**California People and Company News – Week of November 14, 2025**
**TruAmerica Multifamily Expands Leadership Team**
TruAmerica Multifamily, one of the nation’s largest multifamily investment firms, has announced the promotion of four key leaders into expanded roles within the organization:
– **Stella Pappas** has been promoted to Executive Managing Director, Investment Management. She will oversee fund management, global fundraising, and investor relations.
– **Christopher Wei** has been promoted to Senior Managing Director, Portfolio Management, responsible for national disposition, recapitalization, and refinancing initiatives.
– **Austen Mount** is now Managing Director, Operations, where he will lead strategic asset oversight and performance optimization across TruAmerica’s 60,000-unit portfolio.
– **Stefan Long** has been promoted to Senior Director, Fund and Corporate Accounting, where he will oversee fund accounting and corporate financial operations.
**Passco Companies Names Stacy Stemen SVP of Strategic Relations**
Passco Companies, a leading national real estate investment firm, has appointed **Stacy Stemen** as Senior Vice President of Strategic Relations. In this newly created role, she will lead strategic growth initiatives, expand business development efforts, and oversee the company’s Ambassador Program.
**Newmark Hires Kevin Hatcher to Grow Industrial Platform**
Newmark has named **Kevin Hatcher** as Executive Managing Director. He will play a key role in accelerating the firm’s industrial real estate practice across the Bay Area and broader West Coast markets. Hatcher will work closely with teams across industrial leasing, capital markets, and occupier solutions to develop integrated strategies for clients.
**Blue Light Capital Expands to West Coast with New Hire**
Blue Light Capital, a private commercial real estate lender specializing in middle-market bridge lending, has expanded its footprint on the West Coast. **Chris Thomas** joins the firm as Managing Director and will be based in Beverly Hills as part of the firm’s ongoing national growth.
**MacFarlane Partners Launches LegacyFirst Spinout**
MacFarlane Partners, a real estate investment management and development firm focused on urban properties, has announced the spinout of **LegacyFirst**, a new commercial real estate investment and services company founded by **Landon Taylor**. LegacyFirst aims to help clients transform real estate holdings into vehicles for economic prosperity across major U.S. gateway cities. Additional details on LegacyFirst’s launch will be announced soon.
**Peachtree Group Acquires CMCT’s Lending Business**
Creative Media & Community Trust (CMCT), based in Los Angeles, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its lending division to PG FR Holding, LLC, an affiliate of Atlanta-based Peachtree Group. This transaction supports CMCT’s strategy to grow its premier multifamily portfolio, enhance its balance sheet, and boost liquidity.
