Jonathan Lotter: Founder and President
Mr. Lotter is the founder and president of Appian Capital, a California based real estate investment firm which provides capital to commercial, residential and land development real estate projects in the western United States. Over the past six years Appian has invested over $100 million in projects valued over $700 million. Mr. Lotter has been in the institutional asset management and finance industry for 15 years, working for large asset management companies (Franklin Templeton Funds and Barclays Global Investors) and a private commercial real estate investment company in San Francisco. Mr. Lotter’s work in the industry has emphasized the creation of strategic partnerships with developers and private and institutional investors, and the management of real estate loan portfolios secured by residential and commercial developments, industrial and office buildings and raw land. His experience structuring investments for a diversity of property types gives him an understanding of complex ownership and development issues and the ability to quickly assess the risks and potential opportunities involved in real estate transactions. Mr. Lotter founded Appian in January 2000 in order to focus on those projects that require a flexible, value-added financial partner and provide an efficient investment vehicle for individuals and institutions wishing to invest in commercial and residential real estate. Mr. Lotter earned his B. A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of various industry associations and groups.

Michael LaHorgue: Principal
In addition to being a partner in Appian Capital, Mr. LaHorgue is President of Seaview Ventures, LLC a private real estate investment company located in Larkspur, California. Since 2002 Seaview has purchased over 1200 units throughout California either as value added apartment acquisitions or as condominium conversions.  Prior to forming Seaview Ventures, Mr. LaHorgue served as President and CEO of Shorenstein Realty Services, which was responsible for all aspects of managing and leasing Shorenstein’s national office portfolio of approximately 20 million square feet. Mr. LaHorgue holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from the University of California Berkeley and lives with his wife and 3 children in Marin County. 

James Clifford: Principal
In addition to being a partner in Appian Capital, Mr. Clifford is President of Montgomery Advisors, a private real estate firm providing direct equity investment in real estate transactions, as well as development and consulting services. During thirteen years with Cushman & Wakefield, Mr. Clifford participated in some of the highest profile commercial sales and leasing transactions in the country and was recognized among the firm's top producers from 1986 through 1997, twice being named "Broker of the Year" for northern California. In 1998, Mr. Clifford was recruited to become Vice Chairman of Shorenstein Realty Services, L.P., and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Shorenstein Company. He formed Montgomery Advisors in 2000. Mr. Clifford holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from University of the Pacific.

David Estes: Principal
In addition to being a partner in Appian Capital, Mr. Estes has been practicing real estate law for 16 years in San Francisco, focusing primarily on ownership representation in the purchase, sale, financing and construction and leasing of office and industrial buildings, both in San Francisco and throughout the United States. He has frequently lectured on these topics for both the Practicing Law Institute as well as for the Continuing Education of the Bar programs. While in private practice, he practiced at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and at O’Melveny and Myers, where he was a partner. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Summa Cum Laude from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Marcus DuPlessis: Deal Origination
Mr. DuPlessis has, over his tenure with Appian, helped identify, structure and underwrite over 35 transactions valued in excess of $380 million. He has been primarily responsible for underwriting and deal origination. Prior to Appian, Mr. DuPlessis was with Applied Materials, Inc., a semiconductor equipment provider, managing European sales and marketing operations. In this capacity he was responsible for product margins, regional profit and loss and general budgetary oversight for the division. Prior to this, Mr. DuPlessis spent several years as a financial analyst. Mr. DuPlessis graduated cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. degree in Mass Communication and Business Administration. He is a member of the Bay Area Mortgage Association and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP).

Aram Danesh: Investor Relations
Aram Danesh joined Appian Capital from Fowler Property Acquisitions (formerly Fowler Flanagan Partners) where he served as Vice President, Investor Relations. During his time with Fowler he helped close over $1 billion in sale transactions, raised over $150 million and managed roughly 300 investors. Aram holds degrees from San Francisco State University and Monterey Institute of International Studies and he attended schools in France, Germany and Switzerland.

Bob Billingham: Project Oversight
Bob Billingham has spent over 25 years involved in various aspects of real estate development and construction management. After three years as a consulting geotechnical engineer, Mr. Billingham began his construction management career in 1984 by building condominium and single-family developments in Marin County. In 1991 Mr. Billingham managed design and construction teams for the reconstruction of 47 homes lost in the great Oakland fire. Subsequently, he moved on to work for The Shorenstein Company in San Francisco where he was a senior project manager in charge of construction in the Bank of America Building. Recently completed projects include a new 24-story residential condominium tower in downtown San Francisco, a 288-unit residential condo-conversion project in Pittsburg, CA and an 87,000sf office condominium project in Stockton, CA. Bob provides input during the due-diligence phase of Appian’s evaluation of potential projects and borrowers. Bob also takes an oversight role once the loan has closed. He visits the project sites on a regular basis, monitors progress, approves draw requests, tracks sales and keeps an eye on quality. Billingham received BA’s in Geology and English in 1979 from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He lives with his wife and daughter in Grass Valley, CA.

Tiffany Cambell: Project Entitlement
Ms. Campbell has over 15 years of public and private sector land use planning experience in project management, federal and state environmental compliance, agency administration and procedures, and resource management. She has worked as a contract planner for several municipal jurisdictions in Central and Southern California, Wyoming and Idaho. Past projects have included management of large Development Plan/Master Plan projects, comprehensive plans, conditional use permits, feasibility studies and client/jurisdiction liaison. Primary responsibilities as a Senior Planner include project management of large and small-scale planning projects, including the preparation of planning due diligence and feasibility studies, environmental constraints analysis (CEQA and NEPA administration), development plan project applications, permit processing through local and regional agencies, tract map applications, planned residential developments, and commercial developments. Ms. Campbell has also been involved in community workshop facilitation, all aspects of environmental review, condition compliance and environmental mitigation monitoring projects. Ms. Campbell received a BA in Environmental Studies and a Certificate in Land Use and Environmental Planning from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a MA from Pepperdine University.