About Us

By the numbers chart

Sarofim Realty Advisors is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor founded in 1982.  We provide real estate investment management services and partner with a number of long-term clients. The firm invests alongside our clients, which include a diverse and distinguished list of high-net-worth and institutional investors, including some of the nation’s largest pension funds.

The firm is a majority-owned subsidiary of Fayez Sarofim & Co., a nationally recognized investment advisory firm specializing in the management of public equity and fixed-income investments on behalf of institutions and individuals since 1958.

Sarofim Realty Advisors has a strong team of investment professionals with proven expertise in all facets of real estate. The team has deep knowledge and execution experience across the multifamily, industrial, retail, and office sectors on a national basis.  The firm's real estate professionals provide targeted, disciplined investing with an emphasis on proactive risk management.

Core Values At A Glance

Core Values

Our values drive us to excel for our clients.

 

  • We are a true fiduciary. We treat client capital as if it were our own, putting clients’ interests first and providing full transparency.
  • Alignment of interest with our clients is at our core.  We invest along-side our clients.

  • We have a stable foundation consisting of an experienced team and a strong capital base established over a thirty-nine year history.
  • We are an independent investment advisor, majority-owned by Fayez Sarofim & Co., which allows us to make investment recommendations and decisions solely in the best interest of our clients.

Our Philosophy & Process

Since its founding in 1982, the culture at Sarofim Realty Advisors has been that the best interest of the client is always served first.  We do not simply work for our clients but seek to know them and build a relationship based upon trust.  We believe that mutual trust is critical to achieve the desired outcome each client is seeking.

While an investment may go through various economic and property market cycles, we believe that favorable results can be produced through our investment focus, active risk mitigation and actionable value creation strategies.

Focus

We identify market opportunities
to develop targeted and timely investment strategies. 
Regardless of strategy,
our acquisition process mandates well located, high-quality real estate with competitive advantages
that can produce enhanced and durable cash flow.

Risk Management

We underwrite and price risk according to the
targeted investment returns.
Our team proactively identifies, mitigates, or eliminates risk
at acquisition and throughout
our ownership. 

 

Value Creation

Our value creation strategies
are always clear, actionable, and consistent with our
investment thesis. 
Results-oriented and responsive
asset management allows us to execute asset-specific
strategies.

 

Investment Decision Making

Investment Decision Making

The Investment Committee at Sarofim Realty Advisors is the foundation of our collaborative decision-making process and is responsible for all investment decisions and portfolio management functions.  The Investment Committee is comprised of senior officers who have hands-on experience in the ownership, development, and management of real estate properties.  Each member brings 25+ years of principal real estate experience.

Capital Partner

Capital Partnership  

We routinely invest alongside our institutional partners ensuring a strong alignment of interests.  We believe that our co-investment demonstrates conviction in the strategies we propose and the firm’s ability to execute the plan throughout the life cycle of the investment. 

Partner Relationship

Trusted Advisor         

We value our relationships and our role as a trusted advisor.  Our end goal is to help our investment partners succeed in their real estate investment objectives, inside and outside of the firm. 

The Sarofim Team

Our company is led by cohesive, well-seasoned industry experts.  When markets are uncertain, the expertise of professionals who have seen multiple market cycles can be invaluable.

Celia Brereton

Celia Brereton
Director, Investment Accounting


Celia Brereton

Director, Investment Accounting

Celia is responsible for financial reporting and accounting for assigned client accounts.  Her client account experience includes fair value financial reporting and consolidation, cash flow projection, investment return preparation, client-specific consultant reporting and audit oversight.  Celia has over 18 years of real estate accounting experience.   

 

Prior to joining Sarofim Realty Advisors in 2005, Celia was Staff Auditor and Lead Auditor with Sabre Holdings.  She began her career in public accounting at Ernst & Young where she was a Senior Auditor and gained experience with real estate audit clients.

 

Celia is a graduate of Angelo State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Management.  She is a Certified Public Accountant.

