Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers Appoints Mark S. Higgins President

HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, one of the world's largest real estate investment advisory firms, today named Mark S. Higgins president, a move that will enable the company to continue its strong growth and expansion.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110919/NE70682 )

As president, Higgins will oversee Cornerstone's debt and equity real estate investments in North America, supervising all activities related to a diversified portfolio of commercial properties, including equity acquisitions, asset management and dispositions, as well as debt vehicles such as mortgages, CMBS and mezzanine loans. Higgins will chair Cornerstone's Direct Real Estate Investment Committee and continue to play a key role in creating and implementing investment strategies on behalf of clients.

"Mark is an extremely talented leader with an extensive background in real estate and a long history of accomplishment within our organization," said David J. Reilly, Cornerstone's CEO. "It's with great confidence that I name him president, knowing that he will provide the kind of strong leadership that will sustain Cornerstone's current and future growth."

For the past five years, during which time Reilly has been both president and CEO, Cornerstone has grown organically and through acquisition into a full service, global real estate investment organization with capabilities in public and private debt and equity. The organization has affiliate and subsidiary offices in the US, Europe and Asia with a combined staff of nearly 300 people and more than $32 billion of assets managed and serviced.

"Cornerstone's ability to play across the entire real estate capital spectrum, providing a full complement of debt, equity and real estate securities expertise, brings a wealth of opportunity to our clients," said Higgins. "I'm looking forward to working with our talented real estate investment professionals to continue Cornerstone's growth and strong performance."

Higgins joined Cornerstone in 1996, and most recently was Cornerstone's Chief Investment Officer - Equity, with responsibility for all direct equity investments in North America.

Previously he was a principal with HPI Realty Partners, a San Francisco based firm, which he co-founded in 1991. Prior to forming HPI, Higgins was senior vice president of Piedmont Realty Advisors, a private real estate investment firm that merged with The RREEF Funds in 1990. Higgins has also served as vice president for Aetna Realty Investors.

Higgins obtained his BS in Finance from the University of Denver and his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a board member of the National Multi Housing Council, as well as a member of the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers and the Pension Real Estate Association.

For more information about Cornerstone, visit www.cornerstoneadvisers.com.

About Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC

Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC, with affiliate and subsidiary offices in the US, UK, Europe and Asia, is one of the world's largest real estate investment advisers. It provides core and value-added investment and advisory services, including a comprehensive suite of real estate debt, equity and securities expertise and services, to institutional and other qualified investors around the globe. Cornerstone is a member of the MassMutual Financial Group. Cornerstone and its subsidiaries have assets under management totaling more than $32 billion. More information is at www.cornerstoneadvisers.com

Contact: Patrick Collins
617-553-0349
[email protected]

SOURCE Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers