More Dallas Shifts Bring New Real Estate Company, Five Hires

Seasoned veteran David Ellis, a former managing director for Insignia/ESG in Dallas, has struck out on his own, forming the Ellis Cos. "It seemed a perfect time to go out on my own," he tells GlobeSt.com.

Ellis has set up an office in Tollway Plaza at 15950 Dallas North Parkway. By year's end, he hopes to have three brokers on board. Ellis, though, is looking to mentor and honing in on the Gen Y crowd "who want to learn. I'm not looking for seasoned brokers," he stresses. He started the company a few months ago, but has been keeping a low profile while he set about getting the office up and running.

"My plan is not to be a large tenant representation firm, but one of the best," says the 20-year veteran. He will target tenants who, he says, "do not show up on the radar screens of the Staubach's or Cushman & Wakefield's of the world." He wants those "bread and butter" deals, the ones under 25,000 sf that he believes is a niche market.

Ellis was part of Baker Commercial Realty when it was sold to Insignia/ESG and its leader became the new Dallas office head. Ellis previously worked at the Weitzman Group and Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc.

Atlanta-based Cousins Properties has hired William Knopick as vice president of leasing in Dallas. He will focus on the 600,000-sf Spectrum Center in the far north Dallas submarket, the 220,000-sf 122 W. Carpenter and 123,000-sf O'Connor Ridge in Las Colinas.

Knopick too has more than 20 years in the industry, recently working as a vice president for Houston-based Hines Interests. He was in charge of more than three million sf of class A office space at One, Two and Three Galleria Towers in Dallas.

Arledge/Power Real Estate Group of Dallas has cornered Barbara Womble for its vice president of business development. She exited Dallas-based Staubach Co., where she was responsible for development of retail and industrial projects.

Arledge/Power also added senior associates Kyle Ward and John Moore. Ward, a specialist in transaction management services, comes from the Trammell Crow Co. ranks in Dallas. Moore was IT director for Rushmore Financial.

Dallas-based Wyndham International Inc. has named Henry W. Richards Jr. as director of national sales. He has more than 14 years in the hospitality industry, most recently serving as senior sales manager for the Adam's Mark Hotel in Dallas. He is tasked with creating, growing and managing emerging market accounts in the areas of religious, fraternal, educational and ethnic groups in line with the company's diversity program launched last year.