Our Team
Our vision and proven expertise has enabled our team to successfully drive our business. Our team has expertise in all aspects of real estate, including acquisitions, management, development and capital raising.
Alan D. Gold
Executive Chairman
Alan D. Gold is a co-founder and has served as executive chairman of our Board since our formation. Mr. Gold also serves as executive chairman of IQHQ, Inc., a privately-held life science real estate company. Mr. Gold served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, from its inception in 2004 through the sale of the company to affiliates of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VIII L.P. in January 2016.
Mr. Gold also served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of BioMed Realty’s privately-held predecessor, Bernardo Property Advisors, Inc., from August 1998 until August 2004. In addition, Mr. Gold was a co-founder and served as president and a director of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT, from its predecessor’s inception in 1994 until August 1998. Mr. Gold served as managing partner of GoldStone Real Estate Finance and Investments, a partnership engaged in the real estate and mortgage business, from 1989 to 1994. He also served as assistant vice president of commercial real estate for Northland Financial Company, a full service commercial property mortgage banker, from 1989 to 1990 and as real estate investment officer of commercial real estate for John Burnham Company, a regional full service real estate company, from 1985 to 1989. From December 2013 to June 2016, Mr. Gold served on the board of directors and as a member of the nominating and compensation committees of CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (NYSE: CTT), a REIT focused on timberland ownership. From August 2011 to March 2013, Mr. Gold also served on the board of directors and as a member of the audit committee of American Assets Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AAT), a REIT focused on acquiring, developing and managing retail, office, multifamily and mixed-use properties. Mr. Gold is Mexican American and currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a research organization dedicated to fundamental research in biology and its relation to health. Mr. Gold received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University.Paul Smithers
Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director
Paul E. Smithers has served as our president and chief executive officer since our formation, and is one of our directors. From August 2013 to July 2015, Paul Smithers served as co-founder and chief legal officer of Iso Nano International, LLC, a designer and manufacturer of advanced materials for use in the aerospace, consumer goods, electronics, and safety industries. Prior to his time at Iso Nano, Mr. Smithers was the managing partner of Smithers & Player, Attorneys at Law from September 1989 to July 2013, and was with the law firm of Ropers, Majeski in San Francisco from 1982 through 1988. Much of his 33 years of legal experience has involved both commercial and residential real estate transactions and disputes.
Mr. Smithers is a member of the California Bar and a licensed California real estate broker.
Catherine Hastings
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Catherine Hastings has served as our chief financial officer since June 2017 and treasurer since January 2017. Ms. Hastings also served as our chief accounting officer from January 2017 to January 2021. Until December 2016, Ms. Hastings served as vice president, internal audit of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, having joined BioMed Realty in 2009. Prior to BioMed Realty, Ms. Hastings was director of financial accounting and audit for The Corky McMillin Companies, a privately held real estate land developer and homebuilder, from 2004 to 2009. From 1997 to 2004, Ms. Hastings served as a senior manager with KPMG LLP, where she audited the financial statements for public and private companies in a broad range of industries, with a focus on real estate.
Ms. Hastings received her Master of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and minor in Management from the University of California, Irvine. Ms. Hastings is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), Certified Internal Auditor and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, CalCPA and the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Brian Wolfe
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Brian J. Wolfe has served as our vice president, general counsel and secretary since September 2016. Until March 2016, Mr. Wolfe served as vice president, corporate legal and assistant secretary of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, having joined BioMed Realty in 2007.
Prior to that, Mr. Wolfe was an attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP, where he represented public and private companies in a broad range of industries with a focus on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance and corporate governance.
Mr. Wolfe received his Juris Doctor Degree with honors from the University of Virginia School of Law and his A.B. in Economics with honors from Harvard College. Mr. Wolfe is a member of the California State Bar and San Diego County Bar Association.Ben Regin
Chief Investment Officer
Ben Regin has served as our chief investment officer since January 2023, having previously served as our vice president of investments since January 2020, and having joined our company as director of investments and finance in January 2017. Until December 2016, Mr. Regin held positions as senior associate, investments from May 2015 to December 2016 and senior associate, asset management from April 2013 to May 2015 with BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry.
Prior to BioMed Realty, he was a senior associate, finance and associate, business operations at Westcore Properties, a privately-held, industrial-focused real estate investment company, from November 2007 to March 2013 and a senior audit associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP from September 2004 to November 2007.
Mr. Regin received his Masters of Accountancy and Financial Management and Bachelors of Accountancy from the University of San Diego.
Andy Bui
Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
Andy Bui has served as our vice president, chief accounting officer since January 2021, having joined our company as controller in May 2017. Until April 2017, Mr. Bui served as senior director of financial reporting at BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry. Prior to BioMed Realty, he served as senior manager of financial reporting at Leap Wireless International, Inc. (formerly NASDAQ: LEAP), a wireless communication carrier, from 2012 to 2013. Prior to Leap Wireless, Mr. Bui served as manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Mr. Bui received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Southern California and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Tracie Hager
Vice President, Asset Management
Tracie Hager has served as our vice president, asset management since October 2019. Ms. Hager has almost 30 years of experience in commercial property management, overseeing management teams and properties across the United States and in the United Kingdom. Until January 2019, Ms. Hager served as vice president, property management of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, having joined BioMed Realty in 2010. Prior to BioMed Realty, Ms. Hager served in senior management positions at the Irvine Company, a privately held real estate development company, and Equity Office Properties Trust (formerly NYSE: EOP), a REIT that was one of the largest owners and managers of commercial office buildings in the United States.
