Leadership

Nicholas Hodge

CEO, Fund Manager and Principal

Mr. Hodge is the CEO and Fund Manager for Essential Growth Properties. He has been in commercial real estate for 25 years, including 20 years with The Kroger Co. where he most recently served as Vice President, Corporate Real Estate (Head of Real Estate), covering nearly 3,000 retail, industrial & manufacturing assets. In addition to deploying over $2 Billion per year in brick & mortar capital for Kroger and serving on their Capital Committee, he also had direct P&L responsibility for 200 company owned shopping centers. Nick is on the Board of Trustees for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District Board and serves on the Financial Committee for the Downtown Cincinnati Development Corporation (3CDC). He holds both a BA from Washington & Lee University and an MBA in Finance from The Ohio State University.

Richard Webb

Principal

Mr. Webb has been a licensed broker since 1982 and has spent four decades mastering the lifecycle of commercial assets. From high-stakes portfolio management for national brands like Safeway to his current role leading leasing and due diligence at 1045 Real Estate, Richard combines “big picture” financial strategy with meticulous operational oversight. Richard is a proud Texas Tech Alumnus.

Matt Price

CPA and Principal

Mr. Price has been working in the commercial real estate industry since 1997. Prior to forming 1045 Real Estate and Essential Growth Properties, he worked as the CFO for Emersons Commercial Management, overseeing both the financial and operational aspects of the company. He is professionally trained as a Certified Public Accountant and has experience with all facets of commercial real estate transactions. His strengths include business development, financial aspects of CRE and real estate management. He holds both Bachelor and Master’s degrees in accounting from the University of North Texas.

Michael Margiotta

Principal

Mr. Margiotta has been in commercial real estate for close to 30 years. Prior to forming 1045 Real Estate and Essential Growth Properties, he worked as the Senior Director of Management for Priority Properties, where he managed both finance and operations and led the Kroger account covering 1,400 leased locations and 200 owned shopping centers. He currently sits as Chairman of the Board for the Legal Board and Holding Company of 1st Advantage Bank. His strengths include business development, implementations of new technologies and financial acumen. He holds both a BA and MBA from University of Tulsa.

Ashley Meyer

VP of Asset Management

In her role as VP of Asset Management, Ashley uses her expertise to manage the overall portfolio to maximize cash flows through technical, operation, and financial management of the assets. Ashley gained 15 years of experience commercial real estate focused on financial portfolio management in roles working for Heitman, Phillips Edison & Company and Neyer Properties before joining Essential Growth Properties. Ashley holds a BS in Accounting with minors in Entrepreneurship and Decision Sciences from Miami University.

Joe Wight

VP of Property Management

Joe Wight is the VP of Property Management for Essential Growth Properties. He has over 30 years of experience in property management, most recently serving as the Vice President of Property Management Midwest at Brixmor for 10 years. Joe received his BBA from Lake Superior State University and has his CSM certification from ICSC.