Earlier this week Chicago-based Waterton, announced two changes at the executive level in its multifamily operations team.
Lela Cirjakovic was promoted to executive vice president, operations, with responsibility for the firm’s national multifamily operations team of more than 500 site-level associates. In addition, Waterton hired Related Cos. veteran Scott Ferguson as assistant vice president, regional operations, overseeing its multifamily properties in Chicago and the western United States.
Here's more from the company's press release:“As we merge our multifamily and hospitality platforms and look to leverage synergies between the two, we’re simultaneously bringing on new talent and promoting from within to streamline operations and create a more cohesive brand across our entire portfolio,” said David Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of Waterton. “With more than 30 years of experience between them, Lela and Scott understand the highly personalized, fully amenitized lifestyle that today’s renters are looking for – and, more importantly, how to deliver on those high expectations.”
Cirjakovic most recently served as senior vice president, operations, at Waterton, overseeing nearly 10,000 rental units in the Midwestern and Eastern regions. Prior to joining the company in 2006, she served as regional manager at Chicago-based CAMCO Inc., overseeing the company’s Midwest operations. A graduate of Loyola University, Cirjakovic previously managed eight properties in four states for Midland Property Management and also worked as an asset manager for the Illinois Housing Development Authority, where she was responsible for a 20-property portfolio comprising more than 3,500 units.
Ferguson joins Waterton from The Related Companies, where as district manager he directed the lease-up of two newly developed luxury apartment towers in downtown Chicago and managed a portfolio of high-end condominiums in the South Loop. In his new role, he will oversee the on-site operation teams at Presidential Towers, Chicago’s largest rental community with 2,346 apartments, as well as Waterton’s three other multifamily properties in Chicago: Pensacola Place, in Uptown; One East Delaware, in Streeterville; and River North Park, in River North.
Ferguson, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University, has also worked for Village Green Companies, where he managed a portfolio of multifamily properties in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Minneapolis.
