GABE JOHANSEN

PRESIDENT

Gabe Johansen is President of the SMI Family of Companies, one of the largest real estate companies in Oregon. Gabe is considered an authority on real estate brokerage, apartment investments, creative financing structures, syndications and repositioning underperforming multifamily assets.

SMI Real Estate is a full-service brokerage consisting of 50+ brokers focusing on residential, commercial, multifamily, and business transactions.

SMI Property Management is the Willamette Valley’s largest privately held professional property management company managing approximately 5,400 residential apartment units and several local commercial buildings.

Through the SMI Fund Management company, Gabe and his partners are pioneers in the 721 exchange space and manage a growing fund for investors who may choose to invest capital or contribute their real estate holdings into the SMI Legacy Fund.

Gabe also owns a large portfolio of multifamily real estate valued at over $150MM and totaling over 1,000 residential units. Through the combination of investment sophistication and brokerage acumen, he is considered among his peers and industry professionals as a multifamily expert.

Gabe is the co-host of Deal Junkies, a real estate podcast focused on educating and inspiring new and seasoned investors to help them grow their real estate portfolios.

SMI Real Estate is the Willamette Valley’s #1 brokerage in Multifamily sales, and conducts the area’s most comprehensive rent and vacancy survey, the SMI Apartment Update which is published every summer and winter and includes data gathered from nearly 15,000 units in four counties and is widely used by industry professionals, often being referenced in appraisal reports.

LOGAN DEVOS

CEO

Logan deVos entered the real estate industry as a practicing real estate broker in 2007, shortly before he could legally purchase an alcoholic beverage.

He immediately began participating in the market, accumulating a commercial real estate portfolio one asset at a time. Today, Logan’s private real estate holding company owns a controlling interest in an approximately $81 million dollar portfolio, diversified in multifamily, office, retail, self-storage, and developable dirt. Logan’s portfolio is exclusively located in Oregon, up and down the I‑5 corridor; sticking to the mantra of; “If you can’t drive by, don’t buy.”

Logan credits the expedient growth of his portfolio to a focus on acquiring underperforming assets, in which through a well defined business plan, may be repositioned to accelerate net operating income and corresponding valuation. Additionally, Logan has developed several metrics to assist in the decision making process of when to reposition an existing asset in pursuit of greater economic benefits, providing a level of clarity through the buy/sell decision making process.

Logan subsequently retired his real estate license in 2021 in order to isolate his perceptions exclusively through the lens of a real estate investor. His career as a real estate broker, as well as overseeing and managing a portfolio of roughly 400 apartment units for unrelated owners, provided valuable insight on the brokerage and property management industry which has allowed for a more cohesive relationship with those industry participants that Logan now considers Trade Partners.

Having developed his base of knowledge and investment philosophy through the time of the Great Recession greatly influenced Logan’s investment methodologies, and led to the creation of a framework of checks and balances to facilitate the pursuit of reward while also mitigating risk while participating in a capitalist economy. Logan’s favorite quote came from one of his most respected advisors; “He is no fool who gives up what he can not keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

GARRY SCHNELL

COO  |  GENERAL COUNSEL

Garry Schnell has been a practicing business, transactional and tax attorney since 1994, is licensed to practice in Oregon, Washington and California and is a native of Portland, Oregon. 

His diverse background and practical approach to business and tax issues is very unique. After attending Gonzaga University School of Law and subsequently receiving his LLM in Taxation from the University of Washington, Garry worked at two of the big four accounting firms, Deloitte & Touché and Ernst and Young, where he gained a detailed understanding of not only the tax laws but of the day-to-day application of those laws in a real world accounting setting.

Garry has also worked at a top 10 international law firm, Sidley Austin, practicing in the areas of securities and transactions in Silicon Valley. There he performed work on matters for large clients like Intel and Google.

Since returning to Portland, Garry has worked for some of the largest law firms in the city and served as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for the Yoshida Group of companies. As the COO of a large private company, Garry gained significant experience not only overseeing the company’s legal matters, but in executing its business plans and goals.

Garry brings breadth of experience as a business owner, practicing lawyer, and executive to the Fund.

ADAM ABPLANALP

CFO  |  CPA

 

Adam Abplanalp leads Cobalt, P.C., one of the only Pacific Northwest public accounting firms that focuses exclusively on real estate owners, investors, property managers, brokers, and developers. He’s also a leading expert on Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii state and local tax law, planning, and compliance.

