Michael Escalante has been the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Trustee of Peakstone Realty Trust since it was created in 2019 due to the merger of Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT, Inc. and Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT II, Inc (the “GCEAR REITs”). Michael was part of the executive team responsible for founding each of the GCEAR REITs.
Michael has been a thought leader and prominent player in North American institutional real estate since 1987. From 2006 to 2018, he served as the Chief Investment Officer of Griffin Capital Company, LLC (“GCC”). Prior to joining GCC in 2006, Michael founded Escalante Property Ventures, LLC, a real estate investment management firm; held various positions, including Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management and Capital Transactions, at Trizec Properties, Inc., previously one of the largest publicly traded office REITs; and held various positions in acquisitions, asset management, and portfolio management at the Yarmouth Group, an international real estate investment advisor.
Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Commerce, with an emphasis in Finance and Accounting, from Santa Clara University and Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and has been active in many charitable and civic organizations.
