GreenOak hires new partner – Exclusive

Gentry Ashmore Hoit, formerly a partner at placement firm Park Madison Partners, has joined GreenOak Real Estate as partner and head of business development, in a newly created role. She will be in charge of building out the firm’s business development functions globally, and will work closely with Julie Wong, partner and head of capital formation and investor relations.

“It’s an incomparable opportunity for me to join a team I have known for a long time and return to working with a real estate principal investing firm,” said Hoit, who joined the firm last week. GreenOak co-founder Sonny Kalsi added, “Many of us have known Gentry for a number of years and I personally have known her for more than 25 years. She is an outstanding addition to our senior executive team and will provide a lot of leverage and leadership as we continue to grow our business globally.”

Hoit had worked with GreenOak on several capital raises while she was at Park Madison, including GreenOak Real Estate US Fund II, which raised $756 million in 2014, according to PERE Research & Analytics. She had been with Park Madison since 2012, serving as partner and head of its capital advisory practice.

Prior to Park Madison, Hoit and two partners ran Atlantic Assets Group, which focused on investments in Brooklyn, from 2006 to 2012, and was senior partner at Rubenstein Partners from 2009 to 2010, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before that, she was managing director at Shorenstein Properties and assistant project manager at Hines.

“We are delighted that Gentry has joined a great firm, and a client that we have been working with for a number of years. We wish her all the best and look forward to continuing our relationship with Gentry and GreenOak,” said Nancy Lashine, managing partner at Park Madison, in an email to PERE. She noted that Hoit’s responsibilities will be divided among existing team members, including principal Jin Lee, who joined the firm last month. Lashine also added that John Lyons, a member of Park Madison’s advisory board, is generating new business opportunities for the firm.

With the addition of Hoit, GreenOak, which was founded in 2010 by Kalsi, John Carrafiell and Fred Schmidt, now has a total of 13 partners globally. Hoit is one of seven partners that are part of the global management team, along with the three founders; Wong; head of US business Chris Niehaus; and chief operating officer Andrew Yoon.