Farbman Group in Farmington Hills has added six new team members to its family of organizations.
Spanning three states, the firm’s growth includes new additions in its home state, including Kristen Howton and Mike Freed, who join Farbman Group, as well as Doug Gurnee, who joins Apex Mechanical Solutions.
Beyond the Michigan, Farbman Group’s expansion continues through Charlie Portis, who joins the firm’s Chicago office, as well as Julio Velazquez and Peggy Dunfee, who will expand the firm’s presence in Cleveland.
“Our goal is to bring hardworking, customer-oriented professionals both to Farbman Group and across our family of organizations,” says Andrew V. Farbman, CEO of Farbman Group. “These individuals bring a diverse range of strengths and experience to their respective teams. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they make—not only within their teams, but across the communities they serve every day.”
Howton joins Farbman Group as a property manager. Bringing more than 27 years of real estate experience in the multi-family housing industry, Howton most recently served as a regional property manager overseeing multi-state property portfolios. She has a proven track record in operational excellence, financial performance, leasing strategies and team leadership.
Freed joins Farbman Group as a maintenance technician at Oakland Commons. Freed brings more than 15 years of facilities maintenance experience, with expertise in boilers, chillers, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and general building systems. He holds an EPA Universal certification, first class refrigeration operator certifications, and is a UAW Journeyman.
Gurnee joins Apex Mechanical Solutions, Farbman Group’s resident heating and cooling organization, as an HVAC technician. Gurnee brings extensive expertise in HVAC systems, mechanical contracting and field service to the firm. He is licensed as a Michigan mechanical contractor and holds an EPA universal certification.
Portis joins Farbman Group of Chicago as vice president. He brings 40 years of experience in office brokerage and development, including leasing and developing 650,000 square feet of speculative suburban office space across several Chicago suburbs.
Velazquez joins Farbman Group as a lead engineer for Cleveland East Properties. Velazquez has more than 25 years of experience in facilities and maintenance management, specializing in HVAC, electrical systems, plumbing, and general building maintenance. He most recently served as director of engineering, where he was responsible for the repair of mechanical and electrical systems, maintenance schedules and more.
Dunfee joins Farbman Group as a property manager for Cleveland East Properties. Dunfee brings more than 20 years of commercial property and project management experience. Throughout her career, she has excelled at leading teams, managing construction projects and ensuring properties operate efficiently and effectively.
