Nate Newman leads a team of highly qualified development professionals, asset/investment managers, and real estate brokers.  Newman Commercial Real Estate is unique due to its 3 different business lines:

+ Development – Over 1,000,000 square feet under development in The Woodlands and the surrounding areas.

+ Investment – Our investment division is very active in purchasing value-add commercial projects and turning them around through hands-on operations.

+ Investment Brokerage – In 2022 alone, we brokered over $150M in investment transactions. We are the most active small, boutique investment sales firm in the Houston MSA.  

Each line of business supports the others through market intelligence, access to deal flow, and capital accumulation.  The average experience for Newman CRE team members is 20 years.

Nate began his career in commercial real estate in 2007 with Foldetta Commercial in The Woodlands, TX.  His timing coincided with The Great Recession, which taught Nate valuable lessons in humility, determination, and how to hustle.  After 5 years and 65 transactions, Nate joined Marcus & Millichap in 2013 to open The Woodlands office.  During his tenure at Marcus & Millichap, Nate was very successful representing some of the largest investors and developers in Houston.  

In 2019, Nate followed his dream of opening his own company focused on investment brokerage and development.  Nate has sold in excess of $500,000,000 of properties and he and his team have personally underwritten/valued billions of dollars worth of assets as a service to their clients.

Nate also has extensive experience as a developer.  Nate’s team of development professionals specializes in working through complicated entitlement challenges for large land tracts and developing mixed-use projects.  Nate has over 1,000,000 square feet under development in The Woodlands / Conroe / Spring / Magnolia / Tomball area.  His approach to investments is unique because he is able to leverage his transactional investment brokerage experience to generate capital, source deal opportunities, and have the knowledge base to work through challenges.

A life-long resident of The Woodlands, Nate is a graduate of Baylor University and is happily married to Marifer Newman.  Marifer and Nate have two children.  When not working, Nate enjoys spending time at his ranch, playing golf, leading mission trips with his church, sailing, reading, and traveling with his family.

Kenny Freeman is an accomplished real estate operations executive with expertise in operations, construction, vertical integration, change management, and finance. Holding an MBA in Business Leadership from The University of Houston and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Texas State University, he combines strategic vision with financial acumen to drive sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Kenny began his career in leasing at Boxer Property, where he quickly advanced through the ranks to become Director of Operations and later Senior Director of Construction and Space Planning. He went on to spend five years with Parkway/Midway, leading their construction department and overseeing large-scale development and capital projects.

Throughout his career, Kenny has guided organizations through complex transitions, aligning operational efficiency with long-term investment strategy. His deep background in construction and operations provides a unique ability to manage projects from concept to completion, while his financial expertise ensures disciplined investment decisions and sustained value creation. Recognized for his leadership in driving transformation and fostering innovation, Kenny is committed to building high-performing teams and organizations that excel in dynamic markets.

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John McDavid V serves as Development Manager at Newman Commercial Real Estate, where he works directly with the CEO and SVP and assists with overseeing projects across the full development lifecycle, including due diligence, entitlement, design management, permitting, and construction. He is energized by working with and leading project teams and is an avid student of placemaking and the built environment.

With early-career experience in multifamily development, development services, and commercial project management, John brings knowledge from multiple facets of the value creation process.

John earned his Bachelor’s degree in Construction Science and his Master’s degree in Land and Property Development from Texas A&M University. He is also a member of the Development Industry Advisory Council.

When not working, John enjoys traveling, exploring Houston’s food scene, and spending time outdoors. He is a member of Saint Anthony the Great Orthodox Church in Spring.

Logan Kelly began his career in 2011 working for The National Realty Group (now Lee & Associates) where he was a brokerage assistant specializing in landlord/tenant representation and property sales with a focus on industrial real estate.

After TNRG, Logan joined LMI Capital as an Investment Analyst.  There, he helped investors obtain debt and equity for all asset classes with a focus on bridge financing, equity financing, mezzanine debt, and permanent loans.  During his tenure at LMI, Logan worked on acquisitions/refinances for Multifamily, Retail, Office, and Industrial properties and helped source and close over $150,000,000 in debt from conduit, agency, and bank lenders.

In 2015, Logan joined Marcus & Millichap where he worked alongside his partner, Nate Newman, and closed $30 million of Retail, Office, and Industrial assets.

​Logan completed his undergraduate work at the University of Houston, earning a B.S. degree in Economics.  Logan is a member of the Urban Land Institute and International Council of Shopping Centers.