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alison Durkee

Alison Durkee
Director, Investment Accounting


Alison Durkee

Director, Investment Accounting

 

Alison is responsible for financial and performance reporting for client account portfolios.  Her client account experience includes fair value financial reporting, consolidations, audit coordination and cash flow forecasting.  Alison's reporting experience includes multifamily, retail, office, and industrial portfolios.  Alison has extensive experience in new portfolio and fund implementation and set up, as well as acquisition and disposition reporting.  She has over 30 years of real estate experience. 

 

Prior to joining Sarofim in 1996, Alison spent 7 years at Trammell Crow Realty Advisors where she was Assistant Controller.  Alison’s real estate experience includes 3 years spent at Texas Commerce Bank as a real estate appraiser and research assistant.  Alison’s accounting career includes 2 years in public accounting.

 

Alison received her B.S. in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.B.A. in Finance from the University of St. Thomas.  Alison is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Texas.  

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Fitzgerald

Scott Fitzgerald
Chief Executive Officer
(Investment Committee Chairman)

Scott Fitzgerald

Chief Executive Officer
(Investment Committee Chairman)

 

Scott is responsible for the overall operations and management of the firm.  He leads the firm’s formulation of investment strategies and directs the origination, structuring, and execution of investments.  Scott has over 30 years of real estate experience including private equity, investment management, development, and leasing.  He has been involved in over $20 billion of real estate transactions during his career. 

 

Prior to joining Sarofim in 2019, Scott spent 6 years at Transwestern Investment Group where he raised and successfully invested two diversified, value-add private equity real estate funds.  During his tenure at Transwestern, he and his partners grew the AUM from $100 million to $4.5 billion.  Earlier in his career, Scott spent 10 years with Westbrook Partners and its successor, Rockpoint Group, rising to become a managing principal, a member of the investment committee, and head of asset management for both firms.  During his tenure the two firms raised and invested five separate private equity funds with a total of $5 billion in equity.  Scott has also held leadership positions at Cardinal Paragon, J.E. Robert Companies and Trammell Crow Company. 

Scott received his B.S. in Business Administration from Olivet Nazarene University and his MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.  

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greg Laczkowski

Greg Laczkowski
Senior Managing Director,
Head of Acquisitions
(Investment Committee Member)

Greg Laczkowski

Senior Managing Director, Head of Acquisitions
(Investment Committee Member)

 

Greg is responsible for leading Sarofim's acquisition team in identifying and closing commercial and multifamily assets across all investment vehicles and funds.  His 24 years of experience encompass both commercial real estate acquisitions and asset management of institutional capital.

 

Prior to joining Sarofim, Greg was a Managing Director at Transwestern Investment Group (TIG) and was instrumental in investing on behalf of a value-add fund and separate accounts.  During his tenure at TIG, he was directly responsible for sourcing and closing over $500M of real estate investments.  Previous to TIG, Greg was a Director at Hudson Advisors, the asset management division of Lone Star Funds, where he managed more than $2.5 billion of assets of real estate equity investments and distressed loans.  Greg also held positions at Hunter Chase & Company and Archon Group.   

Greg has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a concentration in Finance from Southern Methodist University.   

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Lee

Joe Lee
Vice President, Asset Management

Joe Lee

Vice President, Asset Management

 

Joe is responsible for the asset management, financing, and disposition of residential assets within Sarofim's growing multifamily fund portfolio.

 

Prior to joining Sarofim, Joe led all asset management initiatives and oversaw the day-to-day operational performance of a sizable workforce housing portfolio held by a private real estate investment firm out of New York City. Previously, he worked across a wide array of residential assets during his tenure at Fortress Investment Group. Joe also gained extensive experience in buy-side/sell-side advisory and capital raising for all commercial asset classes while at CBRE Capital Advisors.

 

 

Joe received his B.B.A. from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business.

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Leyrer

Matt Leyrer
Executive Managing Director,
Head of Portfolio Management
(Investment Committee Member)

Matt Leyrer

Executive Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Management
(Investment Committee Member)

 

Matt directs portfolio management for the firm and is charged with developing and executing investment strategies tailored to client objectives.  He is responsible for investment origination and asset management activities.  Matt has over 25 years of real estate experience including roles in investment management, development, acquisition, and lending.  Since joining Sarofim in 2014, he has been involved with a variety of complex development and value-add projects throughout the United States.  

