CBRE grows property management team; Cranshaw Construction appoints CEO; Ardent elevates two to partner

CBRE hired Claire Bayles as a director in its property management division based in Atlanta. The division also supports industrial clients in Savannah, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama. Bayles is a 10-year industry veteran who joined CBRE from JLL, where she had served as a senior leader overseeing an industrial portfolio spanning 26 million square feet.

Bayles also served in prior property management roles at firms including Franklin Street and Harbor Group Management. 

General contracting and construction management firm Cranshaw Construction appointed industry veteran David Fenton as CEO. Fenton joined the Newton, Massachusetts-based company after more than 20 years at Suffolk Construction, where he rose through the ranks from project manager to chief operations officer. Fenton initially led Suffolk’s northeast commercial operations and later served as the national government chief operations executive.

At Suffolk, Fenton led major Boston-area projects, including 10 World Trade and South Station Tower. He most recently spearheaded that firm’s national re-entry into federal government work. Founded in 1983, Cranshaw Construction has worked for clients across the New England region, on projects such as industrial facilities, retail centers, laboratory and office buildings. 

Real estate services firm The Ardent Cos. named Scott Werbel and Michael DeGance partners. Both will retain their roles as managing directors, the Atlanta-based company said. Werbel joined the firm in 2014 and is focused on acquisitions, loan originations and transactions related to distressed debt. He held earlier roles at firms including Evolution Real Estate Partners, RCG Ventures and Impressa Group.

Werbel manages transactions and joint ventures across several property types at Ardent, including retail, office, land and mixed-use deals, primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast. DeGance joined Ardent in 2012 and oversees investor relations, financial reporting and fundraising. He held earlier positions at firms such as Morgan Stanley and PwC. 

Christopher Lang joined Cushman & Wakefield as a senior director in the firm’s project and development services practice. He's based in Dallas. Lang joined the firm from Ryan Cos., where he was director of construction. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, having previously served in project executive roles at Structure Tone Southwest and Turner Construction Co.

At Cushman & Wakefield, Lang will lead industrial project services across Texas, as the firm seeks to expand its construction presence in the Lone Star State, the firm said. Cushman is in the process of expanding its development expertise in various property categories, including logistics and manufacturing facilities, according to Jason D’Orlando, Cushman’s executive managing director and Americas sector lead for project and development services. 

Law firm Scarinci Hollenbeck expanded its real estate and litigation practices with the addition of four attorneys to its New York office. Ryan Miller joined the firm as partner, with Carolyn Kruk, Eric LaMons and Scott Koop joining as counsel.

The firm said Miller has more than 20 years of industry experience, practicing most recently at a boutique New York law firm where he had been a partner since 2010. He has represented numerous real estate clients, including buyers, sellers, developers, investors, landlords and banks. His practice areas have included land use, construction defects, condo co-op and other real estate contract matters.