Optimus believes in helping others and has a special interest in locally based not-for-profits that serve to help the City of Los Angeles. Here are some of the charities that the principals of Optimus have supported in the past, either through a charitable donation, through the giving of time or a combination of both. Optimus is always looking for new charities to help support.
Matt RothmanDirector of Capital Markets
Matt Rothman has been with Optimus Properties since 2014 and brings over 25 years of real estate finance, valuation, acquisition and disposition experience, His responsibilities include investor relations, arranging loans on the company’s assets, acquisitions and due diligence. He also maintains several proprietary databases.
Prior to working at Optimus Properties, some of Matt’s roles have included leasing and sales at a boutique commercial real estate brokerage, flipping houses in Los Angeles, and opening the west coast office of Commercial Defeasance, the industry leader in CMBS loan defeasance, as their vice president of sales. Matt is a native of Southern California and graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Matt has several years of commercial real estate experience in the valuation, acquisition and disposition of numerous property types. He structures the company’s transactions, assists with arranging the financing of the company’s investment opportunities, as well as oversees property due diligence. His participation in acquisitions of value-add multifamily and commercial projects have led to substantial returns for Optimus’ investors. To date, Matt has been involved in 34 multifamily and 20 commercial real estate transactions totaling $235 million of transaction value, consisting of 1.34 million square feet of commercial square footage and 835 apartment units.
Prior to working at Optimus Properties, some of Matt’s roles have included leasing and sales at a boutique commercial real estate brokerage, flipping houses in Los Angeles, and opening the west coast office of Commercial Defeasance, the industry leader in CMBS loan defeasance, as their vice president of sales.
Matt is a native of Southern California and graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Kamyar ShabaniPrincipal/Co-Founder
Kamyar Shabani is a Principal and Co-Founder of Optimus Properties, LLC, an opportunistic real estate investment firm focusing on the acquisition and redevelopment of commercial, retail, office, medical office and multi-family assets. Kamyar oversees all aspects of the Company including acquisitions, dispositions, investor and lender relations, and general investment strategy planning. Prior to entering the real estate market full time, Kamyar practiced at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in their Los Angeles, New York and Century City offices. Kamyar’s ability to combine his legal experience along with his real estate knowledge, has given Optimus a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Kamyar currently serves as the Chair of the Real Estate & Construction Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Kamyar also serves on the Board of Directors for the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; the Campaign Cabinet and the Finance & Administration Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; the Board of Advisors of 30 Years After; and the Los Angeles Leadership Council for Birthright Israel Foundation, all of which are non-partisan, registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Kamyar is also a member of the Real Estate Alumni Group (REAG) of the University of California, Los Angeles and has served as a mentor to participating students through REAG.
Kamyar possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Kamyar received a degree of Juris Doctorate from Columbia University School of Law where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He is licensed by the State of California as an Attorney-at-Law.
Jerome MickelsonExecutive Vice President
Since joining Optimus Properties in 2012, Jerome has been integral in growing the company from a team of 5 to 30+ employees, has overseen the acquisition of over 1,000 units, renovation of approximately 425 residential units and 1.38 million square feet of commercial space. Jerome’s creative thinking has helped to streamline operational efficiency within the company through the structuring of human resources and integration of technology systems.
Prior to him joining the team, Jerome worked in property management for Community Preservation and Development Corporation, a large developer of affordable housing in Washington, DC. Jerome’s intimate knowledge of property operations, from leasing file audits and review to approval of all operational expenses and improvements, allows for thorough supervision of the properties and their financials.
Jerome’s accounting and financial background, attention to detail and eye for design are the perfect combination for his position managing the redevelopment and operations of the Optimus real estate portfolio. Jerome’s input is crucial in Optimus’ decision-making process for acquisitions, development and dispositions.
Jerome graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the District of Columbia and holds a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is a California Certified Residential Manager (CCRM).
K. Joseph ShabaniPrincipal/Co-Founder
Along with his brother, K. Joseph Shabani, co-founder and principal of Optimus Properties, LLC (“Optimus”), oversees all aspects of diligence, legal, and property analysis for Optimus Properties’ commercial and development acquisitions. Before founding Optimus Properties in 2007, Joseph worked as an attorney focusing solely on real estate matters and was a principal for the family real estate business, with deal sizes ranging from 4,000 to 200,000 square feet.
Joseph’s experience stretches nearly 35 years in the business, offering the Company unparalleled insight into market conditions and development in Southern California. Since co-founding Optimus in 2007, he has helped direct the acquisition and disposition of over 70 commercial and multifamily properties, consisting of over 1,000 units and 1 million commercial square feet.
As a company co-leader, Joseph values the internal and external relationships, reputation, and employees as keys to the company’s growth and success. Joseph is a recognized industry expert for his ability to understand the entire deal from leasing to disposition.
