Team

Managing Director

International Real Estate President

Mar-Gulf Management Inc.

Mr. Shabshab has been active in the real estate and construction field for over 35 years. His experience ranges from engineering, general contracting and construction management, to real estate acquisition and development. Mr. Shabshab began his career in real estate when he found his consulting firm in 1987, providing services such as market analysis and research for real estate appraisers and investors. 

In 1993, Mr. Shabshab joined Mar-Gulf Management, Inc. and was initially responsible for operations, with special focus on turnaround situations and under-performing assets. He later became President and spearheaded Mar-Gulf’s acquisition, development, and distressed debt activities which, over his 25 plus years at the firm, has exceeded $2 billion of industrial, office, multi-family and retail properties across the U.S.

Mr. Shabshab graduated from the American University of Beirut in 1984, where he majored in civil and structural engineering.  In addition to his general contracting license and designation as a professional engineer (PE), Mr. Shabshab also holds a California real estate broker license.

Managing Director

MDI Capital, LLC

Mr. Ceithaml has been active in the real estate industry for nearly 50 years, initially as a real estate lending officer with both the First National Bank of Chicago and Wells Fargo Bank at offices located in Los Angeles, San Diego and Newport Beach, California. He subsequently joined a large diversified real estate development and management company in 1977, ultimately becoming responsible for all financing, development, and acquisition activities. Mr. Ceithaml later joined another regional real estate company focused upon the acquisition of office and industrial properties. In 1985, he formed his own company active in real estate development, acquisitions, and consulting. He has been a partner or advisor to the Markaz group of companies for nearly 40 years.  As a Managing Director, his responsibilities currently include developing new sponsor venture relationships and specific opportunities as well as managing existing developer relationships and the existing MDI venture project portfolio. 

​

During his career Mr. Ceithaml has overseen the acquisition, development, and asset/venture management of over 17,000,000 square feet of office, industrial, retail and self-storage projects as well as 6,800 apartment units and multiple large land holdings. Mr. Ceithaml holds a B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Southern California.

Senior Investment Associate

MDI Capital, LLC

Mr. Helou started his career in management consulting with EY Qatar by helping clients improve their operations and internal controls procedures. After attaining his MBA in 2015, Mr. Helou joined PWC – Financial Markets team, where he performed real estate valuation services on over $2B worth of commercial transactions; including multifamily, office, industrial, retail, and hospitality assets.

Presently Mr. Helou is a Senior Investment Associate with MDI Capital and responsible for project underwriting, assisting with venture management, and financial analysis of MDI’s projects. Mr. Helou is also the Vice President of Mar-Gulf Management Inc.  Mr. Helou received his B.S in Banking & Finance from Lebanese American University in 2010 and his MBA from Chapman University – Argyros School of Business & Economics in 2015.

Vice President

MDI Capital, LLC

Mr. Ceithaml began his career in commercial mortgage banking initially with Sunrise Mortgage & Investment Company in Southern California and later Norris, Beggs, & Simpson Financial Services in Seattle, which became a part of Gantry in 2020. Prior to attending graduate school, he briefly joined MDI Capital as an associate where he assisted with business development, analysis, and due diligence for proposed joint venture development opportunities. 

After attaining his Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) from Arizona State University in 2022, Mr. Ceithaml resumed his real estate career with various roles focused upon development, debt, equity, and structured investments in both Denver, CO and Seattle, WA. Throughout his career, he has participated in over $700 million in debt and equity transactions. 

Mr. Ceithaml is currently a Vice President with MDI Capital and focuses on business development while assisting with existing venture management. Mr. Ceithaml graduated from the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon in 2015 with a degree in Business Administration.