Somera Capital Management
David Brown
FOUNDER / PRESIDENT / CEO
Carpinteria, California
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David Brown brings nearly four decades of real estate investment experience to his role as President and CEO of Somera. With a career that has been exclusively dedicated to the real estate investment business, he has had experience in all aspects of the industry from both a technical perspective and as an active investor. Responsible for overseeing the acquisition of approximately $2 billion of real estate on behalf of Somera, he plays a pivotal role in the company’s investment strategy formation, sourcing, analysis, structuring, and management of assets.
Prior to co-founding Somera Capital Management with Mr. Firestone as the successor to Somera Real Estate Group, David held the position of Executive Vice President at Pacifica Real Estate Group, a private equity manager specializing in value-add investments. During this seven-year period, Pacifica tripled the value of its real estate portfolio and became a dominant regional investment firm focused on suburban office and hospitality assets. Before 1991, David served as Vice President at Auerbach Financial, Inc., a division of The Auerbach Companies, where he acquired properties for the Auerbach portfolio and developed an institutional investment program. Prior to joining Auerbach, he spent the initial six years of his career with Invest West Financial Corporation, a real estate investment and development firm, where he began as an analyst and was later elevated to a transactional role as a Vice President.
Active in the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Real Estate Investment Advisory Council, David has spoken at many real estate industry and investment symposiums. He is also an active sponsor of charitable organizations and foundations and is a member of Somera’s Executive Committee.
Steve Firestone
FOUNDER / CHAIRMAN / SENIOR MANAGING PARTNER
Carpinteria, California
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Steve Firestone is the Chairman and Sr Managing Partner of Somera. His responsibilities encompass strategic planning, investment selection, and the overall oversight of the company general business and financial management. Before establishing Somera in 1994, Steve Firestone was a dynamic entrepreneur and an active real estate investor, both personally and on behalf of his family, with interests across the Western United States.
Steve’s journey of success and leadership began at the age of 17 when he led a crew of 11 teenagers on an 18-month circumnavigation of the globe aboard an 85-foot sailing schooner. Upon his return in 1978, he embarked on an entrepreneurial career in the computer industry, which over the next 15 years, generated substantial wealth for himself and his family.
Throughout his career, Steve Firestone and his family achieved numerous noteworthy business milestones. When they decided to invest their wealth in real estate, in 1994 Steve formed Somera Real Estate Group, Inc. to create a platform for managing the real estate investment activities of his family and business associates. Steve has served in various capacities, guiding Somera’s growth from a family office operation to a nationally recognized real estate investment firm.
From the very beginning, he identified, analyzed, and closed the initial series of transactions while establishing Somera initial operating partner relationships, including the partnership with Pacifica Real Estate Group, where he crossed paths with David Brown. In 1998, Steve and David co-founded Somera Capital Management as the successor to Somera Real Estate Group, Inc.
As the company thrived and expanded, Steve shifted his focus to financial and business management, as well as the recruitment of talent, while remaining actively engaged in the investment process. He also holds a seat on Somera’s Executive Committee.
Founded in 1994 with over 25 years of real estate investment experience, Somera Capital Management’s partners have worked together for an average of more than 20 years.
Jake Farver
SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR
Somera Capital East
Washington, D.C.
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Jake Farver leads Somera’s activities in the eastern United States out of its Washington, DC office and his responsibilities include sourcing new opportunities, structuring of potential investment, overseeing due diligence as well as investment management of transactions post acquisition. He serves as a voting member of Somera’s Investment Committee and is also a member of the Executive Committee. Jake has more than ten years of experience in commercial real estate transactions and has served in dispositions, acquisitions, asset management and portfolio management capacities. Prior to joining Somera in 2006, he executed acquisitions for Madison Marquette and served in an investment sales capacity with Insignia ESG, including through its merger with CB Richard Ellis.
Jake has been an active member with leadership positions in the Urban Land Institute and International Council of Shopping Centers. He received a B.A. degree in Economics and a B.A. degree in Political Science from Wake Forest University.
Natalia Ford
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Carpinteria, California
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Natalia joined Somera in 2012 and is responsible for the direct interface with over 300 investors and their account custodians. Natalia has directed all investor reporting and distributions for over 10 years, including two of the company’s private equity funds. Additionally, Natalia facilitates all transactions involving the company’s investors including acquisitions, sales, exchanges, and recapitalizations.
Natalia lives in Ojai with her husband and two children.
T.J. Gamble
SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR
Newport Beach, California
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T.J. is a Senior Managing Director at Somera Capital, specializing in acquisitions and joint venture structuring across various asset classes, including hospitality, retail, and office spaces. He initially joined Somera in 2010, and was with the company until 2018. T.J. returned to Somera in 2021 to open and lead the Newport Beach office.
In 2022, T.J. teamed up with Todd Moreau and other Somera Capital members to acquire Quorum Hotels and Resorts, expanding the company's portfolio.
Beyond his professional role, T.J. has contributed to his community as a past Board Member of the First Tee of Orange County and as a member of the SCGA Scholarship Committee.
T.J. is a Santa Barbara, CA native, a 2003 graduate of Colgate University, and a devoted golfer and tennis player. He enjoys quality time with his wife and three young children.
Tom Gehret
DIRECTOR
Newport Beach, California
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Tom Gehret joined Somera Capital in 2018, and is involved with all aspects of the business, including Acquisition, Asset Management, Underwriting, Due Diligence, Market Research, Capital Structuring, and Capital Raising.
