Team

Kaufman Jacobs’ leadership team believes that sustained long-term outperformance requires a company culture which attracts top talent, promotes entrepreneurial thinking, rewards achievement, and ensures employees feel as valued as tenants and investors. While investment success is measured in dollars, employee satisfaction is measured in retention. This is something we prioritize as being fundamental to the success of our endeavors.

  • Jeremy Kaufman

    Chief Executive Officer

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  • Gerald Kaufman

    Senior Managing Director

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  • Sam Fuchs

    Chief Operating Officer

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  • Jay Patel

    Chief Investment Officer

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  • Ali Balducci

    Office Manager

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  • Gil Clark

    Senior Asset Manager

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  • Patrick Clifford

    Director of Finance

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  • Jennifer Heist

    Controller

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  • Erin Hickey

    Senior Accountant

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  • Michael Kaufman

    Director of Analytics

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  • Katie Ramirez

    Staff Accountant

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  • David Rosenblatt

    Managing Director of Alternative Investments

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  • Pete Smith

    Senior Vice President and Head of Construction

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  • Sam Teper

    Vice President of Investments

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  • Jeff Weck

    Director of Construction

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  • Lee Winter

    Director of Development

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Jeremy Kaufman

Chief Executive Officer

Jeremy Kaufman is the Chief Executive Officer of KJ, with more than 20 years of experience in real estate, structured finance, and project development.  He is responsible for the firm’s overall direction and leadership.

Since becoming KJ’s CEO in 2002, Jeremy has successfully executed the acquisition, development, and finance of more than 5 million square feet, representing an aggregate value in excess of $1 billion.  Prior to joining KJ, he led real estate and energy projects abroad, including the installation of a thermal power plant on the Guayas River in Ecuador.

Jeremy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Brandeis University.

Gerald Kaufman

Senior Managing Director

Gerald Kaufman is the Senior Managing Director of KJ, with more than 65 years of experience in the acquisition, ownership, management, and disposition of office, retail, residential, industrial, and other specialized spaces across the country.  His current responsibilities include investor relations, underwriting, and deal structure.

Upon joining KJ in 1958, Gerald also worked as a real estate attorney in New York City prior to relocating to Chicago in the mid-1960s.  Over the course of his career, he has overseen many successful specialized investment ventures, including 30 restaurants, an entertainment company with more than 10 theaters nationwide, a hotel company which managed five hotel properties, numerous government tenanted assets, and a health spa.  He has also been a director of various banks and helped to organize the Civic Center Bank of Chicago.

Gerald earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a Juris Doctorate from the New York University School of Law. While at Columbia, he was the 1956 NCAA Fencing Champion.

Sam Fuchs

Chief Operating Officer

Sam Fuchs is the Chief Operating Officer of KJ, with more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate investment and asset management.  He is responsible for broad oversight of KJ’s business operations, inclusive of asset and property management, tenant development projects, dispositions, and government leasing and negotiations.

Prior to joining KJ in 2004, Sam worked at Citi Habitats and The Corcoran Group in New York City.  He has overseen the management of more than $1B in commercial assets and been instrumental in driving above-market investor returns through an active, hands-on management approach that has become foundational to KJ’s business practices.

Sam earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Ali Balducci

Office Manager

Ali Balducci is the Office Manager at KJ, with more than 10 years of experience in office administration, executive assistance, and customer service.  She is responsible for all administrative aspects of the firm, including maintaining the office space, supply management, mail and package processing, event planning, and serving as assistant to the CEO and the accounting department. 

Prior to joining KJ in 2016, Ali worked for her family’s painting and contracting company as an assistant project manager.

Ali earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

Gil Clark

Senior Asset Manager

Gil Clark is the Senior Asset Manager at KJ, with more than 17 years of experience in commercial real estate asset management.  He is responsible for the day-to-day management and performance of KJ’s non-development real estate portfolio, inclusive of leasing, property management, and disposition processes.

Prior to joining KJ in 2010, Gil worked in various roles for Rubicon US REIT, a $1.5B government office firm that was later acquired by KJ and its capital partners.

Gil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa.  He also holds certifications as a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) from GBCI and as a Real Property Administrator (RPA) from BOMI.

Patrick Clifford

Director of Finance

Patrick Clifford is the Director of Finance at KJ, with 18 years of experience in commercial real estate investment, asset management, and lending.  He is responsible for all financial aspects of the firm, including financial reporting, investor relations, capital raising, portfolio management, and asset management of KJ’s development projects. 

Prior to joining KJ in 2018, Patrick worked for several commercial real estate consulting practices including Ernst & Young, Alvarez & Marsal, and KPMG.  Patrick was also an Associate at Rubicon US REIT, a $1.5B government office firm that was later acquired by KJ and its capital partners.

Patrick earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Real Estate & Urban Land Economics and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Jennifer Heist

Controller

Jenny Heist is the Controller at KJ, with more than 15 years of experience in commercial real estate accounting and asset management.  She is responsible for all accounting and financial reporting functions for the firm and assists with investor relations as well as human resources.

Prior to joining KJ in 2015, Jenny worked for several firms in the commercial real estate sector, including Aviv REIT, Walton Street Capital, and KPMG. 

