CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR
English
The One Who Keeps Everyone in the Loop
AJ, who joined SearchLight in February of 2025, is our resident communicator. On any given day, you can find him speaking with tenants, owners, and vendors, updating them on projects, repairs, and rentals. His favorite aspect of his job is finding the right properties for tenants. “I really enjoy matching people with their new, perfect homes,” he says. Before joining SearchLight, AJ worked as a headhunter for a senior bank officer. This work required extensive research, calls, and documentation – ideal experience for real estate. Equally relevant were his studies in construction management and business at Allen Hancock College in Santa Maria. A native of Santa Barbara, AJ grew up in a family with a thriving restaurant business. By helping out, he honed his skills in customer service, which his SearchLight clients appreciate. “Professionalism is important to me,” he notes. Outside of the office, AJ spends time at the gym, weightlifting and practicing calisthenics. His other hobbies are listening to music (70s, 80s, 90s, and Latin genres are his favorites), visiting the beach, or hanging out with his family, which includes his SearchLight colleague Joe Alvaro, also known as AJ’s father.
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
English
The One Who Solves Every Problem
As SearchLight’s business relationship manager, Joe oversees property inspections, repairs, and project management. Our clients know that if a problem arises at a property, Joe will make sure that it’s taken care of quickly and professionally. He’s always on his toes, ready to handle every unexpected issue, but he enjoys these sorts of challenges. “I love helping people,” he says. Before joining SearchLight in March of 2025, Joe worked as a realtor for 20 years, in addition to managing a commercial and residential cleaning company. Such experience prepared him well for his present role. Born and bred in Santa Barbara, Joe now lives in Santa Maria with his wife, daughter, and two sons, one of whom (AJ) works at SearchLight. Completing the family is Casper, a rat terrier with an outsize personality who is effectively the “youngest child,” according to Joe. Joe’s wife also grew up in Santa Barbara, and the two started dating in high school. Recently, they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, and 40 years of dating. One of the secrets of their romantic longevity is a strict division of labor: Joe loves to cook, and his wife hates to cook. That’s a recipe for success!
DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE
English
The One Who Makes Things Work
Hank leads SearchLight’s maintenance division, which we established in 2022. He vets and engages contractors and makes sure that they are well-qualified for the job. A hands-on manager, Hank spends much of his time working on-site at our clients’ properties, which include multifamily buildings, commercial facilities, and single-family homes. On these visits he assesses maintenance needs and schedules repairs, ensuring that they are completed quickly, effectively, on budget, and with minimum disruption to tenants or residents. Before joining SearchLight, Hank served as an operations and maintenance manager at Sunrise Growers in Santa Maria. His previous positions include plant engineer and maintenance manager for other prominent companies in both California and Tennessee. At one of them -- Knott’s Berry Farm Foods -- he met Michelle Shipman, who just so happens to be our founder and principal broker. A fruitful experience indeed! Born and raised in Tennessee, Hank earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Memphis State. He still visits the state frequently to hunt and fish – hobbies that he also pursues in Colorado and California. Like Michelle, he’s a dog lover who spends time with the Shipmans’ two labs -- Cocoa (AKA SearchLight’s director of leashing) and Blossom.
DIRECTOR OF LEASHING