Ms. Hager holds the Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation administered by the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI).
Kelly C. Spicher
Vice President, Real Estate Counsel
Kelly C. Spicher has served as our vice president, real estate counsel since January 2021, having joined our company as senior real estate counsel in September 2019. Prior to that, Ms. Spicher was an attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP for over 16 years where she represented national and international businesses, developers, REITs and financial institutions in a wide array of real estate matters and transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, commercial leasing, development projects, property management and joint ventures. During her tenure at Foley, Ms. Spicher also represented clients on cannabis-related transactions, including acting as our outside real estate counsel.
Ms. Spicher received her Juris Doctor Degree with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and received a B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University. Ms. Spicher is admitted to practice in California and Florida.
Gary Kreitzer
Vice Chairman
Gary A. Kreitzer is a co-founder and has served as our vice chairman since our formation. Mr. Kreitzer also serves as vice chairman and member of the compensation committee of IQHQ, Inc., a privately-held life science real estate company. Mr. Kreitzer was a co-founder of BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. (formerly NYSE: BMR), a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, and served as its general counsel from the BioMed Realty’s formation in 2004 until August 2012, as a director until January 2016 and as an executive vice president until February 2017. Mr. Kreitzer also served in the same roles with BioMed Realty’s privately-held predecessor, Bernardo Property Advisors, Inc., from December 1998 to August 2004. Mr. Kreitzer was a co-founder and served as senior vice president and in-house counsel of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT, from its predecessor’s inception in 1994 until December 1998. From 1990 to 1994, Mr. Kreitzer was in-house counsel and vice president for Seawest Energy Corporation, an alternative energy facilities development company. Mr. Kreitzer also served The Christiana Companies, Inc., a publicly traded investment and real estate development company, in a number of roles from 1982 to 1989, including as in-house counsel, secretary and vice president. Mr. Kreitzer is a member of the California Bar, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, San Diego, and a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of San Francisco.
David Stecher
Director
David Stecher is one of our directors. Since March 2019, Mr. Stecher has served as Managing Director at CapAcuity LLC, an investment advisor specializing in the design and implementation of executive benefit savings plans for mid-sized and large companies. Previously, Mr. Stecher led the executive benefits practice at both NFP Retirement and its sister company, Retirement Plan Advisory Group, from December 2009 to March 2019. Mr. Stecher served, from April 2004 to September 2009, as executive vice president for Retirement Capital Group, a company that provides employee compensation and benefits advisory services; from January 1984 to September 1986, as tax and auditing accountant for KPMG Peat Marwick; and from June 1997 to April 2004, as executive vice president and head of West Coast operations for AXA Advisors’ executive benefits group, a group that designs and implements corporate executive benefits and provides individual planning for asset accumulation and preservation. Mr. Stecher holds a wide range of certifications, including Certified Public Accountant (inactive), Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant, as well as his Series 6, 7, 63, 65 and 24 licenses.
Scott Shoemaker
MD – Director
Scott Shoemaker, MD is one of our directors. Dr. Shoemaker is a practicing orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatrics and trauma for Kaiser Permanente, an integrated managed care consortium, since 1999. He is also an inventor, assists in the development of medical devices, and is on a patent for a spine deformity system developed by NuVasive, Inc. for which he receives royalties.
Dr. Shoemaker is also a founder of BOSS Logic, LLC, a company designed to generate ideas for the intellectual property and biotechnology sectors. BOSS logic holds multiple patents relating to how mobile devices share and distribute contact information. He is also part owner and developer of Aztek Paddles, a carbon fiber company. In this role, he assisted in designing paddles, writing patents, and testing paddles and was a team racer for their standup paddle brand.
Mary Allis Curran
Director
Mary Allis Curran is one of our directors. Ms. Curran spent 25 years at MUFG Union Bank, N.A., during which time she held several executive level positions, including executive vice president, corporate banking chief risk officer from 2011 to 2014, and executive vice president, head of The Private Bank at Union Bank from 2006 to 2011. During her time with Union Bank, Ms. Curran worked closely with its board and management to build an infrastructure focused on a strong, proactive, integrated and effective risk management. Ms. Curran was also tasked with improving the performance of Union Bank’s Wealth Management practice, a business unit with offices throughout California, Washington and Oregon. Prior to 2006, she spent 17 years in leadership roles in commercial banking. Ms. Curran currently serves on the board of directors, joint compensation, nominating and corporate governance committee and enterprise risk committee (chair) of Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC), a $10 billion financial institution, a position she has held since June 2017. She also serves on the board of directors, chairs the audit committee and serves on the compensation committee for Hunter Industries Inc., a privately held global irrigation, landscape lighting, dispensing solutions and custom manufacturing company, where she has served since 2016. In addition, Ms. Curran recently served as chair of San Diego State University’s Campanile Foundation board and executive committee, and currently serves on the university’s nominating and governance committee. Previous board service includes chair of the California Bankers Association, where she remains involved on the Banker Benefits board. Ms. Curran is a member of National Association for Corporate Directors (NACD), Women Corporate Directors and The Corporate Directors Roundtable of Orange County. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a Master’s degree in Business from San Diego State University.