Jay O’Brien
About Jay
Jay O’Brien serves as a commercial real estate Senior Advisor in Stirling’s Mobile, AL office. Jay has extensive experience in land brokerage, site selection, tenant representation, investment sales and property management. With more than 25 years of experience, Jay has been involved in the development, acquisition, and disposition of over 10,000,000 square feet of retail, multifamily, and industrial properties throughout Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle. Jay holds the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, commercial real estate’s global standard for professional achievement.
A lifelong resident of Mobile, Jay is an entrepreneur, local business owner, and the President of his family-owned real estate company, J. L. O’Brien & Associates, Inc. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the State Board of Realtors, and the Mobile Board of Realtors. He is also a former State Board Member and Officer with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Alabama where he is still actively involved.
Jay graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Building Science. He and his wife have two children and are members of St. Ignatius Parish. In his leisure time, he is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting and fishing.
Chad Rigby
About Chad
As the Managing Director of Multifamily Sales in Stirling’s Investment Advisors Division, Chad Rigby leads a team that oversees all facets of multifamily investment sales and marketing, including transaction management, market analysis, valuation, underwriting, and client development in Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Gulf South. With over a decade of experience in the real estate industry, Mr. Rigby began his career as a transaction manager at ARA Newmark, where he gained expertise in deal underwriting, market analysis, and business development. He then joined Stream Realty to launch a multifamily investment sales platform for major market brokerage firms before founding Rigby Advisors, a multifamily consulting firm. Over the course of his career, Mr. Rigby has had the privilege of transacting more than $1 billion in real estate sales and selling over 14,000 units, working tirelessly to help his clients achieve their investment goals.
In addition to his industry experience, Mr. Rigby holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Trade and Finance from Louisiana State University, a real estate associate broker license in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, and the highly-regarded Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.
Lauren Ryan
About Lauren
Lauren Ryan joined the Stirling team in 2014, specializing in tenant and landlord representation for leasing and sales transactions in the retail market throughout Louisiana.
Previously, Mrs. Ryan worked at Horizon Bank in Austin, TX, as Assistant Vice President of Development and Marketing. She was a member of the Real Estate Council of Austin, where she served on multiple committees and was selected to participate in the Leadership Development Class.
Lauren is a member of the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (NOMAR), the Commercial Investment Division of NOMAR (CID), where she volunteers on the Programs Committee, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and the Retail Brokers Network (RBN). In 2016, she received her first NOMAR/CID Achievement Award for transactions totaling over $2.5 million.
An active community member, Lauren sits on the Board for Ascension DePaul Foundation New Orleans, previously Daughters of Charity Foundation, where she volunteers on their Keeping Our Promises Gala committee for the annual fundraiser. Lauren also participated in the Young Leadership Council and was a committee member for the Dress for Success annual fundraiser, the Start The Adventure In Reading (STAIR) annual fundraiser in addition to volunteering with the STAIR afterschool program. She was also selected to be part of the Economic Development Ambassadorship Program through the New Orleans Business Alliance.
Mrs. Ryan is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Communications.
Ricky Schober
About Ricky
Ricky Schober is a dedicated real estate advisor, specializing in securing prime locations for commercial ventures in Baton Rouge, LA. Ricky excels in identifying high-traffic areas that maximize business potential, ensuring optimal outcomes for all clients.
Ricky joined Stirling in 2021 as an intern during his junior year of college. After graduating from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Ricky went on to earn his MBA at LSU in the Spring of 2024. Over the past three years, Ricky has been working in the Baton Rouge office, assisting some of the highest-producing agents in Louisiana. This unique experience and team-focused approach has provided him with enormous insight and skills, allowing him to understand the intricacies of the commercial real estate market and develop innovative strategies to meet client needs and exceed expectations.
Ricky’s commitment to excellence and strategic thinking has made him a trusted advisor in the commercial real estate sector. When not working, Ricky enjoys spending time with family and friends, rock climbing, and recently learning to play the guitar, showcasing his dynamic personality and diverse interests.
David Valletto
About David
David’s real estate career with Beck Partners began in 1989. Since that time, he has amassed an expansive knowledge base of the industry and gained extensive experience in all facets of leasing, sales, management and site selection. His experience in the construction business, prior to joining Beck Partners, has proven to be of tremendous benefit to both tenants and property owners in determining construction/renovation costs and design alternatives. Currently, David is a Senior Advisor with Stirling.
Whether local, regional or national, David’s clientele rely on his expertise and entrust their businesses to his knowledge and experience. Exceeding customers’ expectations is his primary business goal.
David has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Alabama.
Business Affiliations:
- University of Alabama Football Letterman & A-Club Member
- Licensed Real Estate Broker in Florida and Alabama
- Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) Member
- Member of the N.W. Florida chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
- Member of both the Pensacola and National Associations of Realtors
Danny L. Watts
About Danny
Danny L. Watts is a Senior Advisor with Stirling’s commercial real estate team, working from the company’s Baton Rouge, Louisiana, office. With more than 20 years of brokerage and advisory experience, Danny brings extensive knowledge of the commercial and industrial real estate markets.
He specializes in the sales and leasing of industrial, office, and special-use properties. His specific areas of focus include site selection, land brokerage—from small, single-tenant parcels to major developable sites, and property valuation.
One of Danny’s greatest strengths is helping his clients navigate the ever-changing landscape of commercial real estate and serves in an advisory role during transactions. He is fluent in the requisite studies, tests, reports, and coordination of the multiple third parties necessary to successfully steer a project through the final closing. He also has a thorough understanding of rezoning, land use, and entitlement issues.
Danny frequently serves as a consultant on large special-use commercial projects related to regulatory licensing, helping clients achieve required compliance issues and valuation. He was instrumental in the success of a 14-parish assignment across the State of Louisiana for a major landfill development project, and has worked with several additional developments, from solid waste disposal companies to operators of MSW to C&D landfills. He has also effectively advised clients on the changing highest and best use of troubled assets like the transition from special-use/restaurant assets to retail use.
Prior to joining Stirling, Danny served as a Senior Advisor with SVN | Graham, Langlois & Legendre commercial real estate firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University (LSU).
