CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Becknell Industrial is pleased to announce today the addition of David Keller and Ben Paolone to its Capital Markets team.  With a strong development pipeline, solid balance sheet and best of class operating platform, Becknell stands poised for continued long-term growth and expansion.  The addition of Dave and Ben represents Becknell’s commitment to a comprehensive capital markets platform as we continue as a leader in the industrial real estate sector across the U.S.

“Dave’s addition represents our commitment to continued growth including the expansion and diversification of our partner relationships.” said Matt Cohoat, Becknell’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  “Ben’s experience and track record provides Becknell the expertise for a top-tier corporate capital markets platform.”

A 30+-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, Mr. Keller began his career in commercial real estate lending.  In 2002, Dave was among the leadership of Holiday Fenoglio, Fowler in Indianapolis, Indiana that repurchased the firm, taking it private and successfully growing its transaction volume almost four-fold from $13 billion to $44 billion in 2007.  Over his tenure with HFF, now JLL, Dave completed over $6.5 billion commercial real estate transactions, including debt and equity financings and commercial property sales.  In his new role as EVP – Capital Markets, Dave will be responsible for sourcing and executing to raise debt and equity to fund Becknell’s robust pipeline of new development projects, while also assisting Ben in establishing the company’s internal capital markets group and procedures.

“After a truly remarkable and rewarding 24-year career with HFF and JLL, I am very excited to pursue the new challenges and experiences that will unfold for me at Becknell,” said David Keller, Becknell’s Executive Vice President – Capital Markets.  “I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to put my past experiences to good use in my new role at Becknell.”

Commenting on the hiring of Dave and Ben, Mark Shapland, Becknell's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said "We are excited to have Dave and Ben join the Becknell team. Their depth of experience in industrial real estate and capital markets will further strengthen our platform and position Becknell for long-term growth."

With nearly 15 years of real estate capital markets experience, Mr. Paolone is a driven leader who has extensive industrial real estate experience nationally in acquisitions, financing and asset management. Most recently, Ben served as Vice President – Finance and Industrial Development at CRG in Chicago, Illinois where he financed over 18 million square feet of industrial development, nationally with a total capitalization in excess of $1 billion. There he managed and expanded the firm’s lender and investor relationships and managed the underwriting, financing and closing of industrial acquisitions.  Additionally, Ben oversaw asset management and disposition of the firm’s industrial assets. In his new role as SVP – Head of Capital Markets, Ben will formally develop and establish Becknell’s capital markets platform for the long-term while securing capital and ensuring all Becknell partners receive superior service and returns.

"Becknell has an outstanding 30-year track record of successful industrial projects and a focused strategy for growth. This is an exciting time for the industrial sector, and I look forward to leveraging Becknell’s integrated platform to capitalize on development opportunities nationally,” said Ben Paolone, Becknell’s Senior Vice President – Capital Markets.  “I’m eager to join this talented team and create value for our partners."

Dan Harrington, Chief Executive Officer and President, said, “Becknell has two primary sets of customers – our tenants and capital providers. We serve our tenants each day through our best of class operating platform.  Through the addition of Dave and Ben, we have solidified our commitment to our capital providers as well.”

About Becknell Industrial

Becknell Industrial specializes in the development, investment and management of industrial properties across the United States. The company currently owns interests in 173 properties totaling more than 25.4 million square feet.  Vertically integrated, Becknell is responsible for every aspect of the project providing the decision-making authority and expertise to meet client expectations for a high-performance facility delivered on time and on budget.  More information about Becknell is available at becknellindustrial.com.

Contact Information: 
Shona L. Bedwell
317.669.6005
sbedwell@becknellindustrial.com