The Uptown
Product Type: Multifamily
Assignment: Construction Financing
Area: 665 Units
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Kara Gil joined the CORE team as the Executive Assistant/Office Manager in early 2023, instantly becoming an invaluable asset. With a reputable background in high-level assisting across various industries, Kara brings a wealth of expertise to her role.
Responsible for managing peripheral responsibilities and streamlining processes, Kara’s attention to detail and organizational skills have elevated the organization’s operations. In addition to directly supporting Francis Abrao, she also serves as the Office Manager and Chief of Staff, seamlessly managing executive tasks and optimizing performance.
Kara’s impact extends beyond her impressive resume. Her natural leadership abilities and professional demeanor foster collaboration and excellence within the team. Her unwavering dedication and exceptional capabilities have propelled CORE to new heights, making her an indispensable force behind their ongoing success.
Kara graduated from the University of the Pacific on a volleyball scholarship and thereafter played professional volleyball in Puerto Rico, Turkey, and France. Currently, Kara serves as the Head Coach of the Freshman team at Faith Lutheran High School and co-directs Summerlin Elite Volleyball Club with her husband.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Kara is an avid pilates connoisseur and fluid art enthusiast. She finds solace in spending quality time by the pool or exploring new parks with her beautiful family.
Associate
Jeremy Harris is responsible for supporting the advisory and capital markets teams in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, due diligence, and final close. He is also involved throughout the Capital Markets deal process including outreach, term negotiations, closing processes, and more. He has been involved in over $500M of commercial real estate financings nationwide. Prior to joining CORE, Mr. Harris spent 3 years at Cushman & Wakefield on the San Diego Equity, Debt, & Structured Finance team. Mr. Harris graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Finance.
In his free time, Jeremy enjoys sampling the fantastic restaurants around Las Vegas and discovering ways to travel around the world with credit card points. He has been to Thailand, Japan, Israel, Mexico City, and travels often to his hometown of Chicago.
Analyst
Devon Zubka is a high-achieving economics graduate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. With versatile experience in both public accounting and investment banking, he has interned at KPMG, Union Gaming Securities, and Valtus Capital Group. In addition, he also served as an analyst at US Capital Global prior to joining Core Advisory Partners in 2023. Furthermore, Devon was an award winning cellist who has performed as a guest soloist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Henderson Symphony.
Analyst
Kimberly “Kim” Tapia is responsible for supporting the advisory team in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, FP&A and investor relations. Additionally, Kim assists in the company’s principal investment opportunities where she supports the deal review and diligence processes.
Prior to joining CORE, Kim worked as a Registered Wealth Management Client Associate at Merrill Lynch. Kim is a Las Vegas native and graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a B.S.B.A. in Finance. In her free time, Kim enjoys traveling and spending time with family.
Chief Executive Officer
NMLS# 1834552
Mr. Abrao founded CORE in March 2018 to provide holistic advisory services to best-in-class middle market companies, real estate investors and developers. Most recently, Mr. Abrao was a Managing Director at Valtus Capital Group, where he worked on the closing of over $2B of capital raises, M&A advisory and capital restructuring transactions. Notable transactions included: the $367M acquisition of the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles by Singapore-based Overseas Union Enterprise and the Riady family and the $600M capital raise for The Parq casino in Vancouver, Canada. Prior to Valtus Capital, Mr. Abrao worked as a Director of Corporate Finance at Caesars Entertainment. Under the direction of Apollo and the TPG Group, Mr. Abrao oversaw the team that led Caesars’ initial public offering. In this role, Mr. Abrao also worked on potential acquisitions and disposition of properties and worked through over $4B of debt amendments. Prior to Caesars Entertainment, Mr. Abrao worked for MacFarlane Partners, a real estate private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA with over $20B of Assets Under Management. While at MacFarlane, Mr. Abrao did a rotation throughout the firm including (i) portfolio management where he helped close a $300M fund and oversaw a two funds totaling $1.8B; (ii) asset management where he worked closely with the firm’s development partners on residential, office, retail and hotel assets and assisted in implementing the best business practices into the firm’s portfolio companies; (iii) and on the acquisition team where he oversaw new investments and amendments of existing investments. Mr. Abrao began his career as a financial analyst with a boutique investment banking firm where he covered the real estate and gaming sectors. Francis is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance.
