After two decades, Midway CEO Jonathan Brinsden has departed the Houston-based development firm for an unannounced opportunity in California.

The company confirmed that Brinsden’s last day at Midway was April 8, and told Bisnow that Midway Chairman Bradley Freels has assumed the role of CEO in the wake of the departure. Freels will also continue to serve as chairman.

Brinsden joined Midway’s development team in 2001 and served as executive vice president and chief operating officer before being appointed CEO of the firm in 2013. Prior to Midway, Brinsden was president and CEO of Hamm Corp.

During Brinsden’s tenure, Midway broke ground on several notable Houston mixed-use developments, including CityCentre in Memorial, Kirby Grove in Upper Kirby and Buffalo Heights in the Washington Avenue corridor.

Midway is also developing the East River mixed-use project in East End, which will eventually span 60 blocks and include nearly 9M SF of office space, 1,440 multifamily units, 390 hotel rooms and 475 single-family homes.

In an interview with the Houston Business Journal, Brinsden said the move was driven more by personal reasons than professional reasons.

“My wife and I were empty nesters and we decided to make a geographic change,” Brinsden said. “We were fortunate that a possible opportunity came along that dovetailed nicely with what we wanted to accomplish personally. We joke that we’re the only people moving out of Texas to California because it seems the traffic is all headed in the opposite direction.”

Brinsden was appointed chairman of Urban Land Institute Americas in July and will continue to serve in that role until his two-year term expires next year.

Adding to the executive shuffle, Midway Chief Operating Officer Jamie Bryant was appointed president of the firm in April, and will perform both roles, the company confirmed.