Tom began his career in commercial real estate in 1984 with Daum Commercial in Anaheim, California and specialized in the sale and leasing of industrial properties located throughout Orange County. Tom was one of the original brokers who launched the Anaheim office of Scher-Voit Commercial where he continued as an industrial properties broker.

Tom and his family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1994, where he served as an industrial properties broker with Southern Real Estate. During his tenure with Southern Real Estate, Tom leased and sold more than four million square feet of industrial manufacturing and distribution space and represented the sale of Billy Joel's and Christy Brinkley's Spencer Gifts Distribution facility which consisted of more that 250,000 square feet.​

Tom most recently served as a Senior Associate with the National Office and Industrial Properties Group at Marcus & Millichap where he teamed up with Nate Newman and Logan Kelly on numerous deals, including the sale of Mattress Firm's corporate office and training facility, a single tenant net lease investment valued at $6 million, Hollister Business Park, a 250,000 square foot industrial multi-tenant investment valued at $9 million, and Rebecca Village, a 54,000 square foot industrial multi-tenant investment valued at $4 million. ​

Tom’s responsibilities at Newman includes commercial real estate investment sales and project leasing Newman's industrial development projects.

Tom is a graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans. He has been married to his wife, Nancy Costello, since 1980 and has two sons, Ryan Costello, MBA graduate of the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and Jackson Costello, Economics graduate of the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, San Marcos.

Austin’s responsibilities at Newman include leading the acquisitions initiative for the company’s growing investment portfolio as well as developing long-term corporate strategy and procedures.

Austin began his real estate career in 2010 while working full time in the medical field as a business development manager.  In pursuit of alternative investments, Austin began acquiring single and multi-family assets across Houston for his own rental portfolio, which led him into a full time career in real estate.  He acquired, rehabilitated, and disposed of over 100 properties for himself and his clients across a variety of asset classes after building an extensive network over the years.  

In addition to real estate investment, Austin has experience with construction, development, land entitlement and permitting.  During his real estate career, he has directly managed construction across 150,000 square feet of value-add and new construction projects.  

Austin is a native Houstonian and holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College.  Austin is married to his wife, Rachel Shaw, and has one daughter.  During his free time, Austin enjoys spending time with his family, working out, and kite surfing.

Rob leads the firm’s financial strategy, underwriting, and portfolio analytics, supporting all aspects of development, investment, and capital planning. He builds and maintains detailed pro formas, structures debt and equity financing, and partners with leadership to evaluate new deals, monitor project performance, and guide long-term decision-making.

Before joining Newman, Rob was a Senior Financial Analyst at The Signorelli Company, a regional real estate developer based in The Woodlands, where he helped oversee the financial execution of more than $200 million in multifamily, BTR, and mixed-use developments. His role included asset management, underwriting, project-level financing, investor and lender communication, and improving firm-wide reporting and forecasting tools to enhance cash flow visibility.

Rob brings a diverse background in real estate, wealth management, and banking, experience that gives him a well-rounded perspective when evaluating deals, managing risk, and communicating with capital partners. He began his real estate career with Harvard Companies, a land and investment sales firm, and later founded Match Point Assets, where he acquired and repositioned residential properties at foreclosure auctions. He went on to advise ultra-high-net-worth clients on investment strategy and estate planning at Brownlie & Braden and Merrill Lynch. Rob also served in Enterprise Risk Management at Woodforest National Bank, where he worked on risk and performance assessment, internal controls, and capital planning. These roles strengthened his ability to simplify complex financial structures and deliver clear, actionable insights.

Rob earned his BBA in Real Estate Finance from Southern Methodist University, graduating summa cum laude, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. At SMU, he was captain of the Division I Men’s Tennis Team, where he met his wife, Heather, a fellow student-athlete. Rob and Heather live in The Woodlands with their two children, Harper and Riley. Outside of work, Rob is an active member of The
Woodlands First Baptist Church and enjoys playing tennis, golf, and just about any other sport. He loves traveling with his family, especially to the mountains or the beach, and discovering great food.

With over 25 years of experience in construction and project management, Brandon Hopper is a seasoned leader in delivering successful commercial and residential projects. He has extensive expertise in construction planning, scheduling, budget analysis, and contract negotiations, with a proven track record of managing complex projects from pre-construction through closeout.

