Four-year immersive program prepares professionals to open and oversee new regional offices throughout the country

BALTIMORE, MD – St. John Properties, Inc., a Baltimore-based commercial real estate development and management company, has selected Matthew Destino as the newest professional in its signature Partner-in-Training Program. The four-year program prepares professionals to open and oversee operations of a new regional office throughout the United States by providing education and experience in six distinct commercial real estate disciplines: legal and acquisitions, development, construction, leasing, tenant improvements, and property management. Destino joined the company in 2021 as a Development Manager in the Southern Maryland market. 

Twelve professionals have completed St. John Properties’ Partner-in-Training Program since its inception, and three are presently active in the program. Last year the company opened new regional offices in Dallas, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee overseen by Partner-in-Training graduates (now Regional Partners) Raphael Alterman and Jonas Asner, respectively. In 2023, Partner-in-Training professionals Alaina Kiewit and Michael Sacks were named Regional Partners and opened new offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tampa, Florida.  

St. John Properties, which has developed and manages more than 24 million square feet of commercial space across 12 states, has a stated goal to expand its commercial real estate portfolio to more than 40 million square feet, with organic growth generated by the opening of new regional offices across the country. The company’s Partner-in-Training initiative began in 1983.

“Our established Partner-in-Training Program is intensive and immersive, with trainees learning best-in-practice protocols, and spending time with highly experienced St. John Properties professionals,” stated Sean Doordan, Senior Executive Vice President of Acquisitions and Growth for St. John Properties. “Matt has proven to be an ideal Partner-in-Training candidate and was chosen based on his continued desire to grow, in-depth commercial development knowledge and experience, and proven success within the company.”

“When opening a new office, regional partners lead all aspects of the business and are fully immersed within their respective market, while also receiving support from our in-house professionals at our Baltimore headquarters,” Doordan added. “St. John Properties’ best-in-class service and signature flex/R&D product have been successfully integrated across every market we have entered, reinforcing our commitment to a deliberate and sustained national expansion.”

Destino has 19 years of real estate development and engineering experience, and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Founded in 1971, St. John Properties, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest and most successful privately held commercial real estate firms. The company is distinguished by its commitment to customer service, achievements in green building, and top-rated workplace culture. Throughout St. John Properties’ 54-year history, the company has developed more than 24 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail, and warehouse space and has investments in over 3,000 residential units. The company proudly serves more than 2,600 clients in Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin. For more information about the company, visit www.sjpi.com.