Cypress Equity Investments Hires Florida SVPs

As summer winds down, South Florida real estate hiring is gearing back up.

Cypress Equity Investments, a multifamily developer based in Saratoga, Calif., hired two senior vice presidents to lead its new Florida offices in Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg.

Errol Blumer joined the firm as SVP of acquisitions from Northmarq, where he opened the South Florida multifamily sales office. At CEI, Blumer will head the Fort Lauderdale office. The address remains to be announced.

CEI brought in Wesley Geys as SVP of development from Jefferson Apartment Group, where he was a vice president for two years. Geys will head the St. Petersburg office.

Founded in 2001, CEI launched a partnership with New York-based Winter Properties last October. Since then, the developer has opened offices in both Denver and Dallas. The firm currently has more than 11,000 apartment units in development.

Fort Meyers-based Cozza Investment Group opened a division of its brokerage Cozza Realty Group in Miami, focusing on Brickell, Wynwood, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, with a team of 20 agents. The firm also plans to open an office in Palm Beach.

Owner and founder Brad Cozza bought and sold 1,400 homes in the aftermath of Florida’s 2008 foreclosure crisis, according to a release.

Premier Estate Properties, a brokerage based in Palm Beach, hired two agents this month. Premier Estate Properties has hired 17 brokers so far this year.

Barbara Dietrich moved to the firm’s Vero Beach office, and Brian Jeffords joined the Fort Lauderdale office. Jeffords took a two-year sabbatical to obtain his real estate license after leaving a career in global security sales, according to his LinkedIn.

Contact Kate Hinsche