ABOUT US

 

Richard M. Ortwein

A seasoned veteran of the real estate industry, Richard "Dick" Ortwein has overseen all aspects of the business, having directed and managed the development and construction of millions of square feet of real estate during his extensive career.


Dick brings to Focus more than 35 years of management experience, namely in senior level posts with the Koll organization, a premier commercial developer in the U.S. Additionally, Dick offers a rarity in real estate circles: a banker's financial acumen with a developer's hands-on experience.


While at Koll, Dick oversaw the accounts of local, national and international clients, exposing him to a vast array of regional issues and placing him on the cutting edge in detecting new construction and development trends in the commercial and residential sectors. In his senior management capacity at Koll, Dick was responsible for commercial development, land entitlement, project finance, construction management, asset management and corporate services. Additionally, Dick was a key member of the executive team responsible for overseeing key acquisitions and mergers, including the 1998 purchase of Koll Real Estate Group's commercial development arm, Koll Development Company.


Prior to joining Koll, Dick served at Wells Fargo Bank where he was responsible for the financing of commercial development product. Capping a 10-year tenure in the banking industry, Dick steadily rose through the management ranks of Security Pacific Bank and Wells Fargo.


A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Dick is affiliated with many professional and civic organizations including the Orange County Business Council and the Urban Land Institute. He served on both the national and local boards of directors of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), is a past Chairman of the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross and Young Presidents Organization, and served on the board of the directors of The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. Recently ending his term as Chairman of the Board at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Dick remains a member of the board of directors, and previously served as chairman of the Facilities, Design and Construction Committee overseeing a $500 million capital improvements budget.  Dick recently served on the board of directors for A & A Ready Mixed Concrete, Inc., and is a current board member of H.G. Fenton Company, a regional commercial real estate developer in San Diego.  Dick enjoys his role as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California's School of Policy, Planning & Development for its Masters in Real Estate Development program.


Michael Ortwein

Michael Ortwein brings to Focus over a decade of real estate investment and commercial development experience, and serves as Focus' primary Development Manager, handling all aspects of the development process including land acquisition, financial analysis, entitlement, and project management. 

Prior to joining Focus, Michael served as a consulting manager for The McMahan Group, a strategic real estate consulting firm in San Francisco.  While at McMahan, Michael was involved in the repositioning and placement of nearly $1.0 Billion of institutional capital. 


Before working with McMahan, Michael was a project manager in the San Diego office of Koll Development Company where he oversaw the development of nearly 800,000 square feet of industrial and office projects.  Michael also had the opportunity to work as a development analyst in Koll's Shanghai, China, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia offices.  While in Asia, Michael managed and performed the financial analysis of all of Koll’s proposed and existing development projects in Asia, including two regional shopping centers in Taipei, Taiwan and Shanghai valued at $300 million.


Michael spent four years as a senior consultant and financial advisor at the prestigious Ernst & Young Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group in San Francisco.  While at EYKL Michael managed a team of professionals that provided client support to commercial and investment banks, commercial and residential developers, governmental entities, institutional investors and private investment companies.  Sample engagements included valuation and market analysis for large portfolios and individual properties including office, industrial, retail, hospitality, land and self-storage facilities. 


Michael received his MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.  He is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder where he received a BS in Business Administration with a dual concentration in Real Estate & Finance.  Michael is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.