 

Prior to joining Sarofim, Matt was the Director of Portfolio Management at Granite Properties.  He has also held positions with Atlantic Capital Properties, Archon Group, and Prentiss Properties.  

 

Matt graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Finance and received his M.B.A. from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.  

 

 

 

 Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cole Marlow

Cole Marlow
Vice President, Acquisitions


Cole Marlow

Vice President, Acquisitions

 

Cole joined Sarofim in 2020 and his responsibilities include acquisition investment sourcing, underwriting and analysis, due diligence process, and capital risk management, as well as supporting fundraising efforts and fund management.

 

Prior to joining Sarofim, Cole spent 5 years at Thackeray Partners where his responsibilities included supporting fund management and fundraising/marketing efforts as a portfolio management associate, as well as supporting asset management with analysis and due diligence on acquisitions, fund assets, and dispositions as senior analyst.

 

Cole received his BBA in Finance as well as a B.A. in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin.

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ann Melasky

Ann Melasky
Chief Financial Officer
(Investment Committee Member)

Ann Melasky

Chief Financial Officer

(Investment Committee Member)

 

Ann is responsible for financial accounting and reporting, treasury management and human resources.  Ann joined Sarofim in 1996 and has over 30 years of real estate accounting experience, including fair value reporting for both commingled funds and separately managed accounts, design and implementation of reporting formats, calculation of performance returns, incentive fees and waterfalls, oversight of accounting software and systems, and accounting for multifaceted real estate transactions. 

 

Prior to joining Sarofim, Ann was a Fund Controller for Trammell Crow Realty Advisors for 6 years.  She began her accounting career in 1986 with Ernst & Young, where she was promoted to Audit Manager.

 

Ann is a graduate of Baylor University with a B.B.A. in Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant.

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trisha Trcka

Trisha Trcka
Director, Asset Management

Trisha Trcka

Director, Asset Management

 

Trisha is responsible for recommending and implementing strategies for the asset management, financing, and disposition of real estate assets for assigned client accounts.  Her duties include the creation of business plans, hold/sell recommendations, and preparing client reporting materials.  The management of relationships with operating partners, lenders, property managers and leasing agents is crucial to her role as an overseer of specific properties.  Trisha is also involved in the underwriting of potential acquisition targets and part of the due diligence team for properties under contract.  She has over 20 years of real estate experience with the firm.

 

Prior to joining Sarofim Realty Advisors in 2001, Trisha was in a leadership program at GE Capital Real Estate.  She also interned in GE’s loan asset management group and was a market researcher and author at The Real Estate Center while pursuing her master’s degree.

 

Trisha graduated from Texas A&M University in 1998 with a B.S. in Agribusiness and in 2000 received a Masters in Land Economics and Real Estate.  She previously served as President of the Society of Texas A&M Real Estate Professionals, an alumni association. 

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer White

Jennifer White
Senior Managing Director,
Capital Strategies
(Investment Committee Member)

Jennifer White

Senior Managing Director, Capital Strategies
(Investment Committee Member)

 

Jennifer is responsible for business development and capital raising, including separate accounts and institutional real estate investment funds. She works closely with investors to gain a deeper understanding of their objectives and performance goals in order to develop strategies that meet their needs while capitalizing on current market opportunities. Additionally, Jennifer provides management and operation support for SRA and coordinates the relationship with our parent organization, Fayez Sarofim & Co., to jointly interface with clients. 

 

Previously, Jennifer was senior managing director at Transwestern Investment Group (TIG) responsible for business development and capital raising and was an investment committee member.  Over her 9-year tenure at TIG, AUM increased from $100 million to $5 billion.  Additionally, her experience includes the real estate investment banking group of Bankers Trust and Joyner Mortgage, Aetna's Texas correspondent.

 

Jennifer received her BBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Texas at Austin.

 

 

 

Download vCard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Altenau

Principal
Portfolio Management & Research
Investment Committee Member - Ex Officio

Matthew M. Altenau is a Principal at Fayez Sarofim & Co. Mr. Altenau joined the Firm in 2006 as an Associate. He serves as the sector leader for the consumer industry and is currently responsible for research of the consumer, banking and real estate industries.

