Meet the A.CRE Team

AdventuresinCRE.com (A.CRE) was started by Spencer Burton and Michael Belasco during their first year of graduate real estate studies at Cornell University. The site was initially meant to fill a need for readily available resources online related to real estate financial modeling and Masters in Real Estate programs. It also was a tool for the two to expand their knowledge, network, and improve their writing capabilities.

Over the years, the site has grown substantially and today (as of 2023) helps ~200,000 unique CRE visitors per month. A.CRE focuses on sharing quality content around four main areas our users care most about: 1) learning and using advanced concepts in real estate financial modeling, 2) gaining and enhancing skills used in commercial real estate via formal and informal education, 3) preparing for and advancing a career in commercial real estate together with a comprehensive job board with hundreds of CRE jobs, and 4) leveraging AI in commercial real estate.

In 2019, Michael and Spencer co-created the A.CRE real estate financial modeling Accelerator program. The Accelerator has since grown to become the most comprehensive real estate financial modeling training program of its kind. The rigorous program graduates dozens of individuals every month, many of whom go on to work at some of the top real estate firms in the world. The program also partners with over 50 top real estate companies and universities to train the next generation of CRE professionals.

SPENCER BURTON

Partner, Co-Contributor

Born and raised in the Northwest United States, Spencer Burton has over 20 years of residential and commercial real estate experience. Over his career, Spencer has helped close $5+ billion and underwrite $30+ billion of commercial real estate at some of the largest institutional real estate firms in the world. He is currently President and member of the founding team at Stablewood, a tech-focused real estate investment firm.

Spencer Burton holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with an emphasis in economics from Florida State University and a Masters in Real Estate with a concentration in finance from Cornell University.

You can contact Spencer on LinkedIn or by email. You might also visit Spencer Burton’s personal website.

MICHAEL BELASCO

Partner, Co-Contributor

Michael has spent a decade working in various capacities on more than $7BN worth of real estate opportunities. Michael was COO of an institutionally backed real estate operator, where he set up and oversaw the company’s operations and the closing and management of 27 properties. At Hines in San Francisco, Michael primarily worked on 2 high-rise mixed-use development projects totaling 2 million square feet.

Currently, Michael makes opportunistic and value add private investments in commercial real estate. Michael has both an MBA and Master in Real Estate with a concentration in Real Estate Finance from Cornell University.

You can contact Michael on LinkedIn or by email. You might also visit Michael Belasco’s personal website.

SAM CARLSON

Partner, Director of Strategy and Marketing

Sam Carlson has spent over 20 years in marketing, business development, and entrepreneurship. During his career, he has participated in several startup businesses, acquired and streamlined existing ones, and provided consulting to a wide spectrum of businesses. Sam joined the A.CRE team in 2018 with the launch of its flagship financial modeling program, the Accelerator. Since then he has taken on the role of Head of Marketing and Business Development.

To connect with and learn more about Sam, you can visit his LinkedIn Profile or email him directly.

KYLE HOLMBERG

Chief Operating Officer

Kyle Holmberg is the Chief Operating Officer at A.CRE. He first entered the industry in construction management with a residential builder then joined the US Navy and served as a linguist and signals analyst in a sub-surface direct support role. Prior to A.CRE, he was an Investment Associate for a $60 billion institutional real estate investor. He holds a BA from BYU and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

To connect with and learn more about Kyle, you can visit his LinkedIn Profile or email him directly.

Joe Prendergast

Co-Contributor, Director of Enterprise Partnerships

Joe has spent the last eight years in commercial real estate, raising capital for KBS Capital Markets Group and TwinRock Partners. Most recently he helped build the sales infrastructure at Bullpen, the workforce behind the CRE industry.

At A.CRE Joe is responsible for building relationships at institutional firms, top universities, and government agencies that want to educate their people with the Enterprise Accelerator program.

You can contact Joe on LinkedIn or by email.

LIZZIE BOYER

Content Manager

Lizzie is the Content Manager at A.CRE, and a student at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah majoring in English with a specialization in Professional and Technical Writing.

In addition, she’s working on receiving a BYU Language Certificate in Japanese.

In her free time, Lizzie enjoys painting and sculpting and taking care of her pet turtle.

You can contact Lizzie on LinkedIn or by email.

TUCKER WELLS

Co-Contributor

Tucker became the president of the Real Estate Club at Southern Methodist University, where he found a passion for helping his peers get jobs. He has spent the last five years recruiting and hiring professionals in Commercial Real Estate.

Tucker Wells holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate Finance from Southern Methodist University.

You can contact Tucker on LinkedIn or by email.

NELA NIKOLOVSKA

Graphic Designer

Nela is A.CRE‘s graphic designer. You’ll notice her work all over both the main site and the Accelerator. Originally from North Macedonia, she currently resides in Vienna, Austria, studying Higher Graphical Federal Education.
She loves all types of art and design, drawing, painting, and interior design. In her free time, she will often spend time with photography and exploring new places.

ARTURO PARADA

Financial Analyst

Arturo is a Financial Analyst at A.CRE. With a background as a Mechanical Engineer, he further honed his skills by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Industrial Maintenance. His experience spans over a decade as a university professor, and he has dedicated 3 years to the real estate domain, holding an instrumental role in administering the A.CRE Accelerator real estate financial modeling program and helping its members master complex modeling solutions. Arturo’s passion lies in building, improving, and analyzing real estate financial models. Arturo loves being with his family and climbing mountains in his free time.

You can contact Arturo from his LinkedIn page.

EMILIO TOVAR

Financial Analyst

Emilio is a Financial Analyst with A.CRE. He has a diverse background, with experience in import and export economics, blockchain, marketing, programming, and trading. He has built his career engaging in projects he is passionate about, which has led to his interest in commercial real estate and A.CRE.

As for his interests, in his own words, "My free time is for cooking. While learning more about food and its relationship with people, of course, it’s much more enjoyable when you put together the perfect playlist and good friends."

You can contact Emilio from his LinkedIn page.

ALEX LOPEZ

Product Manager & Operations Support Specialist

Alex fills many roles with A.CRE, chief among them as a Product Manager, Technical Support and Customer Service expert.

He is a System Engineer with great expertise in technical support and quality assurance. Alex is an upbeat team player, and loves working with technology.

To connect with and learn more about Alex, you can visit his LinkedIn Profile or email him directly.

LUIS E FERNÁNDEZ

UX/UI Designer

Luis is a UX/UI designer with a medical background. This gives him a unique perspective on user needs. His knowledge of human psychology and physiology helps him create designs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. In addition to his design skills, he has knowledge of front-end technologies, which allows him to create proposals that are technically feasible.

To learn more about his journey, you can check out his website.

Alesandro Kamcev

Video Editor

Alessandro is a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc), Audio and Video Technology. He has spent over 14 years working as professional video editor.
He has worked on several national TV stations in Europe. He is a licensed drone operator and loves to take drone photography in free time. You can contact Alessandro from his LinkedIn page.

EXEQUIEL CASTILLO

Video Editor

Exequiel is a talented video editor on the A.CRE team. Passionate on applying his creativity on creating videos that have an emotional impact on viewers. With a passion for storytelling, he skillfully crafts narratives that have the potential to positively impact viewers. Through his expertise, Exequiel creates engaging videos that leave a lasting impression. You can contact Exequiel from his LinkedIn page.