Zocalo Hires Paul Birnesser as Vice President of Finance and Accounting
Zocalo Community Development is pleased to announce Paul Birnesser has joined the company as vice president of finance and accounting. Birnesser brings 24 years of accounting and finance experience to Zocalo, with 14 years in commercial real estate development, construction and property management. His real estate background includes multifamily, office, retail, student housing, mixed use and industrial properties.
“As we continue to grow our company and launch the development of multiple projects, acquiring top talent is our primary goal,” said David Zucker, LEED® AP, principal and chief executive officer for Zocalo. “We are especially excited to welcome Paul to the Zocalo team and leverage his vast knowledge of the commercial real estate industry.”
In his role as vice president of finance and accounting, Birnesser will oversee the financial accounting and reporting for Zocalo’s development, construction and property management operations and is responsible for its accounting and human resources activities.
Before joining Zocalo, Birnesser was the controller and then CFO for RedPeak, a Denver-based owner and operator of apartments. Prior to that, he was the controller for Simmons Vedder Partners, a real estate development firm based in Austin, Texas. Before discovering commercial real estate, he worked for various technology startups. Birnesser began his career as an auditor for a “Big 4” accounting firm and has been a CPA since 1995.
“I’ve always been impressed with Zocalo’s collaborative and innovative culture,” said Birnesser. “They were the first developer to bring condominiums to Jefferson Park and capitalize on the opportunities at Union Station, so it’s very exciting to join a company that is looking ahead of the curve.”
Birnesser has been the Treasurer and a board member of St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School (SBIMS) since 2010. Based in New Mexico, SBIMS operates a school for 200 Navajo children and provides direct outreach services to the Navajo people including water delivery, food, clothing, home repair and housing assistance. Birnesser also volunteers for his son’s Boy Scout troop. He received his Master’s in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Philosophy from Colgate University.
The Opus Group Announces Promotion of Larry Pobuda to Executive Vice President, General 
Manager
The Opus Group (Opus) announced the recent promotion of Larry Pobuda to executive vice president, general manager at Opus Development Company, L.L.C. In this newly created role, Pobuda is accountable for the leadership and oversight of the collective Phoenix and Denver teams, including development and construction pursuits, active projects, as well as market strategies and future growth plans for those offices.
“Larry plays a vital role as a leader in our organization, and I’m thrilled to now be able to apply his leadership and expertise beyond a single market to support our growing business,” said Dave Menke, president & CEO, Opus Development Company, L.L.C. “Opus and its clients will benefit from being able to leverage his talents and approach across a broader platform – specifically between the Phoenix and Denver teams. I am excited for the opportunities this promotion creates for Larry and for our collective organization.”
Pobuda brings more than 26 years of development, investment, tenant representation and landlord experience to this role. Since re-establishing Opus in the Phoenix market four years ago, Pobuda has led the Phoenix team to deliver on the mission as a company, as evidenced by the strong relationships he and his team have established throughout the real estate community in Phoenix and by projects including Union Tempe multifamily, Opus Airport Industrial, Longbow Business Park and Goodyear Crossings industrial, as well as other pursuits currently underway.
“Phoenix and Denver are strong, healthy markets, and I look forward to coalescing our resources in these cities to drive more business to the Opus integrated platform of architecture, construction, and development,” said Pobuda.
Pobuda earned a B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University and an M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is an active member of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, including serving as National Chairman of the Board, Minnesota and Arizona Chapter President and NAIOP Research Foundation Chairman. Pobuda currently serves on the board of the Downtown Tempe Authority and is a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership.
PCL Construction Appoints New Leadership in Denver Operations
PCL Construction Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that Ryan Schmidt has been appointed to district manager and will oversee PCL’s buildings presence in the Denver area, effective November 1, 2018. Ryan has worked across North America and brings a new perspective to PCL in Colorado, additionally, he has been the operations manager for PCL Denver since early 2017.
“It’s a really exciting time to be in the construction industry in Denver,” said Ryan. “PCL has the opportunity to capitalize on the great history of Colorado while being part of its dynamic growth.”
Ryan joined PCL more than 21 years ago and has extensive construction management experience in retail, aviation, and mixed-use construction. He joined the board of directors for the Associated General Contractors of Colorado chapter in 2017 and has volunteered with his fellow PCL colleagues to support local organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Mile High United Way, and Brother’s Redevelopment.
“Having someone with Ryan’s breadth of industry knowledge lead the Denver office is a real win for us,” said Deron Brown, PCL’s executive vice president. “His vision for PCL will help us continue to create success for our clients.”
