Esmael Hill is an expert in business strategy, commercial real estate and corporate finance. He has over sixteen years of experience in the commercial real estate and investment banking sectors. Mr. Hill has successfully completed, advised, and structured transactions in excess of $5 Billion. Prior to founding The Net Lease Group, Mr. Hill and his partner, Philip Wickstrom, formed and managed the Net Lease Services practice in Cushman & Wakefield’s Atlanta office.
Commercial Real Estate Investment Advisory and Brokerage Firm
The Net Lease Group (“NLG”) is an investment advisory and brokerage firm specializing in corporate, institutional, and private execution of single and multi-tenant, net lease transactions across all markets throughout the United States.
Property portfolio
Successfully completed, advised.
Completed transactions
Structured transactions in excess of $6 Billion
Years of experience
Commercial real estate experience
NLG’s commitment is to meet its clients’ needs by providing custom solutions that achieve their goals and objectives. NLG takes a comprehensive approach that combines expertise in real estate and capital markets to achieve superior outcomes.
The Net Lease Group represents a diverse client base ranging from small businesses to high net worth individuals, family offices, real estate developers, REITs, institutional and private investment funds to Fortune 500 companies. With our reach across the U.S. and into select international markets, NLG offers superior integrated coverage and market intelligence.
NLG’s ability to provide advice on all stages of a real estate project, including initial research, project finance, feasibility studies, lease structuring, construction, delivery and disposition, sets The Net Lease Group apart from all other net lease property advisors.
Meet The Team
Esmael Hill
Managing Principal
16 years of combined corporate finance, investment banking and commercial real estate experience.
BBS earned in Finance & Real Estate from Georgia State University.
Completed over $5 Billion in Net Lease Transactions.
Prior to Cushman & Wakefield, Mr. Hill spent eleven years with SunTrust Bank in various capacities. Mr. Hill was an investment banker with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. in its Capital Markets Structured Leasing Group, which was principally focused on sale-leaseback and build-to-suit mandates.
While at Robinson Humphrey, Mr. Hill was a member of the distribution and underwriting team responsible for pricing, underwriting and structuring new transactions. Mr. Hill also managed the disposition of assets acquired through sale-leaseback and build-to-suit opportunities.
Prior to joining the Capital Markets Group at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Mr. Hill worked as a project finance and construction lender in SunTrust’s Commercial Real Estate Finance Group. In this role, Mr. Hill provided capital to finance all the primary types of real estate for commercial development on a project specific basis.
Mr. Hill earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Real Estate from Georgia State University. Mr. Hill is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.
Philip Wickstrom
Managing Principal
Philip Wickstrom is a co-founder and Managing Principal of The Net Lease Group (NLG). The Net Lease Group provides investment sales, sale-leaseback advisory, build-to-suit advisory, development services, debt-equity placement, and private client services nationwide. NLG’s principals’ net lease transaction experience exceeds $10 billion.
Mr. Wickstrom is a net lease, commercial real estate professional with over twenty years of experience in commercial real estate and the practice of law. Mr. Wickstrom is responsible for development services, investment sales, sale-leaseback advisory, build-to-suit advisory, and private client mandates. Mr. Wickstrom has successfully advised, structured, and completed transactions for developers, tenants, family offices, REIT’s, funds, institutional investors, 1031 exchange buyers and, individual investors nationwide.
Prior to founding The Net Lease Group, Mr. Wickstrom was a net lease services professional in Cushman & Wakefield’s Atlanta office. Prior to Cushman & Wakefield, Mr. Wickstrom practiced law for eight years with a focus on contracts, corporate transactions, labor law and intellectual property. Mr. Wickstrom represented corporate and private clients including Fortune 1000 companies, small businesses and professional athletes.
Mr. Wickstrom earned his Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona, his Masters of Science in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law.
Mr. Wickstrom is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors, and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Wickstrom was previously a member of the NFL Players Association and served on the Business Advisory Council for Florida ARF, a non-profit organization advocating for the benefit and rehabilitation of disabled persons.
Rick Ross
Managing Director
30+ years of commercial real estate experience
Completed over $750 million in net lease transactions
Earned B. Arch, BFA Architecture and History as well as BA in Psychology from Syracuse University
Rick Ross, Senior Director, joined The Net Lease Group in 2016 and brings more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience including structuring and negotiating debt and equity to facility transaction closings. Prior to joining NLG, Rick was the Managing Broker at Marcus & Millichap, where he oversaw the closing of over $700 million in transactions, as well as recruiting and training 20+ professionals. During his career, Rick personally closed over $275 million in investment transactions both as a principal and a commissioned advisor.
Prior to joining Marcus & Millichap, Rick, co-founded Madison Capital Partners where he acted as Managing Partner and Director of Acquisitions. MCP acquired and managed US real estate investments on behalf of European investor clients. Rick’s duties included sourcing and analyzing various office, industrial and retail investment opportunities on a nationwide basis. He also negotiated, executed and closed sale contracts, partnership agreements as well as acquisition loans.
