BridgeStreet Partners Places CFO at Centennial Real Estate Company

December 12, 2016 – Executive search firm BridgeStreet Partners has recruited Temple H. Weiss as chief financial officer of Centennial Real Estate Company. Dave Westberry, managing director of BridgeStreet Partners, led the assignment.

Mr. Weiss is said to be a results oriented leader with an established record in creating value and leading growth in large and small, multi-unit organizations under public and private ownership. His strong business acumen, coupled with capital markets and mergers & acquisitions experience, has made him a sought after, growth driven executive.

Previously, Mr. Weiss served as CFO of several private equity-owned portfolio companies, including CEC Entertainment, Pegasus Solutions and Ace Cash Express. Mr. Weiss also spent over a decade with La Quinta Corporation in several senior management roles, including CFO.

“Temple is a seasoned financial executive that has been a sitting CFO for several years in a range of environments,” said Mr. Westberry. “His proven ability to partner across functions to enhance operations, manage the complexities of a diverse real estate portfolio, allocate capital, and understanding both sides of real estate operations, as an owner/lessor and lessee, should serve him well in the CFO role at Centennial.”

Centennial Real Estate Company is a real estate firm specializing in the investment, development, and management of retail properties, including neighborhood community centers, enclosed malls, and urban mixed-use. Founded in 1997, Centennial has a track record of acquiring and operating retail properties to preserve investors’ capital, deliver operating income and cash flow, and enhance the value of the investment through skilled management and redevelopment activities provided by experienced real estate professionals.

BridgeStreet Partners is a boutique search firm founded in 2007; it is comprised of former practice leaders of A.T. Kearney Executive Search. Each managing director has over 20 years of recruitment experience. The firm has national reach with locations in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Austin and it has completed over 500 assignments across industry.

Mr. Westberry is focused on recruiting senior level executives for companies in the technology, industrial, and service sectors ranging from startups to major multinationals. He also works closely with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to help recruit top talent. Additionally, he has recruited chairs and members of audit committees and financial experts for boards of directors.

Expanding Sector Needs Finance Talent

As the real estate sector expands, recruiters say a need for top flight financial executives has risen, making CFOs much more in demand than other C-suite leaders. The position generally serves as right hand man to the chief executive so the perfect match is critical.

For their part, search firms of all sizes have taken heed to the call, tracking down and placing CFOs at various companies. Here is a look at just a few from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

• WinterWyman placed Gary Eason as CFO at TG Gallagher. Senior vice president and partner Ken Martin led the search. Previously, Mr. Eason was director of finance for Interstate Electrical Services Corporation and the director of finance and administration for Triumph Modular Incorporated.

• Caldwell Partners recruited Kevin Cash as CFO of law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Michael DeCosta, a partner and leader in the firm’s professional services practice, led the search along with Kristin Hebert, a leader of Caldwell’s legal practice and managing partner of its San Francisco office. Mr. Cash previously served as CFO of law firm BakerHostetler.

• Odgers Berndtson placed Paul S. Herendeen as executive vice president of finance and CFO of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. John Hawkins, vice chairman and director in Odgers Berndtson’s life sciences practice, led the assignment. Mr. Herendeen previously served as EVP and CFO of Zoetis Inc.

• Bespoke Partners recruited Bob Bies as CFO of Syncsort. Previously, Mr. Bies was CFO at private equity-backed Cannondale Investments, where he was part of the leadership team that acquired OneSource from InfoGroup and formed Avention.

• PFM Executive Search placed Nelson Chan as CFO of Capital Regional District (CRD). Mr. Chan has experience in both the public and private sectors and is regarded as a collaborative, action-oriented leader and change driver with a refined business acumen.

• NorthWind Partners recruited Kevin L. Cook as CFO of Alion Science and Technology Corporation. Managing partner Mark HuYoung, who leads the firm’s private equity practice, along with partners Hunter Murray and Brian Thomas, led the search. Mr. Cook formerly served as CFO of Booz Allen Hamilton.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media