Hawkeye hires three RE pros

Hawkeye Partners, the private equity real estate management firm co-founded by former Pension Consulting Alliance pro Claudia Faust, has hired three new executives as the firm looks to build out its emerging manager investment program.

Hawkeye, which consults with institutional investors on property investments, recently held an initial close on its emerging managers vehicle, Scout Fund I, on more than $700 million (€535 million).

“These three key executives—individually and collectively—strengthen our firm and enhance our abilities to build leading real estate investment management companies, and provide innovative investment opportunities and solutions for our investment partners,” Faust said in a statement.

David Smith and Jim Ballard are joining the firm as managing directors. At Hawkeye, Smith will oversee the firm’s fund accounting, financial reporting, analytics, human resources, information technology and legal teams. He previously held positions at information technology firm Perot Systems, trading exchange company Aeroxchange and Legend Airlines. Smith was formerly an F-16 fighter pilot.

Ballard will focus on finding, underwriting and selecting fund managers for the emerging fund sponsors vehicle. He was previously a principal and officer with Dallas-based real estate advisory firm The Staubach Company and was an officer at Trammel Crow. Ballard also worked as a litigator at law firms Fulbright & Jaworski and Vial, Hamilton, Koch & Knox.

Certified public accountant Jamie Kingsley is joining Hawkeye as vice president and controller, focusing on developing the firm’s accounting and reporting infrastructure. Prior to joining Hawkeye, she was an assistant controller at Invesco Real Estate, as well as working in the accounting departments of Rosewood Management Company, JPI and Southwest Property Trust.

Faust and Scott McArtor, formerly global director of investor services at Los Angeles-based Richard Ellis, founded Hawkeye in 2004.