Catie Allison is the Senior Vice President, Accounting for Westar. She spent 8+ years in public accounting with firms such as Deloitte and Haskell & White, and after working on Westar’s engagement for several years, she was offered the lead position in their accounting department in 2022. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Accounting. Catie has been actively licensed to practice as a Certified Public Accountant since 2015.

Mike Wentworth joined Westar Management, Inc. in 2021 and serves as Senior Vice President of Property Management. In this role, he oversees property management operations, marketing, and security across the company’s portfolio. Prior to his current role, Mike served as Director of Operations at Westar. He previously spent 15 years with The Irvine Company, where he held multiple roles across the Retail and Office divisions, developing experience in large-scale asset management and operational leadership strategy. Mike graduated from California State University, Fullerton and is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

Marianne Emmerling is responsible for overseeing the management and lease administration of a portfolio consisting of 13 shopping centers with over 2 million square feet. Marianne joined Westar in 2001, as Property Manager, bringing with her vast real estate and property management experience having worked on the retail tenant side of the business with Krause’s Furniture and Denny’s Restaurants, as well as, shopping center management with GVD Commercial Properties. She attended Cerritos College and has her California Real Estate License.

Chris Walton oversees all aspects of leasing Westar’s two-million square foot portfolio. Prior to joining Westar, Chris focused primarily on anchor, junior anchor and pad leasing for Newmark Knight & Frank. Since January 2010, Walton has completed more than 600 lease transactions with a combined total consideration of approximately $300 million. He graduated with a Business Management degree from San Diego State University where he was the captain of the men’s basketball team. He is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and has been acknowledged for several professional achievements in the shopping center industry.

Zach LeLevier-Joseph has been with Westar since 2016. He is involved with the development and construction of new projects, and is responsible for the management of Westar’s Central Coast properties. Prior to joining Westar, Zach worked as a Civil Engineer for a private firm in Santa Barbara, and as a Project Manager for a General Contractor in Goleta, where he played an integral role in the construction of the Hollister Village mixed-use community. After growing up in Alaska, Zach graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Civil Engineering, and is a licensed California Professional Engineer.

Michael Hulme joined Westar in 2026 as Vice President of Asset Management. Michael has seven years of experience in commercial real estate lending, leasing, and sales, having previously worked for California Bank & Trust and IS Luxury Real Estate. He is a native of Southern California and graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Bob Byrd joined Westar in 2023 to lend his skills as the Director of Operations. He is responsible for overseeing all operations, tenant coordination, and landscaping for Westar’s Southern California commercial retail portfolio. Bob received an HVAC certification from Orange Coast College and has a robust background in construction and extensive electrical knowledge. Prior to joining Westar, Bob spent 12 years working with and for the Irvine Company Retail Properties division. There he held the roll of Operations Manager for The Market Place Shopping Center, one of the company’s three Regional Centers.

Joe McCabe is involved with the operation and renovation of the Westar centers throughout Southern California. He has been involved in high end retail stores for the past 20 years in the Los Angeles area, primarily pertaining to the facilities maintenance and new system implementation in various flagship stores. He graduated from Los Angeles Valley College with an Associates of Science Degree. He is an active member of ICSC, as well as a member of IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management).

Morgan Curtis is the Marketing Manager at Westar Associates, supporting all marketing efforts across the portfolio. She joined Westar in January 2023 and brings expertise in digital marketing, social media strategy, and design. She helps implement effective marketing and public relations strategies that drive increased traffic and sales for the merchants of Westar’s properties. Morgan earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is an active member of ICSC.

Ben McCarthy joined Westar in August 2020 to drive all aspects of technology initiatives. Ben attended Kalamazoo Technical College in England before moving to the United States. He comes with over 20 years’ experience in the IT and Managed IT industries, and has attained numerous certifications, including from Microsoft, Citrix, and CompTIA.

Lauren joined Westar in 2020. As Executive Assistant, she coordinates schedules and provides administrative support to the partners at Westar. Prior to becoming Executive Assistant, Lauren worked with the Property Management department as their Property Coordinator, assisting with various aspects of lease administration.