Our Ownership Team

Echelon Partners is a privately owned, Denver-based organization. Our ownership team consists of a group of highly-successful entrepreneurs who actively participate in the management and development of the organization.

Dan Bennett

Mr. Bennett is the Managing Partner of REEF, a private equity real estate fund investing in a mix of asset classes. Prior to establishing, Mr. Bennett spent 13 years at Grubb & Ellis Company, most recently as director of the Corporate Services Group where he completed more than 8 million square feet of acquisitions, dispositions, and structured finance for major international corporations. He was a member of Qwest's Real Estate Steering Committee, helping to re-align a 45 million square foot portfolio and developed strategic planning efforts that saved an estimated $20 million in 2004. At the age of 29, he was the youngest #1 producer World Wide for Grubb & Ellis Company. He received the esteemed Grubb & Ellis Tabor award in 1999 honoring skill and creativity in deal making structures. Mr. Bennett received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Princeton University in 1992. He is an active investor and is a board member of various local and national non-profit organizations focusing on Cancer Research. He is member of National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Princeton University Alumni Council, and the Dream Big Foundation for underprivileged youth.

Staunton Golding

Mr. Golding is a co-founder and Managing Director of MBH Enterprises, Inc. At MBH, he primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions, capital formation and structuring and strategic relationships. Prior to forming MBH, Staunton built his career in private equity, real estate, law, finance, and commercial transactions. From 1997 through 2002, Staunton was Executive Vice President and served on the Board of Directors of Sage Investment Holdings, a privately held hospitality company specializing in management, development, real estate investments and alternative assets, where he directed all acquisitions, alternative asset investments, capital transactions and corporate and project financing activity of the company. During his tenure at Sage, Staunton structured and directed over $250 million of investments while the company more than tripled its revenues and asset base. By the end of 2002, Sage operated in 28 states with annual revenues in excess of $300 million. Staunton previously practiced law in Denver at the firms of Holmes Roberts and Owen, and Jacobs Chase Frick Kleinkopf and Kelley. Staunton currently serves and has previously served on numerous boards of privately held companies and non-profit organizations. He holds a JD from the University of Colorado School of Law and a BA from Johns Hopkins University.

Steve Gutterman

Mr. Gutterman is a Managing Director of MBH Enterprises, Inc, where he serves a leadership role in deployment of operating systems, mergers and acquisitions and market channel development. He brings to MBH over ten years of experience in the financial services industry. Steve spent six years at E*TRADE Financial, where he served as EVP and COO of E*TRADE Bank, a $30 billion federally regulated thrift. In this capacity, he had direct P&L responsibility for all of E*TRADE's cash management and lending businesses, consisting of a $14 billion deposit business, a $5 billion mortgage and home equity business, the nation's largest originator of luxury boat and recreational vehicle loans, a $2 billion credit card business and a nationwide network of 15,000 automated teller machines. During his tenure, Steve improved profitability in his businesses by over 300%. Steve serves on the board of several educational and charitable institutions. He holds a JD/MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Tufts University.

Doug Jones

Mr. Jones is the President of the Jones Real Estate Group and has been involved in the real estate industry in Colorado for over twenty-eight years. Prior to establishing The JONES Realty Group thirteen years ago, his background also included banking in Denver and he was on staff to Senator Lloyd Bentsen in Washington D.C. Mr. Jones graduated in 1976 from the University of Texas with a B.B.A. degree in Finance/Marketing. He has been active in NAIOP-National Association of Industrial and Office Properties where he served in 1994 as the President of the Board of Directors.  He continues to serve as a Director and received the 1989 Member of the Year Award. He is also a licensed broker in the State of Colorado and member of the Urban Land Institute.

Doug was appointed by Governor Owens to serve on the Colorado State University System Board of Governors and serves as Vice-Chairman. He is active in the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce where he served as the 1999-2000 Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is active with the Downtown Denver Partnership where he served as a Director. Doug is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Denver Botanic Gardens, Vice Chairman of the Colorado Tourism Office Board of Directors, and past Chairman of the Downtown Business Improvement. He serves on the Executive Board for the Denver Area Boy Scouts, the Wells Fargo Bank Community Board, the Central Platte Valley Metro District Board, Western Stock Show Association Board, Denver Police Foundation Board, the Central City Opera Association Board as well as the Board of Directors of Rose Community Foundation. He has consistently been selected as Who's Who in Denver Business by The Denver Business Journal. 

Jeff Johnson

Mr. Johnson is a co-founder and Managing Director of MBH Enterprises, Inc. At MBH, Jeff principally concentrates on strategic planning, development of business processes and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to forming MBH, Jeff was co-founder and CEO of BELFOR USA Group, Inc., a full service contractor and disaster recovery firm operating throughout North America. When Jeff acquired the company in 1996, the business was producing annual revenues of $2 million. During the span of six years, as CEO, Jeff grew the business rapidly, leading a team that grew from 20 employees operating out of one location to over 1600 employees stationed in 53 locations throughout North America. At the time of Jeff's sale of BELFOR USA in 2002, the company was the largest disaster recovery and restoration company in the country, producing annual revenues in excess of $400 million. Jeff is active in the leadership of the Young Presidents Organization and is an active investor, board member, and advisor to many businesses. He holds a BA from the University of Colorado.

Chuck McKenney

Mr. McKenney has approximately 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the real estate industry. He is the original founder of CRESA Partners, a nation-wide real estate services company. Chuck is currently a Managing Partner with REEF Ventures and focuses his efforts on finding ways for corporations to financially differentiate themselves using real estate as a powerful source of capital and a tool for reducing expenses. Mr. McKenney has distinguished himself as both a broker and an entrepreneur melding a talented group of brokers and project managers into an elite integrated services firm as well as negotiating prominent headquarter transactions for Gates Corporation and Tomkins, PLC, US Home, Suncorp Corporate Credit Union, ICAT Managers, Spyder Sports, Rock Bottom Restaurants, DigitalGlobe and Western Stone & Metal among others.

Mr. McKenney’s philanthropic efforts are far reaching through active support of several non-profit organizations including Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis, Denver Fine Arts Foundation and Smart Girl, Inc.

Lee Melvin

Mr. Melvin serves as the President of Echelon Partners and brings more than 15 years of experience to this position. His areas of expertise include facilities management, corporate security, and national / industrial security programs. His educational background includes both a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Business Administration. Prior to joining Echelon Partners, Lee held a variety of positions with General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Coca-Cola, and DigitalGlobe. He is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security and the International Facilities Management Association.

Steve Roitman

Mr. Roitman has been the Chairman and CEO of BWAB, Inc., a diversified oil and gas operator, real estate developer and investment firm, since acquiring the company in 1992. Mr. Roitman entered the energy industry in 1980 and has held a variety of financial and executive positions in the oil and gas industry prior to acquiring BWAB. Mr. Roitman is presently responsible for conceiving and implementing the Company's business plan, for establishing the company's corporate identity, and for developing and managing its asset portfolio. He is a member of the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS), and serves on the board of directors of many companies and charitable organizations. Mr. Roitman received a Bachelor of Finance in Business from the University of Denver.