge and experience to ORION Property Partners, Inc. where he represents owners and tenants in the leasing of office properties. McAdams combines his brokerage skills with an in-depth knowledge of building operations and management providing a unique value to both tenants and landlords.
McAdams joined ORION Property Partners, Inc. from RREEF Property Management where he served as vice president overseeing the leasing and management of a 2.5 million square foot portfolio of Class A office and flex tech properties in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Properties in the portfolio included the 1 million square foot Wilshire Courtyard in Los Angeles and the 750,000 square foot Metro Center at South Coast in Costa Mesa.
Prior to RREEF, McAdams spent 20 years at Cushman & Wakefield where he was a top producer. During his tenure he represented such notable landlords as Citicorp, CM Capital, CUNA Mutual, John Hancock Life, LBA Realty, Metropolitan Life, Triple Net Properties, Mission Land Company, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Life, Rancon Realty Funds & The Whittier Trust. In addition, he has represented a full spectrum of tenant assignments highlighted by the headquarters relocation of Wonderware Software to 128,000 square feet in Lake Forest. His former tenant assignments have also included AXA Financial, Camp Dresser & McKee, CUNA Mutual, Fluor Corporation, Grant Thornton, GTE/Verizon, Imagistics, Levi Strauss, New York Life, Permanent General, Pitney Bowes, Spectrum Restaurant Group, and Sterling Software.
Evangelo Karantonis, Associate
evangelok@oppre.com 949.721.698
Evangelo Karantonis demonstrates an element of drive and passion through natural instinct. Achieving a Bachelors Degree in Advertising from Kent State University in 2005, Evangelo grew a strong conviction to carry out fulfilling pursuits through his professional and personal life goals. Evangelo built a future based on integrity and hard work while mastering his knowledge and skill in the areas of marketing, business relationship growth, and value market awareness.
Evangelo’s professional achievements are easily recognized by his successful track record in the medical device industry working for Merry X-Ray. Before relocating to Orange County, Evangelo managed a $2.5 million territory spanning three states with over 500 clients. Evangelo was awarded annually for being a top performer, consistently ranked in the Top 10 for his career.
Joining the ORION team in the summer of 2011, Evangelo represents clients from all areas, bringing together executive strategies and skill as each client relationship grows and prospers. For Evangelo, “having the opportunity to grow with clients and witness their success on a personal and professional level creates a dynamic and exciting environment.”
Professional Awards Received: Top 10 Performing Account Executive (2008, 2007, 2006)
Sandra Davis, Director of Operations
sandrad@oppre.com 949.721.6066
Sandra Davis is the Director of Operations and Executive Assistant to ORION Property Partners, Inc Founder Jay Carnahan. Davis is responsible for the overall office management, human resources, marketing strategies, vendor service management, financial management, brokerage services, and asset services of the firm. She joined ORION from AllianceBernstein in New York where she served as a project manager in the Training & Development group and assisted in developing, monitoring, and implementing the roll out plan for the new hire training program and SMART Goal training company-wide. Prior to that, she served as an executive assistant to the CIO, CTO, and Senior Vice President in the firm’s Global Equity Value department.
Ashley Carnahan, Marketing Coordinator
ashleyc@oppre.com 949.721.6981
“Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard”- Tim Notke
With a natural passion for people and lasting relationships, Ashley Carnahan, takes strong pride towards her ability in building connections that provide an impactful presence. As a 2010 BA Graduate in Corporate Communications & Public Affairs and Minor in Spanish from Southern Methodist University, Ashley is instilled with both knowledge and talent unique to her desires. With her creative initiative, Ashley puts into action the skill-sets she has acquired as she paves her own path.
Working alongside industry professionals during college internships in the fields of advertising, marketing, communications, and sales, Ashley learned how to cultivate her strengths. Taking on the pursuit of commercial real estate, Ashley’s motivation is second to none. With her strong writing skills and exceptional client relations, Ashley is an innate addition to the ORION team.
As an ORION Marketing Coordinator, Ashley will target multiple marketing aspects of the industry, develop research reports and analysis; as well as aid in property showings, proposals, LOIs and act as a secondary point of contact. For Ashley, “I thrive in the constant change of the industry which forces one to use their mind and be creative in order to separate themselves from others and be competitive. You determine your own success by how much effort and hard work you put in and your potential financial earnings is unlimited.”
Alexandra Hawthorne, Marketing Coordinator
ahawthorne@oppre.com 949.721.6982
In 2010, Ali Hawthorne joined ORION Property Partners, Inc. as a marketing coordinator. In that capacity, she specializes in all aspects of marketing commercial real estate including development of extensive research, marketing reports and creating and distributing all marketing materials. She also assists with coordinating property showings, prepares all proposals, LOIs and is a secondary contact for owner/broker/tenant inquiries.
Hawthorne graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Hawthorne is actively involved in The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Laguna Beach and served as the 2010 and 2011 marketing chair. She is also a member of the Junior League of Orange County, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and NAIOP’s Young Professionals Group class of 2012/2013.
