Case Study

Proterra Properties

Proterra Properties Logo

Categories

  • Finance & Accountancy
  • Real Estate Investment & Funds

Proterra Properties had the growth trajectory. What they needed was the financial leadership to match.

We explore how a targeted CFO search and an ongoing recruitment partnership has helped the firm scale with confidence across its Colorado portfolio.

Proterra Properties is a locally owned and operated real estate firm that has served the Colorado market since 2013. Based in Monument, CO, the business spans investment, land and project development, and property management, with a cumulative project value of $180 million across 20 completed developments. This includes residential projects such as Winsome and commercial work like Interquest Commons. The firm has grown significantly in recent years, expanding its assets under management by 50% to approximately $145 million.

The Challenge

Proterra’s operational structure is sophisticated by design. The business spans approximately 25 entities and manages up to 40 bank accounts, a level of complexity that has historically caused candidates to struggle before they’d found their footing. Investor reporting was a separate pressure point; leadership described their existing approach as a failing grade, with manual Excel processes no longer adequate for a business of this scale.

What they needed was a finance leader who could implement a best-in-class reporting system, while also managing a pipeline of major industrial developments in Colorado Springs valued at $80 to $100 million.

Finding someone with both the implementor’s mindset and the commercial instinct to negotiate complex financing structures is a difficult profile to place. In a limited local talent market, it required a genuinely targeted approach.

The Brief

Macdonald & Company, led by Senior Principal Alan Joesbury, was engaged to identify a CFO-level hire to succeed a retiring partner and provide mentorship to the internal accounting team. The role required over a decade of real estate experience spanning rental income, land development, and industrial assets, alongside deep technical knowledge of 1031 exchanges, metro districts, and bond issuances.

The financial rigour to rebuild investor reporting to a professional standard and the banking acumen to negotiate on Proterra’s terms were equally important parts of the brief.

Execution

Alan invested time in understanding Proterra’s operating environment, culture, and the specific profile that would perform well within it before building the candidate slate. The result was a resume-to-first-interview ratio of 1.6 : 1, with nearly every candidate presented considered a credible contender.

Proterra’s leadership were able to move through the process with confidence, spending their time with the right people throughout.

"We’ve partnered with Alan Joesbury and Macdonald & Company on a number of hires over the past few years at Proterra Properties, and he has consistently delivered strong results.

Alan has taken the time to truly understand our platform and culture, which comes through in the candidates he presents. Each search has been well targeted, with individuals who not only meet the technical requirements but also align with how we operate as a business. He also brings a strong understanding of the market, providing practical guidance on compensation and helping us stay competitive when structuring offers.

He has helped us navigate challenging situations, particularly given the limited talent pool in our market. His ability to access and engage the right candidates has been especially valuable.

Overall, the process is always efficient, the candidate quality is high, and we’ve been able to make hires with confidence. We would recommend Alan and Macdonald & Company to any firm looking to grow their real estate business.”

Andrew Biggs, CEO

The Partnership in Numbers

1.6 : 1

resumes-to-first interviews

4 : 1

first interviews-to-offer

Outcome

The search secured a CFO with direct experience of scaling firms from Proterra’s current position through to their long term AUM goals, technically rigorous, commercially sharp, and well suited to the firm’s deliberate, high growth culture. The relationship has continued well beyond that initial placement.

Roles placed include:

  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Controller
  • Financial Analyst
  • Property Accountant
  • Job Cost Accountant

An Ongoing Partnership

What began as a single search has developed into an ongoing working relationship. In addition to sourcing candidates, the team has provided practical guidance on compensation and market positioning, helping Proterra stay competitive in a talent market where the right people are not easy to find.

For a firm that takes a measured, methodical approach to growth, having a recruitment partner who understands both the technical requirements and the cultural fit has made a tangible difference.

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