Our team is organized to complement one another’s strengths along functional lines and to create multiple levels of operational risk control. Our ability to add value for investors is solely a function of our ability to make good long-term decisions regarding risk and return and that requires open and thoughtful communications. Our investment team likes working together and it shows in camaraderie and efficiency. Friday is even bring your dog to work day. We seek out and encourage diversity of background and diversity of thought.
Our team hails from buy-side, sell-side, legal, financial, accounting and architectural backgrounds and we believe this provides perspective and balance to decision making.
Ernest Rady
Executive Chairman of American Assets Trust, a real estate investment trust with approximately $3B in assets that listed on the NYSE in January 2011 (ticker: AAT).
Founded Insurance Company of the West and has served as its Chief Investment Officer for 35 years. Managed institutional capital since 1973. Built Westcorp into the largest auto finance company in the United States with $17B in assets. Westcorp was sold to Wachovia in 2006, where Mr. Rady joined the Board of Directors.
Other significant investment experience:
-Energy – Smith Energy and Summit Resources
-Consumer goods – Anheuser Busch distributor
-Healthcare – Former Board of Directors at Scripps Health and Salk Institute
-Broadcasting – Radio stations
-Former limited partner, San Diego Padres
-Ernst and Young named Ernest Rady the Entrepreneur of the Year 2009
-Extensive history of charitable giving and community leadership in San Diego
-Endowed the Rady School of Business at University of California San Diego (UCSD)
-American Assets endowed the Rady Children’s Hospital
Burland B. East III, CFA
30 years of experience on Wall Street as a Managing Director and as a NASD Broker-Dealer member-owner. Raised approximately $15 billion in capital (mostly equity) from sophisticated investors globally in 142 large-scale real estate transactions including 26 IPOs, 40 follow-on offerings, 19 private equity transactions as well as numerous converts, preferred stocks, bond offerings, tenders, mergers, strategic advisory assignments and mezzanine debt placements.
Burl serves on the Board of Advisors of Comunidad Realty Partners. Comunidad Realty Partners is a dynamic real estate investment firm specializing in multifamily apartment communities in densely-populated Hispanic neighborhoods.
Previously served on the Leadership Council at USC‘s Lusk Center for Real Estate and the Board of Directors of Excel Trust, Inc., a NYSE listed equity REIT. Prior Board Associate for NAREIT. Spoke at over 250 large real estate industry events in the US, Europe, and Asia and chaired events like NAREIT’s Annual Convention. Mr. East has been interviewed in the financial press and on TV dozens of times and authored numerous articles for major publications like Barron’s.
Other significant investment experience:
-Dow Jones/Realty Stock Review Outstanding Sell Side Analyst, Honorable Mention, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
-Lectured at USC Marshall School of Business, Northwestern University, University of San Diego, and University of Wisconsin. Has authored approximately 20,000 pages of widely distributed research.
-MBA – Loyola University, Baltimore, MD.; Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
-Series 24 – General Securities Principal; Series 27 – Financial Operations Principal; Series 7 – Registered Representative; Series 63 – State Blue Sky. (the foregoing are currently in inactive status)
Eric Sagerman
Mr. Sagerman is currently a strategic advisor to companies across various industries including financial services, technology and health care. These companies range from start-ups to multinationals. Mr. Sagerman served as the CEO and President of Universata, a medical records company, from 2009 to 2011 when it was sold. From 1999 to 2008, he was a Managing Director and Head of Strategy and Strategic Marketing for Allianz Global Investors (Munich), which managed over $1 trillion in client assets and was a successor firm to Nicholas Applegate Capital Management, where Mr. Sagerman was a Managing Director and Member of the Executive Committee.
Mr. Sagerman began his career at American Express, which he left in 1999 as a Senior Vice President. During his tenure at the company he was involved in many of the company‘s growth and restructuring initiatives, both domestically and internationally, including launching the Global Network Services business, the Centurion ("Black") Card, the Corporate Card business and Amex’s first revolving credit card and rewards program.
Mr. Sagerman also serves on the Board of Teach For America, San Diego and the Investment Committee of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He holds a MBA from the Amos Tuck School, Dartmouth College and a BA in Economics from Tufts University.
Creede Murphy
Mr. Murphy has over 10 years of analyst experience in investment management, providing investment research, financial modeling, security valuation, and general portfolio management services. He is also a licensed architect with 10 years of experience in architecture and real estate development which gives him a unique insight into real estate deals and investment opportunities.
Mr.Murphy holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of California San Diego, where he studied Modern Portfolio Theory under Nobel Laureate Harry Markowitz, and holds a Masters of Architecture and a Bachelors of Arts in Architecture.
Other significant experience:
-Level II candidate in the CFA Program
-Licensed Architect (NM)- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
-Series 65 License
Julie Schwartz
Ms. Schwartz has been with AACA since it was formed, and has served as General Counsel of the company’s predecessor and affiliate since April 2011. Before joining the company, Ms. Schwartz worked as an attorney in the litigation department of an international law firm for over nine years where she counseled and defended corporations in a variety of matters including complex commercial disputes, securities litigation, consumer fraud, unfair competition, and class actions. She also counseled clients on risk management and litigation avoidance and assisted with internal corporate investigations and related compliance.
Ms. Schwartz holds a JD from New York University School of Law and received her BSBA in finance from the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona.
Min Zheng
Ms. Zheng joined AACA in February 2016 as Chief Accounting Officer and brings with her 18 years of investment industry experience. Prior to joining AACA, she was the Director of Fund Accounting and Operations at Relational Investors LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser with $6.5 billion assets under management, where she managed portfolio accounting, client reporting, performance measurement, audit, tax, trade settlements, and related banking activities between 2002 and 2016. From 1997 to 2002, Ms. Zheng was an Audit Manager in the asset management industry group at Ernst & Young LLP, Los Angeles, where she provided audit, accounting and business advisory services to a wide variety of regulated and non-regulated investment companies, investment advisors, and high net-worth individuals.
Ms. Zheng holds an MBA from Tulane University and a BA in economics from Renmin University of China. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds the professional designation of Chartered Financial Analyst.
Madeline Reber
Ms. Reber joined AACA in October 2017. She holds a BBA in international business from the University of San Diego. Ms. Reber passed the Level I CFA test in 2018.
Evan Elig
Mr. Elig joined AACA in June 2020. He holds a degree in economics from Princeton University.
Other significant experience:
- Series 65 License