Richard is currently the Managing Principal for White Oak Realty Partners and oversees all of the firm's activities with a focus on acquisition, financing, operations and disposition activities. Prior to forming White Oak Realty Partners in 2009, Richard was Executive Vice President, CFO & Principal at Fifield Companies managing all transaction and property level operations in the acquisition, disposition, and financing process including responsibility for all offices, parking, retail and residential properties. After initially joining Fifield in 1994 for the acquisition, financing and repositioning of the Civic Opera Building in Chicago, Richard rejoined Fifield as a principal in 1996 where he spent 14 years placing over $4 billion in debt and equity for all of the firm's projects including the USG Headquarters Building, Dulles View office campus in Northern Virginia, the Quaker Oats Company Headquarters Building, the Windy Point office complex, the Zurich American Insurance Headquarters, the 550 West Washington Building, all residential projects and numerous land acquisitions. Prior to Fifield, Richard was a mortgage banker at Mesirow Financial, a leading Chicago financial services firm, where he specialized in real estate finance and acquisitions of several bank REO and RTC owned office properties. Prior to Mesirow Richard was with Banbury Development/BASSAC Financial where he was responsible for the firm's development financing and placement of third party equity and debt for several local and national based real estate owners. Richard received his real estate education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in Real Estate Finance at DePaul University in Chicago.

Paul Tsakiris founded First Western Properties, Inc. in 1999 and is a leading figure in Chicago’s real estate community. Mr. Tsakiris has appeared as an expert guest on Stock Market Observer, the Chicago Real Estate Council and is frequently quoted in publications such as the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, as well as Crain's Chicago Business. He has also written articles published in Chicago Realtor Magazine.

His extensive real estate background includes:

• CEO of First Western Properties, a commercial real estate firm based in Chicago and Miami.

• CEO of Paradise Construction, a European luxury home developer

• Award Winning Brokerage Results; Mr. Tsakiris has earned numerous sales awards including: CoStar Power Broker, Top Multi-family Sales, Top Investment Sales, Top Retail Leasing by the Chicago Association of Realtors. He has also been recognized in the Wall Street Journal

• Development of Multifamily, Retail and Medical facilities both locally and abroad

• Acquisition and Turn Around of under-performing retail and medical properties

• Acquisition and Rehab of over 2,500 decimated apartment units, resulting in 6 Good Neighbor Awards; an award given to projects that have the greatest positive impact on a community

• Receivership and REO Advisory to a wide range of debt investors from local community banks to large institutional clients

Prior to founding First Western Properties, Mr. Tsakiris worked as a Sales Associate with Hallmark and Johnson. Mr. Tsakiris holds a Master’s degree from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Business (U.S. News #1 ranked international business school). He also holds undergraduate degrees in Economics and International Business. He is fluent In Greek and highly proficient in Spanish.

Mr. Tsakiris belongs to a number of real estate and community organizations including: Board member of Chicago’s Sister Cities-Athens Committee, Commercial Forum, ICSC, Chicago Real Estate Council, Commercial Roundtable, Chicago Association of Realtors and the Chicago Restaurant Brokers Association.