This article originally appeared on CoStar
Cresa has made a pair of key appointments as the brokerage firm heads into the new year.
Washington, D.C.-based Cresa has hired Kristin MacCarthy, a former Jones Lang LaSalle executive, as chief financial officer and tapped LaMean Koroma, one of its vice presidents, to chair its diversity, inclusion and belonging council, which is a key part of Cresa’s larger effort to increase diversity at the firm.
Based in Chicago, MacCarthy fills the chief financial officer position last held by Dave Metzger, who left in April after serving less than a year to be chief financial officer of ACA Compliance Group.
As Cresa’s new chief financial officer, MacCarthy will lead the firm’s finance team and develop a capital plan to support the company’s recruitment and acquisition activities. She also will be part of the firm’s executive committee and work with Cresa CEO Jim Underhill to develop and execute the firm’s strategic plan.
MacCarthy joined Cresa from JLL, where she served as chief financial officer of the brokerage giant’s market solutions group and was responsible for spearheading strategic growth and managing profitability. She also has worked in financial management at several companies, including UScellular and Grainger.
Koroma joined Cresa in 2015, having previously served as a territory sales manager at CoStar Group, publisher of CoStar News.
As he takes the reins of Cresa's diversity, inclusion and belonging council, Koroma will work with more than 40 Cresa employees who are a part of the group. The council is made up of five committees: executive, retention, communications, outreach and recruitment.
Cresa launched its diversity and inclusion program in 2018 and positioned it as a priority among firm leaders in each of its markets.
One of the Cresa diversity, inclusion and belonging council's major initiatives next year will be the implementation of the development and enrichment associate leadership program, slated to be launched in the first quarter. The DEAL program is geared toward attracting diverse candidates and developing them into major contributors at Cresa.
Cresa said its new initiative "is an important step to move away from the prohibitive nature of the CRE industry, removing existing barriers to entry, such as race and economic background."