Caton Commercial Real Estate Group launches new property management company

Caton Commercial Real Estate Group, having offered property management as part of its full suite of commercial real estate services, has launched a new property management company, Caton Property Management LLC, and hired property management veteran Barbara Montes to lead the new division within Caton. The firm also hired Roger Chavez as property manager.

The new business will enable Caton to grow this line of business while continuing to complement the brokerage services already provided by Caton Commercial Real Estate Group. The firm currently manages retail shopping centers, medical office buildings and light industrial buildings in Chicago’s west and southwest suburban markets.

“The additions of both Barbara and Roger are key steps in the desired evolution of the property management services offered by Caton,” said Amy J. Hall, CRRP, CRX, CLS, SLD, Caton Commercial Real Estate Group chief operating officer. “Their expertise and experience help position us for scalable smart growth in 2020 and beyond. We are thrilled to have them as part of the Caton family of companies.”

Montes joins as managing director for property management, bringing more than 27 years of experience. She most recently owned her own property management consulting firm, working closely with investors and owners of residential and commercial real estate assets. In that role, she worked extensively with small to mid-sized investors who self-managed their own properties, assisting them with operational oversight, due diligence and other services.

Caton Property Management LLC will work with building owners in managing a variety of services, including oversight of operations and budgeting,property due diligence, assisting with property performance evaluations and overseeing property renovations and repositioning.

Montes has extensive experience managing luxury multifamily high-rises and garden-style properties. She also has overseen property management functions as part of asset renovation and repositioning, from construction to stabilization. Before founding her own company, she served as senior managing director for Kennedy Wilson Property Group, where she supervised the leasing and management of a portfolio of more than 7 million square feet of office, retail and multifamily properties.

Montes earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and international business from Florida International University. She is a Certified Property Manager (CPM), Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS), past executive board member for Northern Illinois Commercial Association of Realtors (NICAR) and member of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).

Chavez brings 15 years of property management experience, joining the firm from Key Investment & Management in Lombard, Illinois, where he served as a commercial property manager and broker associate. He was responsible for managing and leasing residential, office, retail and industrial properties; negotiating commercial leases and supervising maintenance and capital improvement projects. Chavez received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Robert Morris University.