During his time at Somera, Tom has been involved in the acquisition of approximately $300 million in real estate, including over 1,100 hotel rooms. He has also played a key role in securing over $100 million in new debt through property refinancing.
Tom holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Government from the University of California Santa Barbara, earned in 2014. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, traveling, and passionately supporting the Philadelphia Eagles. Tom was born in Luxembourg and raised in Rumson, NJ.
Eric Gittleman
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Somera Capital East
Washington, D.C.
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Eric Gittleman leads East Coast acquisitions for Somera Capital East ("SCE"), a subsidiary of Somera Capital Management. In his capacity, he spearheads the identification, assessment, and structuring of new investment opportunities that mutually benefit Somera and its sponsor partners. Additionally, Eric oversees the post-acquisition management of assets and handles dispositions.
Since joining Somera in 2008, Eric has been instrumental in facilitating over $380 million in asset transactions along the East Coast. These transactions encompass a diverse range of asset classes, including new developments and value-add repositioning. His innovative equity structures have enabled SCE to forge successful partnerships with world-class sponsors in highly desirable locations.
Eric boasts more than two decades of experience in commercial real estate and investment partnership management. Prior to his role at Somera, he worked at CWCapital, where he conducted property valuations, financial and operating statement analysis, and financial return projections. Before that, he served as an investment analyst at Cambridge Associates, where he was responsible for investment performance reporting for nonprofit organizations and high-net-worth clients.
Eric holds a B.A. in Finance from The George Washington University. He, along with his wife Hayley and their two children, calls the Washington, D.C. area their home.
Chris Hahs
CFO
Carpinteria, California
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Chris Hahs serves as Somera Capital’s Chief Financial Officer and Portfolio Manager. Chris has been with Somera since 2013, and his responsibilities encompass the implementation of asset business plans, investment financing and disposition, and supervision of joint venture partner relationships. With a career spanning two decades in the commercial real estate business, he brings a wealth of experience to his role.
In January 2013, Chris rejoined Somera after previously holding the position of President at Hahs Real Estate Group, a real estate development company specializing in self-storage. From 1999 to 2006, he served as Vice President – Asset Management at Somera, overseeing a portfolio of over $500 million in real assets, including retail, office, industrial, hospitality, and multi-family properties. Before that, Chris worked as the Assistant Treasurer for Newhall Land and Farming Company. He initiated his career with a four-year tenure at Kenneth Leventhal & Company, a prominent Public Accounting Firm specializing in the real estate industry, where he held various roles, including Senior Accountant and Real Estate Consultant.
Chris Hahs earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from Westmont College and also holds an inactive CPA License.
Tracy Larkin
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Carpinteria, California
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Tracy Larkin is the Senior Accountant at Somera Capital, and has been with the company since 2012. Tracy graduated from UCSB with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics.
She was born in Bakersfield, California, and raised in El Paso, Texas. Outside of work, Tracy enjoys kayaking, horseback riding, and swimming.
Julie Lubin
CORPORATE FINANCE
Carpinteria, California
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Julie Lubin oversees internal financial management, investment reporting, information technology, human resources and company financial planning. Julie has more than 30 years of experience as a controller, chief financial officer, business manager, and tax and financial adviser to many high-net-worth individuals and privately-owned businesses. She has extensive experience handling sophisticated multi-million dollar financial transactions in both the real estate and non-real estate markets, ranging from sales and purchases, recapitalizations and reorganizations, venture capital investments and workouts. Julie served as the Controller and Chief Financial Officer for a worldwide distributor of telecommunications equipment, where she managed the company’s growth from start-up to more than $100 million in revenues in less than four years. She instituted the financial reporting and tax compliance systems needed to facilitate a significant investment in the company by a venture capital firm, leading to the company’s eventual IPO and NASDAQ listing. Julie is a member of Somera’s Executive Committee.
Todd Moreau
PRESIDENT
Quorum Hotels
Newport Beach, California
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Todd Moreau joined the leadership team in 2022, and is responsible for the overall strategy, growth, and performance of Quorum Hotels and Resorts. He brings over 25 years of results-driven experience in the hospitality industry to this position and thrives working with cross-functional corporate support teams in pursuit of company and owner objectives. Todd works closely on the assessment and valuation of all prospective acquisitions and the development and execution of business plans for each investment.
Vanessa Raney
CONTROLLER
Carpinteria, California
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Vanessa Raney is a Controller at Somera Capital, and has been with the company since 2010. Vanessa oversees over $350M of invested capital and handles financial reporting for lenders and investors. Her skills include meticulous attention to detail, research, data collection, and analysis.
Vanessa is a Southern California native and enjoys sports, music, and spending time with her dog.
Peter Tomasulo
DIRECTOR
Newport Beach, California
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Peter joined Somera Capital in 2023, where he is involved in all aspects of the business, with a primary focus on Capital Raising and Asset Management. Prior to joining Somera Capital, Peter spent five years as Vice President of Investor Relations at Lyon Living, where he played a pivotal role in managing investors and raising over $200 million in private equity for development and value-add projects.
Before embarking on his career in Real Estate, Peter was a professional golfer on both the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour. He played collegiate golf at The University of California, Berkeley, where earned his degree in Legal Studies in 2004. He captained the 2004 NCAA Championship team, earning First-Team All American honors. Peter was a two-time Academic All-American and his achievements led to his induction into the University of California Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
Outside of work, Peter enjoys playing golf and spending quality time with his wife and two young sons. He is committed to giving back to the community and serves as a Board Member of The AXE ALS Foundation, founded in 2021 to raise funds and awareness for ALS treatment. Peter is also a Board Member of The First Tee of Orange County.