Mr. Altenau received a M.B.A. from the University of Texas in 2006 and a B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University in 1999, where he graduated summa cum laude. Prior to attending the University of Texas, he was employed with Fayez Sarofim & Co. as a Financial Analyst and with Salomon Smith Barney as an Investment Banker in the Financial Institutions Group.

William Gentry Lee, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer
Co-Chief Investment Officer
Portfolio Management & Research
Investment Committee Member

William ("Gentry”) Lee, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Fayez Sarofim & Co., a Director of The Sarofim Group and a member of Fayez Sarofim & Co.’s Executive and Investment Committees. In addition to overseeing the Firm’s investment, client service and business operations, he is a co-manager of the mutual funds that Fayez Sarofim & Co. manages for BNY Mellon. He is also a portfolio manager for a variety of institutional and high net worth clients. Mr. Lee joined the Firm in 1998 as an Associate. Over the years, areas of research responsibility have included beverages, technology and transportation.

Mr. Lee received a M.B.A. with High Distinction from Harvard Business School in 1998, where he was a Baker Scholar, and a B.A. with High Honors in Economics from Vanderbilt University in 1994, where he graduated summa cum laude. He was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to attending business school and joining Fayez Sarofim & Co., he was employed as a Financial Analyst with Enron Capital & Trade Resources.

Mr. Lee serves on the board of directors of Wood Partners and St. John’s School. Previously, he was a board member of the Carruth Foundation and Memorial Park Conservancy and Co-President of the Houston Vanderbilt University Alumni Chapter.

Christopher B. Sarofim

Vice Chairman
Portfolio Management
Investment Committee Member

Christopher B. Sarofim is Vice Chairman of Fayez Sarofim & Co., President of Sarofim International Management Company and a Director of The Sarofim Group.  He is a member of Fayez Sarofim & Co.’s Executive, Investment and Finance Committees, a co-manager of the mutual funds that Fayez Sarofim & Co. manages for The Dreyfus Corporation and a portfolio manager for a variety of institutional and high net worth clients.  Mr. Sarofim joined the Firm in 1988 as an Associate.

Mr. Sarofim received an A.B. in History from Princeton University in 1986.  Prior to joining Fayez Sarofim & Co., he worked in corporate finance at Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Mr. Sarofim is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Brown Foundation, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, and St. John’s School.  He also serves on the boards of Kemper Corp., Flame Acquisition Corp., Highland Resources Inc., George R. Brown Partnership, Wood Partners and is on the Advisory Committee of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors.

Joseph Keough

Chairman 
Chief Executive Officer

Joseph Keough is the Chairman & CEO of Wood Partners.

Prior to joining Wood Partners in 2008, Keough acted as the Chief Operating Officer of Fuqua Capital, where he was responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fuqua family’s office operations as well as defining and implementing the firm’s investment strategy across asset classes. He previously served as the Senior Vice President, Development and Investment Strategy, in the office/multifamily division at Cousins Properties, a publicly traded REIT. Prior to joining Cousins, he was a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group.

Keough earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and received his bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from Babson College.

Patrick Trask

President

Patrick Trask is President of Wood Partners, currently responsible for overseeing the company’s development and construction divisions and for developing new equity and debt capital relationships. Prior to his role as President, Patrick served as Regional Development Director for Wood Partners’ Central Region, which consists of Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Chicago. He serves on Wood's Board of Directors and Investment Committee. Patrick joined Wood Partners in 2001 and opened the Texas offices for Wood Partners.

Before joining Wood Partners, he served as a Development Associate in Trammell Crow Residential’s North Florida Division, where he was active in their developments in Orlando and Tampa. Prior to graduate school, he worked as a Foreign Exchange Interest Rate Trader with CS First Boston and Morgan Stanley in their New York and London offices.

Patrick received an MBA degree at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School in May 2000. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Davidson College in May 1993.

Affiliates

Fayez Sarofim & Co Logo

Sarofim Realty Advisors’ Parent Company, Fayez Sarofim & Co. (“FS&C”), began in 1958 with the goal of focusing on long-term investing and portfolio management for clients.
FS&C manages investment portfolios for a wide range of clients including pension plans, foundations, endowments and individuals.
The firm is an independent entity owned by a team of investment professionals.

Visit Fayez Sarofim & Co.

 

Contact Us