Our people are our greatest asset.
CastleSquare has a special appreciation for the power of thoughtful disagreement. Everyone is encouraged to speak up.
Michael Khalilzad
PRESIDENT
Michael Khalilzad is a capital markets executive specialized in funding US based multifamily transactions up and down the capital stack, advising both many lower middle market operators to some of the largest real estate operators in the United States. Michael has direct relationships with senior management covering family offices, private equity groups, life insurance companies, private credit groups and commercial banks. He has mandated more than $6 billion in opportunities and has a strong track record of success with his clients. Michael earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.
Greg Vinez
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Greg Vinez is a Managing Director at CastleSquare, specializing in origination and placement of both debt and equity transactions for commercial real estate owners and sponsors with a focus on the multifamily space.
With over 35 years of CRE experience, Greg has a track record of successful deal execution and portfolio management with over $6B in loan closings, JV equity placement, acquisitions and investment sales transactions. Prior to joining CastleSquare, Greg held positions as a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank, and also at Internacional Realty, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, iCap Realty/The Wyndam Group and AMRESCO. His ability to navigate complex underwriting, financial analysis, and due diligence processes, combined with a strong understanding of commercial real estate markets nationwide, has allowed him to create valuable partnerships with clients and internal teams.
Greg holds an MBA in Finance and a BBA in Real Estate from the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma.
Val Despard
DIRECTOR
Val Despard is a Director at CastleSquare, specializing in origination and placement of both debt and equity for commercial real estate owners and sponsors. Val brings more than 13 years of institutional capital markets experience to the CastleSquare platform. Prior to joining CastleSquare, Val has held positions at a LifeCo debt brokerage firm, Transwestern and most recently, Newmark. Val earned his MBA at Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
Alanna Wojciechowski
DIRECTOR
Alanna Wojciechowski is responsible for originations at CastleSquare, assisting multifamily and commercial real estate owners nationwide in procuring a variety of both equity and debt financing options best suited to their needs. Alanna assists with due diligence of Owner/Operators to ensure their deals meet CastleSquare’s strict parameters and expectations before a deal goes to internal review. Prior to joining CastleSquare, Alanna launched and ran a real estate advisory firm where she works closely with Commercial Real Estate Operators, assisting with investor relations, strategic partnerships, and marketing. Alanna graduated from the College of Charleston, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication.
Elijah Stout
Business Development
Elijah is a responsible originations and business development at CastleSquare, focusing on preferred equity funding requests with a focus on multifamily acquisitions and recapitalizations within CastleSquare’s real estate capital markets group. Prior to CastleSquare, Elijah worked for a Texas-based commercial real estate investment firm, sourcing debt and equity opportunities as well as managing investor and lender relationships for the firm. Elijah is also the co-founder of a virtual assistance management and consulting firm serving commercial real estate broker and investor clients in North America. Elijah graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelors Degree in Business.
CastleSquare seeks to attract and retain individuals who
have demonstrated an exceptional ability to source, analyze, and proactively manage real estate transactions.
