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.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
English
The One Whose Role is Key – and Keys
Miles handles every aspect of leasing and property management at SearchLight, making sure that our clients and their tenants enjoy excellent service. He loves the variety of his responsibilities: As he explains, every day is different, unpredictable, and exciting. Variety also characterizes Miles’s previous roles. He’s been working since the age of 18, when he joined the staff at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. There he started in the laundry room, became a bellhop, and eventually moved to the reservations desk. When COVID hit, he traded the hospitality sector for multifamily operations, and relocated to Ventura, where he served as a leasing agent and later as a leasing manager for 500 units owned by Universe Holdings. He graduated from Cal State Channel Islands with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology… and in Property Management, that comes in handy! Miles recently moved to the Central Coast to be close to his fiancée Sheena. He is thrilled with the area: He praises the “vibe” and has taken advantage of the many outdoor offerings that surround his new home in Orcutt. Two of his favorite activities are camping and exploring nature. When he’s not outside or in the office, you’ll find him listening to a wide range of music, including classic rock, electronica, and modern R&B, or watching classic movies like The Godfather Part II or The Shawshank Redemption.
DIRECTOR OF LEASHING