When not engaged in his professional endeavors, Francis cherishes spending quality time with his beloved wife and co-parenting their four children. As a family, they relish participating in a variety of family-friendly sports, including racing, skiing, and watersports.
Francis’s commitment to both his professional and personal pursuits is a testament to his well-rounded nature and exemplifies his dedication to leading a fulfilling and purposeful life.
Managing Director
NMLS# 1962708
Alan Amici is a Managing Director of CORE Advisory Partners and has over 10 years of experience in real estate capital markets and investment banking. Alan is responsible for CORE’s Capital Markets activities and advisory assignments. Alan oversees all aspects of the capital raising process including material creation, marketing, relationship management, and closing. His institutional debt and equity capital raising experience spans all real estate product types and includes construction, transitional and stabilized projects and properties. Prior to CORE, Alan worked with Valtus Capital Group, a boutique investment banking firm that focuses on middle-market real estate, gaming and corporate M&A Advisory and capital raising. Alan graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a B.S.B.A. with a focus in Finance and Economics and is a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator with the NMLS and an active member of NAIOP. Outside of the office, he enjoys traveling with his wife, Courtni, golfing, country music, and virtually anything outdoors.
Managing Director
NMLS# 1824093
Malcolm Morgan is a Managing Director at CORE Advisory Partners bringing more than 20 years of experience in Commercial Banking and Finance that complements our extensive suite of client services. Malcolm is responsible for Capital Markets and Advisory to include Real Estate Acquisitions for best-in-class clients across the United States. Prior to joining CORE, Malcolm spent 12 years at a Top 5 Commercial Bank spearheading the bank’s rapid growth across the Western United States. In addition to Commercial Banking, Malcolm has successfully led market growth and expansion strategies that resulted in long-term stakeholder value for multiple organizations. Malcolm graduated from Baylor University with a BBA in Real Estate Finance.
Malcolm focuses on the Hawaii, Texas, and Western United States geographies to specialize in Multifamily, Hospitality, Experiential and Healthcare Asset Classes. In his free time, Malcolm enjoys spending quality time with his family and 2 dogs. He is a passionate advocate for at risk children and works closely with several Las Vegas nonprofits.
Vice President of Strategic Financial Services
Kenny Daniels began his career with CORE Advisory Partners in early 2018 and is responsible for supporting the advisory and capital markets teams in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, due diligence and final close. Kenny manages several long term advisory engagements and has executed on over $200M of financings for clients. Additionally, Kenny leads the company’s principal investment opportunities where he oversees origination, closing and portfolio management. Kenny graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Accounting.
Kenny was born and raised in Las Vegas after his parents moved to the city in the early 90’s. Growing up, Kenny was an avid sports fan, playing both varsity tennis and basketball in high school. Today, in his free time, Kenny still enjoys playing sports and spending time with his pug, Goose.
Vice President
Marc Abruzzo joined CORE in 2022. As a Vice President of the company, Marc is responsible for supporting the advisory and capital markets teams in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, due diligence, market outreach, and final close. Additionally, Marc works closely with a number of CORE’s advisory clients, pushing forward their strategic initiatives while supporting and advising their finance functions.
Marc began his career at RSM and EY working in the Transaction Strategies groups. After his tenure in Transaction Strategy, Marc joined Colchester Partners, an investment banker focused on the investment management industry. Following Colchester, Marc was the Director of Strategic Finance at TerraPact, a roll-up of critical infrastructure real estate assets, and Crystal View Capital.
Marc graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a B.A. in Accounting and Economics. Marc moved to Las Vegas in 2021. In his free time, Marc enjoys time on the ski mountain, traveling abroad, and golfing.
Accounting & Compliance Manager
As a seasoned financial executive, Josh Ruegsegger brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role as a regulatory Compliance and Accounting Manager. With a proven track record of success, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s financial operations, ensuring that they are conducted with the utmost precision, efficiency, and accuracy.
Josh’s expertise extends to a wide range of corporate accounting functions, including payroll and internal reporting, providing critical insights into the financial performance of the company.
