Profile

As a vertically integrated real estate platform, Ascendant is led by a managing partnership comprised of CEO Russell Gimelstob, Co-President & CIO Alex Halpern, and Co-President & COO Eric Calder, which has collectively acquired and developed more than $20 billion of real estate assets. Founded on the basis of creating a more investor-friendly and specialized format of real estate investing, the firm has built a team of sector-level specialists across its three operating verticals, and relies on continuous, cross-pollenating dialogue with its limited partners.

Russell Gimelstob
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Prior to founding Ascendant Capital Partners, Russell Gimelstob was Head of Acquisitions, Partner, Managing Director and Member of the Investment Committee of Dune Real Estate Partners, a manager of real estate private equity funds. Russell previously represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust.

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Alex Halpern
Co-Founder, Co-President, and Chief Investment Officer

Alex Halpern is responsible for the oversight of Ascendant's investment activities, as well as the day-to-day management of the platform's hospitality, and select residential investments. Alex represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust, is an active board member of Sentral, and is a board observer of DC Blox.

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Eric Calder
Partner, Co-President, and Chief Operating Officer

Prior to joining Ascendant Capital Partners, Eric Calder was the Co-Chief Investment Officer of Dune Real Estate Partners, a New York City-based real estate investment firm. At Dune, he was a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and led over $6 billion in transactions across the residential, retail, industrial, office and hospitality sectors.

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Ascendant has put together a world-class team of diverse individuals, each with an impressive background and knowledge base. Through close collaboration, we are able to continue to expand our services into new markets and locations across the globe.

Jason Goldberg

Chief Financial Officer

Lara Kiefer

Vice President

Zach Gallin

Chief of Staff, Investor Relations

Dajana Cvijanovic

Executive Assistant

Colby Cyburt
Vice President

Colby Cyburt joined Ascendant Capital Partners soon after the Firm’s founding and currently serves as a Vice President. Mr. Cyburt is responsible for underwriting the Firm’s acquisition activities, as well as assisting in the asset management of existing investments.

Prior to joining Ascendant Capital Partners, Mr. Cyburt worked as an Associate at Eastdil Secured, a real estate investment banking firm.

Mr. Cyburt joined Eastdil Secured in 2016 and worked in the Company’s Santa Monica headquarters. While at Eastdil Secured, he was actively involved in the underwriting and investment sale processes, with closed transactions in excess of $60 billion of total sales volume comprised of over 620 million square feet of real estate. These transactions included various asset classes including industrial, office, retail, hospitality, and multifamily investments across North American and European countries. Most notably, Mr. Cyburt was actively involved in the sale of Global Logistics Properties, Gramercy Property Trust, and Colony Industrial, among a series of other large-scale industrial portfolios.

Prior to joining Eastdil Secured, Mr. Cyburt was awarded an athletic scholarship at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he received a B.A. and graduated with academic honors. Mr. Cyburt was a four-year scholar athlete on one of the highest ranking division one collegiate football teams in the United States. During his college career, Mr. Cyburt’s experiences included internships at Oppenheimer & Co. Private Wealth Management Group and the real estate private equity firm of Laurus Corporation.