Jenny earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  She is also a registered CPA in Illinois and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Erin Hickey

Senior Accountant

Erin Hickey is a Senior Accountant at KJ, with more than 11 years of experience in commercial real estate accounting and asset management. She is responsible for various aspects of property accounting, including compilation of financial statements, tenant communications, and supporting the asset management team.

Prior to joining KJ in 2012, Erin worked for Four Corners, a Chicago-based hospitality firm.

Erin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accountancy from DePaul University. She is also a registered CPA in the state of Illinois and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Michael Kaufman

Director of Analytics

Michael Kaufman is the Director of Analytics at KJ, with more than 15 years of experience in commercial real estate investment, and more than 35 years of experience in information technology. He is responsible for all aspects of technology at the firm and assists with macroeconomic and site-specific analytics for potential development opportunities. He also asset manages a subset of KJ’s holdings.

Prior to joining KJ in 2008, Michael was the Director of Technology for Navigon GmbH where he led a team of 60 people who developed navigation hardware and software for North American users.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Math and Computer Science from Lake Forest College.

Jay Patel

Chief Investment Officer

Jay Patel is the Chief Investment Officer at KJ, with more than 18 years of experience in real estate private equity and capital markets transactions. He is responsible for overseeing and executing the firm’s acquisition and development strategies, sourcing debt and equity for each project, and new business development.

Prior to joining KJ in 2012, Jay worked in real estate investment banking and private equity for M3 Capital Partners and Evergreen Investment Advisors. Over the course of his career, Jay has advised on more than $2.5B in transaction volume and overseen more than $1B in direct property and entity-level investments as a principal.

Jay earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Katie Ramirez

Staff Accountant

Katie Ramirez is a Staff Accountant at KJ, with more than 10 years of experience in commercial real estate accounting and asset management. She is responsible for accounts payable, coordination of construction loan draws, and entity compliance. Katie also assists with the preparation of financial reports and supports the asset management team.

Prior to joining KJ in 2013, Katie worked as a middle school math teacher in northern Virginia.

Katie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Science from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and a Master of Science degree in Accounting from Liberty University. She is also a registered CPA in Illinois and Virginia and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

David Rosenblatt

Managing Director of Alternative Investments

David Rosenblatt is the Managing Director of Alternative Investments at KJ, with more than 25 years of experience founding, developing, and scaling businesses and investment platforms across industries and at all stages of enterprise in Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Israel. He is responsible for the sourcing, vetting, and oversight of KJ investments outside the real estate sector.

Prior to joining KJ in 2021, David led the growth of established businesses and worked as a founder and investor to lead and fund companies, including serving as Managing Director at BlackRock and co-founding Rocket Mortgage (originally QuickenLoans) at Intuit. Earlier in his career, David practiced law, leading corporate and international transactions with Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

David earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University, a JD from Northwestern University Law School. and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School.

Pete Smith

Senior Vice President of Development and Head of Construction

Pete Smith is the Senior Vice President of Development and Head of Construction at KJ, with more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry. He is responsible for the oversight of the design, engineering, and construction of KJ’s development projects.

Prior to joining KJ in 2015, Pete was a Project Executive for Swinerton Builders in their Portland, Oregon office. Over the course of his career, he has worked for some of the larger general contractors on the West Coast and has overseen more than $900M of complex development projects, as both a principal and general contractor.

Pete earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering Management from the Northwest Technical Institute.

Sam Teper

Vice President of Investments

Sam Teper is the Vice President of Investments at KJ, with more than 8 years of experience in commercial real estate investment, asset management, and lending. He is responsible for the origination and underwriting of investment and development opportunities and assists with the asset management of KJ’s development projects.

Prior to joining KJ in 2022, Sam worked for several firms in the commercial real estate sector, including Focus Healthcare Partners, Banner Real Estate Group, and Guggenheim Commercial Real Estate Finance (Guggenheim Partners).

Sam earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and Real Estate & Urban Land Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Jeff Weck

Director of Construction

Jeff Weck is the Director of Construction at KJW Construction, a Kaufman Jacobs affiliate focused on building renovations and tenant-driven construction needs, with a special emphasis on complex projects for government users. He has more than 32 years of experience in the construction industry and is responsible for oversight of the design, engineering, and construction of all KJW projects. Additionally, Jeff manages building engineering services for KJ’s Chicago-based office, retail, and industrial holdings.

Prior to joining KJ in 2006, Jeff was a principal with Williams Construction, a general contracting and construction management firm located in Newark, New Jersey. Over the course of his career, Jeff has overseen more than 100 construction projects, including highly specialized build-to-suit government facilities, and general office, retail, laboratory, industrial, and multifamily construction.

Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and holds construction certifications as a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) from CMAA and as a Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) from AIC.

Lee Winter

Director of Development

Lee Winter is the Director of Development at KJ, with more than 38 years of experience in commercial real estate development. His responsibilities include identifying and entitling land parcels around the country for development activities. Additionally, Lee performs brokerage services for four independent grocers and a national affordable housing developer in the Chicago market.

Prior to joining KJ in 2015, Lee worked for several developers and retailers, including Fifth Third Bank and Art Van Furniture. Over the course of his career, he has overseen the development of more than fifty CVS stores, fifteen Walgreens stores, three grocery-anchored shopping centers, and a host of other retail projects.

Lee earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Oberlin College.