JLL Valuation Advisory service line adds commercial finance risk professional

CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2021 – JLL Valuation Advisory announced today that it has hired Dennis Firestone to join its rapidly expanding new Environmental and Property Condition (EPC) team as a Senior Vice President for EPC Premier Client Accounts. In his new role, he will focus on client development, business support and implementation of technology-based solutions.

Based in the Detroit MSA, Firestone is a Registered Geologist (RG) and Registered Environmental Manager (REM) who joins JLL with more than 30 years of leadership in the environmental and engineering assessment industry. Specializing in risk management, asset management and environmental due diligence for the financial and real estate industries, his wide range of experience comes from work in the environmental, construction, and property condition fields. He has served as both a provider of these services, having managed offices for various consulting firms providing a wide range of environmental, geotechnical and construction services, and as a consumer of these services in his capacity at a commercial lender and a financial services institution.

“JLL is demonstrating a global commitment to the topics that are the hardest to tackle, but the most impactful to our client base, which are the convergence of environmental, valuation, climate risk and sustainability,” Firestone said. “They’re leading by example for the industry to observe how to navigate these challenges, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the team that’s shaping our industry!”

Firestone has a Bachelor of Science degree in geological science from the University of Michigan. He has held various industry leadership positions, including sitting on the board of and chairing the risk management committee for the Environmental Bankers Association and co-founding a first-of-its-kind “capital at risk” construction interest group. He also co-created the non-profit Consortium for Business and the Environment that seeks to establish specific lending opportunities for middle-market and energy finance lenders. His extensive volunteer involvement includes providing life skills training to at-risk youth, serving on community task forces, and working with the Boy Scouts of America.

Led by Managing Director Jeff Manas, the EPC service team was announced in April 2021 as part of JLL Valuation Advisory’s ongoing growth strategy. The immediate demand for the team’s services, specifically around Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac environmental site assessments and property condition assessments for multi-housing properties, supported an accelerated hiring plan to better support client needs for all property types.

“Dennis’s addition to the team is another example of our build-to-suit approach, putting our client’s needs first, and focusing on good science and subject matter expertise,” Manas said. “He’s an incredible resource in the industry and has a track-record of creating world-class teams that raise the bar of quality and risk management.”

The EPC service offers Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Phase II Oversight Management, along with Property Condition Assessments, Zoning Reports, Seismic Studies, ALTA Surveys and Green Evaluations. Adding this new service line expanded JLL’s capabilities to fulfill the full spectrum of client needs by providing a suite of services through a single source of ordering; faster access to high-quality data for engineering, environmental and valuation products; and a non-disruptive and optimized approach for collection of field data.

Manas expects to continue to hire more team members such as environmental professionals, engineers, architects and other specialists, including Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-qualified assessment managers.

JLL Valuation Advisory is one of the world’s most strategic, creative and connected real estate capital advisors, delivering customized solutions to enable you to make the fastest, best informed decisions for your investment interests throughout their entire life cycle.

JLL’s 1,700 qualified valuation professionals are connected across 44 countries, sharing insights and real-time data to deliver tailored client solutions and advice for its client’s real estate and business asset interests. The team is globally connected but also maintains sector-based expertise and deep local knowledge in every market.

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