Adam started Cobalt, P.C. in 2015, after a career in risk management, internal audit, and fraud risk monitoring and prevention for the largest bank in the Pacific Northwest. Since starting the firm in 2015, Adam has grown the firm from one to around fifteen professionals, who focus exclusively on serving real estate-related businesses and individuals with best-in-class accounting, tax, and business advisory services.

In addition to being a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and New York, Adam is also a Chartered Professional Accountant in British Columbia, Canada, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and holds real estate licenses as an Oregon Principal Broker (License No. 201235744) and Washington Managing Broker (License No. 26382).

Adam is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, the Oregon Society of CPAs (OSCPA), and the Hawaii Society of CPAs. He serves on the Board of Directors of the OSCPA and is a past Chair of the OSCPA Taxation Strategic Committee. Since 2019, Adam has served as a member of the City of Portland’s Revenue Division Appeals Board, and he also serves on the Oregon Board of Accountancy’s Complaints Committee. Adam is a frequent speaker on state and local tax issues, and is often asked to consult with the Oregon Legislative Assembly, Oregon Department of Revenue, Metro, and the City of Portland on the implementation and administration of state and local tax programs.

ERIC SWANSON

VICE PRESIDENT

 

Eric Swanson brings a comprehensive blend of experience to the real estate landscape, accumulating over a decade of expertise in real estate investment and residential/commercial construction. For the past five years, he has been a licensed real estate broker with SMI Real Estate, consistently ranking among their top producers.

His journey into real estate began with the purchase of a single duplex. Eric’s construction background became a pivotal advantage, especially during the initial stages of property ownership. Eric quickly mastered the BRRR (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance) strategy, often using hard money loans or other creative finance structures to close deals. As he developed his investment strategies, Eric quickly realized the scalability of applying BRRR strategies to larger complexes.

Transitioning into a Broker role, Eric honed his skills in growing and refining real estate portfolios. He had an exceptional knack for helping clients pinpoint their underperforming properties and exchanging them for ones with greater potential. His proficiency in forward and reverse like-kind tax exchanges simplified intricate multi-property deals. This strategy consistently boosted portfolio and equity growth, resulting in improved cashflow and the efficiencies of owning larger-scale properties, including better leverage, stronger negotiating power with vendors, and overall streamlined management. Eric’s insight and approach has resulted in him growing a substantial portfolio, predominantly rooted in apartments, also enriched with office space, retail, industrial, and self-storage.

Eric’s commitment to value creation, combined with his track record, has consistently generated exceptional returns for both himself, and his clients. His grasp of the value-add process, coupled with his experience with multiple financing strategies, makes him an indispensable asset to any real estate team.

JULIAN OROZCO

ASSET MANAGER

 

Julian Orozco is a distinguished Real Estate Asset Manager with a decade of expertise in the vibrant real estate landscape of Oregon. His impressive career has been defined by a comprehensive understanding of multifamily properties, property management, and portfolio management. 

Julian’s journey in the real estate industry commenced a decade ago, and from the outset, he exhibited a natural aptitude for navigating the complex world of multifamily properties. With a keen eye for identifying valuable investment opportunities, Julian has successfully managed and maximized the performance of multifamily assets across the region. His deep understanding of Oregon’s real estate market trends has consistently positioned him as a sought-after expert in the field.

One of Julian’s standout attributes is his adeptness in property management. Over the years, he has honed his skills in ensuring the seamless operation and maintenance of properties, optimizing tenant relations, and implementing effective cost-control strategies. This has not only resulted in increased property values but also in high tenant satisfaction, a testament to Julian’s dedication to providing quality living spaces.

In the realm of portfolio management, Julian excels in balancing the intricate dynamics of multiple properties, ensuring that investors’ interests are safeguarded, and returns are maximized. His strategic approach to diversifying and maintaining portfolios has proven instrumental in achieving sustained growth and financial success for his clients.

What truly sets Julian apart is his commitment to his clients. He takes the time to understand each client’s unique goals and aspirations, working diligently to tailor strategies that align perfectly with these objectives. His strong communication and negotiation skills have built lasting relationships with property owners and investors, underlining his role as a trusted partner.

With a decade of remarkable achievements and a reputation for unwavering professionalism, Julian stands as a trusted figure in Oregon’s real estate industry. Julian is a testament to what it means to be an Asset Manager, combining a deep knowledge of the industry with a genuine passion for excellence.