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Expertise

Development Skills

David M. Semas brings together the uncommon skillsets that address ALL aspects of real estate. As a former county planning commissioner, he also sat across the table in the governmental approval process. His background includes:​
 

  • Master planning

  • Entitlements

  • Acquisition

  • Construction lending

  • Mortgage banking and finance

  • Syndication

  • REO disposition

  • Asset management

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Management Expertise

As a senior executive, as well as CEO of his own companies, Semas has dealt with the full range of executive functions in the real estate process:

  • Real estate management

  • Real estate financing

  • Mortgage brokerage

  • Construction lending

  • Mortgage-backed securities

  • Corporate and real estate law

  • Real estate syndication​ & joint ventures

Marketing Skills

As his record demonstrates, Semas believes in driving growth and success at each stage in the real estate process from conception, development and implementation, to financing and continuing ownership and operations. He believes in innovative marketing ideas and administration in performance improvement that works. Among his skills and expertise are:
 

  • Hotel and resort management

  • Marketing strategies

  • Corporate branding

  • Contract negotiation

  • Marketing communications

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Product Types

Each type of project has unique and specific requirements. To be an effective executive in the broad range of property types, one must have experience with each – David Semas does:

  • High-Rise Office

  • Suburban Office

  • Retail/Shopping Center

  • Industrial/R&D

  • Multi-family

  • Residential tract

  • Hotels including resort (garden and high-rise), and with special amenities such as: Golf, Spa, Tennis, Marina, Gaming​

Key Personal Traits

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Highly Creative

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Forward Thinking

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People Oriented

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Results Focused

Career Accomplishments

  • Capitalized on diversified industry expertise in administering all phases of private equity investment in institutional grade real estate.
     

  • Responsible for construction lending and real estate owned (REO) departments for Shearson/American Express Development Group.
     

  • Managed and coordinated the overall operations of various resort hotel properties and golf coursess, including the 640-acre, 500-room Canyon Hotel Golf and Tennis Resort, famous among Hollywood celebrities and the Las Casitas Resort in Avalon, Catalina Island.
     

  • Administered 72 real estate joint venture developments located throughout the United States with an asset value of more than $1 billion, including residential tracts, single-family detached homes, hillside estate developments, condominiums, apartment complexes, garden and high-rise office buildings, industrial buildings, shopping centers, hotels, golf resorts, historic restoration projects , boat marinas, and agricultural properties.

  • Directed the overall activities of San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley-based real estate development construction company.
     

  • Adopted innovative ideas in designing, master planning, zoning, and petitioning for land use entitlement from nine different municipalities for more than 1,000 acres of projects located throughout Santa Clara County, (Slicon Valley) California.
     

  • Conceptualized the master plan, design, and construction of garden office buildings, townhouse projects, custom homes, and land developments in the greater Santa Clara County area; including the Las Fuentas Office complex, Old Mission Center office building, Stonewood Estates, Berreyesa Hills, Madison Gardens, Pruneridge Center and the Tudor Village townhouse project.

Career Summary

Sierra Dorado, Inc. "Sierra Dorado Development", Irvine, Orange County, CA

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Institutional Capital Marketing & American Realty Advisors, Newport Beach, CA

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

SEM Development Company, Santa Clara, CA (Silicon Valley)

President and Chief Executive Officer 

Shearson/American Express Mortgage & Development Corporations, Newport Beach, CA

Executive Vice-President

Earlier Positions Held:

Oliver Rousseau, McKeon Construction, Duc & Elliot, and American Housing Guild, San Francisco Bay Area Carpenter, Foreman, Superintendent, Construction Manager, VP Operations, President/CEO 

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