Charles Huang Joins Griffin Capital Securities as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Griffin Capital Securities announced today that Charles Huang has joined the company in a dual capacity, as chief operating officer and chief compliance officer.  Huang served in the same capacities for Grubb & Ellis Capital Corporation, which he joined in 2006.  He is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations and compliance oversight of Griffin Capital Securities, which distributes two publicly-registered, non-traded real estate investment trusts, Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT, and, as of January 7, 2012, Griffin-American Healthcare REIT II (now Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II).  

Huang is recognized as one of the leading securities executives in the non-traded REIT industry, having overseen the dealer manager operations and compliance of securities registrations totaling in excess of $7 billion with Grubb & Ellis affiliates.  Previously, Huang served as chief compliance officer with Wedbush Morgan, a full-service, self-clearing New York Stock Exchange firm, where he oversaw the compliance aspects of all business lines, including investment banking, research, correspondent clearing, retail sales, equity and fixed-income trading.  Prior to joining Wedbush Morgan, Huang served as chief operating officer of an independent broker-dealer, compliance examiner with the NASD (now FINRA), and as a registered representative. 

"Charles is an extraordinarily experienced securities executive with a solid understanding of today's stringent regulatory landscape," said Kevin Shields, chief executive officer of Griffin Capital Corporation and Griffin Capital Securities.  "His grasp of the full breadth of dealer manager operations and compliance issues is impressive, and we are extremely pleased to have him as a member of our team."

"I am proud to join an organization that represents the two non-traded REIT products that I believe best embody an investor-first structure and philosophy," said Huang.  "My decision to join Griffin Capital Securities was an easy one, as I believe corporate culture and integrity are of paramount importance."

In November, Griffin Capital Corporation was selected, along with Newport Beach-based American Healthcare Investors, to serve as co-sponsor of Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II by the independent members of its board of directors.  At that time, Griffin Capital Securities was also selected to serve as the dealer manager of the Healthcare REIT's offering.  Upon completion of its transition on January 7, 2012, the REIT will be renamed Griffin-American Healthcare REIT II.

Griffin Capital Securities is also the dealer manager of Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT, a publicly registered, non-traded REIT that is building a portfolio of "business essential" office and industrial properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to creditworthy corporate tenants. 

Both Healthcare REIT II and Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT manifest a keen alignment of interests between their respective sponsors, management teams and stockholders. The executive officers and directors of Healthcare REIT II, Jeff Hanson and Danny Prosky, are two of the REIT's largest individual stockholders and continue to make regular and substantial investments in the REIT's common stock.  Likewise, executive officers of Griffin Capital Corporation and the Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT have invested approximately $26 million into Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT.

About Griffin Capital and Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT

Los Angeles-based Griffin Capital Corporation ("Griffin") is the sponsor of the Griffin Capital Net Lease REIT, Inc. (the "REIT"), a publicly-registered, non-traded real estate investment trust focused on providing individual investors dependable monthly income through the ownership of a diversified portfolio of 'business essential' office and industrial properties net leased on a long term basis to creditworthy corporate tenants. The REIT, distributed by Griffin Capital Securities, Inc. through leading independent broker-dealers, seeks to raise $750 million in equity. Manifesting keen alignment of shareholder interest, the principals and certain affiliates of Griffin Capital invested over $26 million of capital into the REIT.  Griffin Capital has a sixteen-year track record sponsoring real estate investment vehicles and managing institutional capital. Led by senior executives, each with more than two decades of real estate experience who have collectively closed more than 400 transactions representing over $14.0 billion in transaction value, Griffin Capital has acquired or constructed over 11 million square feet of space since 1996, and currently manages a portfolio of more than 8.5 million square feet located in 13 states, representing approximately $1 billion in asset value.  For more information regarding Griffin Capital, please visit www.griffincapital.com.

About American Healthcare Investors

American Healthcare Investors, LLC is an investment management firm that specializes in the acquisition and management of healthcare-related real estate, including medical office buildings, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and hospitals.  The company was founded by nationally recognized real estate investment executives Jeff Hanson, Danny Prosky and Mathieu Streiff, who have completed in excess of $15 billion in aggregate acquisition and disposition transactions during their careers, $5.0 billion of which has been healthcare-related real estate transactions.  Approximately $8.0 billion of the $15 billion was completed as a team while they led Grubb & Ellis' investment management subsidiary for more than half a decade. American Healthcare Investors is committed to providing investors with access to the potential benefits that healthcare-related real estate ownership can provide. For more information regarding American Healthcare Investors, please visit www.AmericanHealthcareInvestors.com.

About Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II, Inc. (to be re-named Griffin-American Healthcare REIT II)

Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II, Inc. is a real estate investment trust that seeks to preserve, protect and return investors' capital contributions, pay regular cash distributions, and realize growth in the value of its investments upon the ultimate sale of such investments.  Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II is a non-traded public REIT with a current nationwide diversified portfolio valued in excess of $430 million which focuses primarily on medical office buildings and other healthcare-related facilities.  For more information regarding Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II, please visit www.gbe-reits.com/healthcare2.

Lee Allan
Vice President, New Media
Griffin Capital Corporation
[email protected]
Office Phone: 310-606-5900
Cell Phone: 310-621-1601

SOURCE Griffin Capital