Rick graduated with multiple degrees from Syracuse University including B. Arch., BFA Architecture History and BA Psychology, with extensive studies in Urban Design at MIT. He actively serves in urban ministries with organizations including City of Refuge, Reach Forward, Charis Community Housing, Atlanta Youth Project and FCS Urban Ministries. Rick and his wife Jeannie have two full grown children and a daughter starting college in the fall of 2016.
Mark Lewensohn
Senior Director,
SLB Practice Head
Mark Lewensohn is the Senior Director of The Net Lease Group’s Chicago office. He focuses on originating net lease transactions of all types with more than 25 years of combined single tenant net lease fund acquisitions, institutional real estate advisory and development experience.
Mark has completed over $2 Billion in commercial real estate transactions with $540 million in single tenant net lease in more than 30 states.
Mark is an accomplished net lease and commercial real estate professional with extensive experience in building net lease portfolios, structuring sale-leaseback transactions, advising on investment strategy, asset management, disposition and real estate development. He has over 25 years in the commercial real estate sector and started his career in public accounting, concentrating on commercial real estate and holding companies. Prior to joining The Net Lease Group, Mark was a principal investor in single tenant net lease assets with Madison Avenue Capital, LLC.
Prior to founding Madison Avenue Capital, Mark spent nearly 10 years as the Head of Acquisitions for Brauvin Real Estate Funds, a Chicago based, nationally investing fund group, overseeing all facets of net lease acquisitions comprised of more than 200 net lease properties. Before that, he developed the single tenant corporate headquarters for Quaker Oats and the regional headquarters for Zurich Insurance US along with nearly a decade as an officer in the Chicago region of Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds (f/k/a Equitable Real Estate Investment Management). While at MSREF, Mark was responsible for Separate Account and General Account regional acquisitions, asset management and dispositions with transactions numbering in the hundreds.
His career began in the world of public accounting concentrating on commercial real estate tax and audit work providing a unique perspective that he has carried throughout his career.
Mark earned his Bachelor of Science – Accounting from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Leeds School of Business, is a current member of the Association for Corporate Growth and has his Managing Broker license in the State of Illinois.
William “Trey” Horne
Director, Development Services
Trey comes to The Net Lease Group with over 14 years of project and construction management experience. Before joining NLG, Trey was an Assistant Area Construction Manager in District One for the Georgia Department of Transportation. He oversaw a $250 million construction program consisting of the new alignment, widening, bridges, and resurfacing projects.
Before joining GDOT, Trey served 23 years as a Seabee and Civil Engineer Corps Officer in the United States Navy. He earned his commission in 2008 after graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Trey also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia.
He is a proud native of Atlanta, Georgia, enjoys sports, art, and loves spending time with family and friends.
Sarah Murphy
Vice President, Marketing
Sarah Murphy joined The Net Lease Group in 2021 as the Vice President of Marketing. She specializes in executing new marketing strategies, digital media developments and creating dynamic brand awareness.
Sarah comes to The Net Lease Group with a diverse background and over 11 years of experience in marketing and design. She has been a marketing professional in the commercial real estate industry since 2016. Sarah was Senior Marketing Coordinator at Colliers International in Raleigh, North Carolina and served as the Marketing Manager at Pollock Commercial Inc. in Atlanta, GA where she worked on property marketing and rebranding redevelopment projects such as General Time in Athens, GA.
Originally from North Carolina, Sarah has a B.A. in Marketing and Management from The Art-Institute of Raleigh-Durham in Durham, North Carolina. Outside the office, Sarah can be found at the dog park with her 6-year-old Boston Terrier or testing out new recipes in her kitchen.
Mike King
Vice President, Net Lease Advisor
Mike King is a Vice President in the Atlanta office of the Net Lease Group. He is responsible for the origination and execution of investment sale transactions in addition to the sale lease-back advisory. Mr. King has over five years of commercial real estate experience across many asset classes. He has represented clients in acquiring and disposing of net leased assets, including retail, industrial, and office properties.
Mr. King began his career in the Boston office of Marcus & Millichap before relocating to the Firm’s Atlanta office. During his time at Marcus & Millichap, he represented a broad client base consisting of private individuals, end-users, developers, family offices, and fund sponsors in the valuation, disposition, and acquisition of commercial real estate assets with a cumulative value exceeding $500MM. Mr. King is an expert in section 1031 exchange advisory and has completed transactions in 13 states.
Mr. King graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he served on the executive board of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity as an active member. He is a licensed real estate salesperson in both Massachusetts and Georgia.
Mike can be found outside the office on the tennis court or exploring Atlanta’s Beltline Trail and dining scene.