Currently serving as our Director of Construction, Brandon, leads field superintendents, and manages budgets, contracts, and client relationships to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and at the highest quality. His career spans roles with several prominent general contractors where he has managed large-scale commercial buildings, tenant improvements, and retail remodels for major clients.  Brandon is skilled in plan review, value engineering, subcontractor management, and safety compliance.  

Brandon holds a Bachelor of Construction Science from the University of Oklahoma, where he was an active member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and holds the prestigious honor of the Omega award. In addition to his professional achievements, he has dedicated time to community leadership, serving as Boys Basketball Commissioner for the Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association from 2018 to 2024. 

Outside of work, he enjoys watching his son Benjamin play basketball, football, and lacrosse. As OU football season-ticket holders, Brandon and Benjamin head to Norman to cheer on the Sooners whenever possible. Together with his wife, Casey, Brandon enjoys traveling and exploring destinations off the beaten path.

Cristian Beltran is a Construction Project Manager and Project Estimator at Nate Newman Construction, specializing in interior commercial build-outs. With over three years of industry experience and a background in sales, he excels at building strong relationships with vendors, subcontractors, and the construction team to ensure high-quality results, cost-effective solutions, and timely project completion.

Holding a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and Administration, Cristian is passionate about learning all aspects of the business, including finance, management, and leadership. His versatility allows him to take on multiple roles within the company, contributing to its growth and efficiency.

Outside of work, Cristian enjoys traveling with his wife, spending time with family, and staying active in his lifelong passion for fútbol.

Misty brings 11+ years of experience in the CRE industry to the Newman team. She’s an experienced accountant committed to providing accurate financial reporting and analysis. Her knowledge in the industry includes the areas of brokerage, real estate development, asset management accounting and commercial construction accounting. Prior to coming to Newman CRE, Misty served as the accountant and office manager at First Group Realty and then transitioned to MHW Real Estate Inc as the senior accountant. She is a firm believer in the importance of having strong financial processes in place. They allow leadership to make informed decisions that leads to company growth.

Misty grew up in Oklahoma, graduating college from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BBA, specializing in management and accounting. Texas has been home to her and her family the past 18 years. Misty and her husband John reside in the Conroe area and have 4 children, ranging in age from 17-26.  She is a new “Mimi” and is loving this new stage in life. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, working in the garden, and traveling to new places, often as part of her daughter’s volleyball life.

Tonya is the Senior Property Manager at Newman CRE, where she brings nearly a decade of commercial property management experience to the team. Before joining Newman in 2025, she spent nine years at First Group Commercial in Conroe, TX, managing a diverse portfolio of properties including retail centers, industrial buildings and office spaces. There she served as Property Manager, Transaction Coordinator and Bookkeeper and gained hands-on experience across every facet of property operations. She enjoys overseeing the full scope of real estate transactions and property management, including negotiating commercial leases, conducting property research, keeping good tenant relations and working with contractors and vendors to ensure properties met high-quality standards. Her real estate journey began in 2015 at Gary Greene Real Estate in The Woodlands, TX, and she has proudly held her Texas Real Estate License ever since. Prior to real estate, Tonya founded and grew a successful home staging and design business, leading everything from small room refreshes to full-property transformations in collaboration with homeowners, realtors, and contractors.

Tonya thrives on solving problems and keeping properties running smoothly, all while building strong connections with tenants and vendors alike. She’s proud to be part of Newman’s expanding team and looks forward to contributing to its continued success.

Outside of work, she enjoys the simple joys of family life like cheering on her kids at the ballpark, exploring Texas in the family camper, or getting projects done at home with her husband. She loves home projects and DIY’s that keep her busy and usually her husband even busier. Family means everything to Tonya.

Before joining Newman, Paige Shibley was employed within the HCA healthcare system as a department secretary and accounting intern, where she developed a strong interest and love for accounting. Excited to expand her career in this area and specifically within the commercial real estate industry, Paige is working in her 2nd year as a junior accountant and has recently joined the Newman CRE team. She enjoys being part of the fast-paced CRE environment and loves to be part of the constant growth of the Houston area market. Previously she was with MHW Real Estate in Conroe since 2023.

Paige was raised in Conroe, Texas where she attended Conroe High School and then graduated from Sam Houston State University with her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration in 2022. In her free time, Paige is a mother to a 10-month-old daughter, married to her high school sweetheart Dawson, and enjoys working out and watching her husband coach baseball at Conroe High School.