Executive Team

CEO: Mark T. Torok

Mark Torok Mark T. Torok is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. (formerly Hartman Short Term Income Properties XX, Inc. “Hartman”) He was appointed to the role in October 2022 following the transition of the company’s founder, Al Hartman.

Mark brings with him over 30 years of regulatory, compliance, securities, and real estate experience to the position. He began his career with regulatory stints as an administrative law judge at the Oregon and Pennsylvania insurance departments. He held positions at Erie Indemnity Company (where he was instrumental in their listing on the NASDAQ national securities exchange in 1995), USAA (where he was director of regulatory compliance), and Argonaut Insurance Group (where he was Chief Compliance Officer)

Having joined us as a securities attorney in June 2015, he became General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in 2016 and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2020. Mark has also worked in private practice focused on real estate, securities, and business law. A frequent lecturer to diverse audiences on real estate and asset protection, he has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox affiliates as a “New Master of Real Estate.” He is a co-author of the Amazon best-seller, Protect and Defend (Your Business, Family and Wealth) (Celebrity Press, 2012).

Mark holds a BA in Economics from Gettysburg College, a Juris Doctor degree from Willamette University College of Law, and FINRA series 7, 24, and 63 securities licenses.

CFO: Louis T. Fox III

Louis T. Fox, III is our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. He has responsibility for financial reporting, accounting, treasury, and investor relations.

Prior to joining Silver Star Properties REIT (formerly Hartman Income REIT) in March, 2007, Lou served as Chief Financial Officer of Legacy Brands, a restaurant group from April 2006 until January 2007. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Unidynamics, Inc., a specialized EPC manufacturer of unique handling system solutions for the marine and energy industries from January 2004 until April 2006. He also served as Treasurer and CFO of Goodman Manufacturing, a major manufacturer of residential and commercial HVAC products for 9 years prior to that. In addition to his years of experience in the manufacturing industry, he has served in senior financial positions in the construction and debt collection service concerns. Lou is a former practicing certified public accountant.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He started his career as a tax accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co.

CIO: David Wheeler

David Wheeler is the Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice President for Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. He has over thirty-five years of experience in the acquisition, disposition, financing, and leasing of commercial real estate investments.

At the firm, David’s responsibilities include sourcing investment opportunities in self-storage, shopping centers, office buildings, and industrial properties, to closing, ownership transition, asset management, and disposition. He oversees the company’s capital markets activities, including acquisition, financing, and disposition programs. He sits on the company’s finance committee and oversees the firm’s leasing and marketing activities.

Prior to joining Silver Star Properties REIT (formerly Hartman Income REIT) in January 2003, David carried out a 16-year tenure with CBRE. At CBRE, he served as Vice President of the Investment Services Division where he successfully completed the sale of over nine million square feet throughout the South-Central U.S., including thirteen self-storage facilities. While at CBRE, David represented Storage Trust, now an entity of Public Storage, and its DFW expansion.

David’s educational background includes an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate from Southern Methodist University and a BS in Civil Engineering with an option in Construction Management from Texas A&M University.

CPO: Kimberly Strickland

Kimberly Strickland serves us as Chief People Officer.

Kimberly’s responsibilities include overseeing office services and human resources encompassing over 100 employees.

Kimberly joined our property management team in October 2011 as Director of Human Resources bringing over 20 years of experience.

Prior to joining our property management staff, Kimberly served as vice president of Millennium Professional Services, a recruiting and staffing firm specializing in real estate professionals. She began her career in real estate in 1988. Kimberly has extensive leadership experience in real estate management, budgets, and cost control.

General Counsel & Corporate Secretary: Michael Racusin

Michael Racusin serves as our General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Michael has more than 15 years of corporate legal experience and has a diverse background in legal and risk management, capital raising, and counseling on negotiations, contracts, and core business operations.

Before joining us, Michael held the position of General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Luby’s, Inc. (NYSE:LUB), a publicly traded restaurant and foodservice company. In his role, he led the legal and risk management departments, provided material management and support for acquisitions and divestitures, and counseled the Board of Directors. In addition, Michael co-founded the world’s first and leading crowdfunding platform for oil, gas, and energy investments at EnergyFunders, where he led the company to a successful exit in June 2020.

During Michael’s time at Luby’s, he supported the $63 million acquisition of Fuddruckers, the $11 million acquisition of the Cheeseburger in Paradise brand, debt financing that included an $80 million secured credit facility, and numerous real estate transactions.

Michael earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Houston Law Center. He is a Texas State Bar Member, holds his United States Federal Court license, and was awarded a Top 50 General Counsel award from The National Diversity Council.

SEVP of Asset Management & Construction: Dan Jones

Dan Jones has served as Senior Executive Vice President of Asset Management and Construction at Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. (formerly Hartman Income REIT) since 2018. Dan has over 25 years of diverse experience in construction, property management, financial analysis, and development in the commercial real estate industry. His priority is to deliver the best-in-class building and tenant improvements while featuring sustainable practices to reduce landfill waste and energy consumption.

Before joining us, Dan worked for multiple top commercial real estate leaders and Fortune 500 corporations. In his previous roles at Hines, PM Realty Group, Chevron, Stewart & Stevenson, and CenterPoint Energy, he served as a portfolio manager of office, retail, and industrial space, managing more than 7.5 million square feet.

While at PM Realty Group, Dan directed over 100 employees and provided services across the property management, building engineering, training, and quality control departments. Dan also held an integral role on the development team for a new 18-story, 385,000SF, Class A+ office building in the Greenway submarket in Houston, TX. The project was completed in 2015 and was the first new office building in the submarket in almost 30 years.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University and has been a contributing member of The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) since 1992. He also enjoys volunteering at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and playing golf in his spare time.