Joe Durkin
Vice President, Net Lease Advisor
Joe Durkin joined The Net Lease Group as a Vice President, Net Lease Advisor. He will originate the array of core services the firm offers, including net lease investment sales & acquisitions advisory, 1031 exchange transactions, sale-leaseback advisory mandates, build-to-suit, portfolio analysis, and capital markets consultation across all commercial real estate markets throughout the country.
Joe’s most recent work experience was on the premier net lease team for Colliers International nationwide and was based out of their Charleston, SC office. He has been a net lease advisor since 2018, where he began his brokerage career at Marcus & Millichap in Boston, MA. At Marcus & Millichap, he was responsible for completing and underwriting more than $600M in net lease assets.
Outside of the office, Joe can be found on the golf course, enjoying the world-class food scene in Charleston or with his dog at the beach.
Joe will be working out of the Charleston, SC market.
C. Ross Wood
Net Lease Advisor
Before joining The Net Lease Group, Ross was a Multifamily Investment Sales Broker for Horvath & Tremblay. He focused on selling multifamily investment properties in the Boston proper area, performed property valuations, and developed cash flow analysis to efficiently value and sell multifamily assets.
Ross Wood is a Net Lease Advisor at NLG, he focuses on providing the array of solutions The Net Lease Group offers while specializing in investment sales advisory, value-add, and net lease opportunities. Ross has 4 years of net lease and commercial real estate experience honed on $300 million of closed transactions, extensive experience underwriting retail and industrial acquisitions/dispositions, and performing financial analysis for capital placement assignments.
Ross graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he was a member of the Dartmouth Big Green Football Team and an active member of the Gamma Delta Chi fraternity. He holds a Georgia and Massachusetts Real Estate License.
While not working, Ross enjoys working out, playing men’s league softball, and spending time with his niece and nephews.
Dane Bailey
Senior Associate
Dane Bailey is a Senior Associate at the Net Lease Group and brings a background in structured commercial real estate finance. Dane performs financial analysis for capital placement mandates and underwriting for retail and industrial acquisitions/dispositions, including cash flow projections, corporate credit underwriting, market research, and valuations. He also provides due diligence documents and support on net lease projects throughout the transaction process.
Before joining the Net Lease Group, Dane worked at Capital One in New York City in their Commercial Real Estate Fund Finance/Institutional Specialties Group, focusing on the underwriting and structuring of Master Repurchase Agreements for large institutional non-bank providers of commercial real estate debt. Specifically, Dane focused on underwriting multifamily, industrial, office, and mixed-use assets under MRA facilities. He holds a Georgia Real Estate License.
Dane graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. While not working, Dane enjoys running, playing golf and spending time with his family.
Riley Ahern
Marketing Associate
Riley Joined the Net Lease Group in December 2021 as a Marketing Associate. He specializes in curating social media content, email marketing, and graphic design to assist the advisory team in creating marketing collateral.
Before joining the Net Lease Group, Riley was the social media manager for Atlanta’s Florida State Alumni association. He helped grow the club by working with local businesses and restaurants to host events and sponsor the club.
Riley graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from Florida State University. Outside of the office, Riley enjoys playing basketball, golfing, and attending concerts.
Victoria Lim
Marketing & Research Analyst
Victoria Lim joined the Net Lease Group in 2022 with a real estate market research and analysis background. Victoria supports marketing operations by researching and providing written content for market reports, Thought Leadership pieces, white papers, and more. She also assists the brokerage team in curating data and writing narratives for various marketing materials.
Victoria has a background in real estate consulting and has covered various markets throughout the Southeast. She has completed feasibility studies for a variety of land uses including multifamily, for-sale residential, and mixed-use projects for both private and public sector clients. Victoria relocated from Tampa to Atlanta in 2019 to join the CoStar Group, where she reported on commercial real estate trends across North Carolina. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as the Triangle Business Journal, Triad Business Journal, and Charlotte Observer.
Victoria graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 2017. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring Atlanta’s restaurant scene, and going on long walks with her dog.
Mary Hemans
Administrator & Office Manager
Mary Hemans joined the Net Lease Group in February 2023 as the Administrator & Office Manager. She is responsible for overseeing administrative and operational duties at NLG and providing support to the executive leadership team.
Before joining the Net Lease Group, Mary worked with Robinson Weeks Partners, an industrial real estate development and investment firm. She also worked with Walker and Dunlop as a Senior Executive Assistant to the Managing Director of Multifamily Finance and his Team. Throughout her career, Mary has played a key role in office operations and led company-wide initiatives on behalf of executive staff. Her wealth of experience in commercial real estate comes from 20+ years in various parts, ranging from small, privately-held organizations to publicly traded companies.
Outside of work, Mary enjoys spending time at the beach and as much time as she can with her 2-year-old grandson, Lawton John.
Careers
The Net Lease Group is currently seeking professionals for the following positions:
If you are interested in a career with The Net Lease Group, please submit your resume here
SUBMIT RESUME