Michael Potthoff,

Managing Principal

Michael is the Managing Principal at PAX Equity and has been working in the private equity and investment sector for more than 15 years. 

For ten years, Michael worked with Fidelity Investments, one of the of the world’s largest asset management companies, and primarily focused on ultra-high net-worth, family office, and institutional assets. Michael worked with Fidelity Capital Markets to put together hundreds of securities transactions for his clientele. He has been involved in over $6.8 billion in private equity and preferred equity real estate transactions. Prior to Fidelity, Michael spent four years as Business Development Director of Platinum Financial Strategies and raised $800 million in institutional debt instruments. 

Michael Potthoff completed his undergraduate education at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas in 2002, and his graduate education at Rice University’s Glasscock School in Houston, Texas with a focus on finance in 2011.

Aaron Greene,

Principal

Aaron Greene has been involved in private equity and managed commercial real estate for over 20 years.  

As a partner at PAX Equity, Aaron has played a key role in the management of a diverse portfolio of industrial properties across the country.  At Fidelity Investments, he worked in their private client group where he handled $1.5 billion in assets and oversaw and managed private equity real estate transactions totaling $250 million annually.  He also worked with Wealth Advisory Solutions, Fidelity’s Institutional Alternative Asset Platform, for alternative investments and dealt with the nation’s largest real estate developers and real estate managers.  Throughout his career, Aaron has built a reputation for his expertise in commercial real estate, with a range of experience from industrial real estate, debt funds, opportunity zones, and multifamily deals.  

He has a proven track record of successfully negotiating complex contracts and lease agreements with Fortune 500 companies, universities, and federal agencies, and graduating from Baylor University with a BBA in Finance in 2000.

Paul Park,

Director

Paul is a seasoned Business Development Director for Pax Equity, with over 20 years of experience. He has a proven track record of success in driving growth and creating value for his clients and investors and is widely respected for his ability to navigate complex business challenges with confidence and expertise. 

Prior to Pax Equity Paul served 4 years with Creative Planning, a nationally recognized independent wealth advisory firm with $210 billion combined assets under management & advisement and over a decade at Fidelity Investments and Wells Fargo working with over $1.3 billion in assets. 

He has a proven track record of success in identifying high-performing industrial properties, optimizing value through a lens of strategic land scarcity, targeted capital improvements--ultimately delivering strong returns.

He is known for his ability to think creatively and outside the box, and for articulating the company vision for clients and investors leading to consistent delivery of results.

Paul received his BA from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas in 1994 and has completed graduate programs at the University of Dallas, Villanova University and Harvard Business School.

Ernie Peñate,

Director

Ernie has worked in the commercial real estate/financial services industry for 15 years. Prior to Pax, he worked for 12 years as the Director of Investment Operations for a commercial real estate company, where he oversaw and managed the investor closings for REIT & private placement offerings totaling over $300M. For the past 2 years, he has worked for Pax Equity as the Director of Operations where he oversees investor relations, treasury management, and client onboarding & reporting. He created and oversaw the investment operations department and has extensive knowledge of commercial real estate alternative investments, investor relations, & business operations.  He also works closely with the Financial Analyst team on managing our industrial assets. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Houston in 2008, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance & Management.

Liana Santos,

Director

Liana is a 12-year commercial real estate professional with deep experience across investment sourcing and execution, disposition, financing, and portfolio management. She joined the Pax Equity team in January 2023 as a Senior Financial Analyst. In this role, she will leverage her strong credentials, proven performance metrics, and extensive commercial real estate experience to grow Pax Equity’s portfolio as well as support all asset management and strategic financial initiatives.

Prior to joining the Pax Equity team, Liana Santos held a position as Director of Quantitative Analysis at Moody National Companies. She collaborated in the closing of approximately $1.6 billion in transactions for hotels, multifamily, and office. She also secured $300 million in financing for hotel transactions and $150 million for office and multifamily acquisitions. 

At Moody, she provided extensive asset management support for Moody’s $2 Billion plus commercial real estate portfolio, including property financial review and loan covenant compliance requirements. She developed a comprehensive internal financial model of new and existing investments to identify strengths and weaknesses in current property operations. 

Liana Santos has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Rice University. 

Casey Rice,

Director

Casey has over a decade of operational management and supervisory experience. During the past three years, he has directed projects for Cedar Ridge Services, specifically property administration, coordinating and supervising maintenance, repairs, and upgrades for facilities, and establishing operational budgets. 

Casey has effectively managed diverse portfolios of industrial properties, including warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and logistics hubs. 

His comprehensive knowledge of industrial property operations, leasing strategies, and tenant relations has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor among property owners and investors.

Casey served in the U.S. Navy as a supervisor for Emergency Egress and Environmental Control

Systems, specializing in viable risk control. He later became a Senior Program Director, where he implemented practices that focused on cost effectiveness and tested risk-based analysis.