A graduate of Oregon State University with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and a minor in Economics, Josh brings a deep understanding of the financial landscape to his work. His contributions have been instrumental in helping the company achieve its strategic objectives and position itself for continued success in the years to come.
In his free time, Josh enjoys returning to his roots in Oregon, where he spends quality time with his beloved family, friends, and two Saint Bernards. His commitment to excellence extends beyond the workplace, and he strives to make a positive impact on his community and everything that he does.
Analyst
Elizabeth “Liz” Tuls became a part of the CORE team in 2022. Liz is responsible for providing comprehensive support to the acquisitions platform, lending her skills to every stage of the execution process, from internal underwriting to financial modeling, due diligence, and deal review. Additionally, Liz assists in the company’s advisory investment opportunities where she supports the deal review and diligence processes.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Liz possesses a unique perspective on the area’s transformation and growth over the years. In her free time, Liz pursues a range of hobbies with passion and dedication, including weightlifting, spending time with her friends, outdoor recreation, and travel. Liz holds a B.A. in Economics and B.S. in Business Finance from Chapman University in Southern California.
Analyst
Connor Bucknam is responsible for supporting the advisory team in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, FP&A and investor relations. Alongside assisting the capital markets team, Connor supports the company’s advisory investment opportunities through deal review and diligence processes. A Las Vegas native, Connor has witnessed the city’s rapid development throughout his life. Prior to working for CORE, Connor attended UNLV and graduated with a B.S.B.A. in Finance.
Connor enjoys hiking on the weekends with his girlfriend and their two dogs, as well as the occasional trip to the beach. In his free time, he enjoys reading, working on projects around the house, and researching new areas of interest.
Analyst
Michael Reddoch joined CORE in 2022. Michael is responsible for supporting the advisory team in all aspects of execution including internal underwriting, financial modeling, due diligence, FP&A, and investor relations. Additionally, Michael assists in the company’s principal investment opportunities where he supports the deal review and diligence processes.
Prior to joining CORE, Michael worked as an associate and registered CPA, performing transactional tax due diligence at KPMG, LLP in New York.
Michael is from Memphis, TN, and moved to Las Vegas in 2022. In his free time, Michael enjoys golfing, watching the Memphis Grizzlies, and going to concerts.
Michael graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. and M.A. in Accounting.
Managing Director
David Paull has over 19 years of experience in real estate finance, acquisitions, and development. In his role as Managing Director, he oversees the company’s acquisition activities and ongoing advisory assignments.
Before joining CORE, David served as the Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development at Nevada HAND for 11 years, where he led the development of 3,000 multi-family units in Las Vegas, NV. He also held positions in acquisitions at the Bixby Land Company and The Irvine Company, where he successfully acquired over $5 billion in commercial and multi-family assets.
David is a graduate of Concordia University with a BA in Business Administration. His expertise in acquisitions, development, and affordable housing has made him a sought-after professional in the real estate industry.
In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his family.
Associate
Charles Fite is a business professional with 15 years’ experience in lower middle market business as a business owner, business broker, and M&A advisor. Throughout his career, Mr. Fite has partnered with entrepreneurs, corporate executives, professionals, and private equity companies to provide innovative financing solutions founded on strong professional relationships and a commitment to client needs.
Mr. Fite co-founded the Association of Blue Moon Advisors (AOBMA), a professional advisory association of registered, qualified subject-matter experts who work in collaboration to assist entrepreneurs in effective enterprise development. As well as being a Certified Blue Moon Advisor himself, Mr. Fite co-founded and managed his own manufacturing facility. After growing the company with his business partner from the ground up to more than 50 employees and over $8 million in annual revenue, he successfully exited the company in order to pursue other opportunities and interests.
Much of Mr. Fite’s professional history is rooted in the construction industry, awarding him a deep understanding of the sector. He has extensive experience working with well-known US home builders, such as Lennar Homes, Richmond American Homes, and KB Homes. He has established long-lasting partnerships with key decision makers and purchasing managers throughout the residential and commercial construction industry, having negotiated contracts with some of the largest homebuilders in the US.
Mr. Fite has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Las Vegas, helping to construct homes for economically challenged families in his local community. In his free time, he pursues his love of singing and enjoys performing with a band. Mr. Fite earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.