Development Team

The Picacho Mountain Resort Community Team

This 780 acre community, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is a real estate development of Community Builders International (CBI) and integrates a vision to create a sustainable community and improve quality of life for residents. The development team believes that creative and feasible solutions such as pedestrian friendly neighborhoods, central gathering places, easily accessible retail, recreational activities, and attractive themes implemented into every development are key ingredients to sustained growth. In all of its developments, CBI is committed to raising the level of quality and excellence throughout the industry and takes seriously its responsibility to both the land and its stakeholders.

Contact Us today at 575.523.2500 for more information on the Picacho Mountain development team.

Bob Pofahl – President  For the past 35 years Robert Pofahl has been principally engaged in the management and organization of companies involved in real estate development and construction. Prior to forming Community Builders International and Picacho Mountain, Bob and his associates built several nationally recognized companies, later integrated into subsidiaries, which provided real estate and building services. Those services encompassed architectural, engineering, construction, development, property management, financing and real estate securities.Some of Bob’s more notable accomplishments include the development of over 20 Embassy Suite Hotels, the acquisition of the Park Suite Hotel chain from Brock Hotels, and the development and sale of the Park Suite Hotel chain to the Sara Hotels of Stockholm, Sweden. In the early 1980’s Bob became convinced that the future of real estate was in mortgage backed securities. In 1985 he worked with America First Securities and E.F. Hutton to sponsor the first combined debt and equity real estate security offered on Wall Street. The offering successfully raised over $300 million for the development of residential apartments.

Karen Pofahl – Managing Partner Karen Pofahl oversees the vertical construction projects for the Picacho Mountain development. Her major focus over the past two years has been to coordinate the design and contract management for the Willows at Picacho Mountain patio home project. Additionally, Karen is working with architects to design the next phase of vertical development, The Oaks at Picacho Mountain town homes. Karen is President and Executive Director of Community Resource International (CRI), a non profit community development organization committed to working with communities, homeowner associations and developers to empower residents to create better neighborhoods. In addition to CRI, Karen has been Director of King’s Kids El Paso, a youth program training and releasing young people to practically apply and share their faith and skills through service to their communities and beyond. Karen also directed the King’s Kids program in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for five years. A major focus was leading youth and adults in community projects such as building homes, orphanages and schools for people in need.After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, Karen began her career as an escrow officer for First American Title Company. During that time she has assisted in the organization and management of construction and development companies owned and operated by the family trust. Karen handles administrative, legal, and accounting oversight for CBI and its subsidiaries, including Picacho Mountain.

Gil Martinez, GMA International – Land Planner & Designer In addition to being a consultant, Gil Martinez is a limited partner in Picacho Land Development LLC. He developed the land plan, lotting, concept drainage and landscape plans for Picacho Mountain. His expertise in entitlement helped with the approval of the Picacho Mountain Master Sketch Plan in 2006.Through his nationally recognized firm, GMA Int’l., Mr. Martinez brings twenty-five years’ experience in projects as diverse and challenging as are the properties in which he has been involved. His responsibilities in Picacho Mountain are the managing and directing of a full range of master planning and design services. In addition, Mr. Martinez had been involved in numerous comprehensive projects involving recreational, golf courses, destination resort communities, residential, commercial developments and environmentally challenging properties throughout the United States, Mexico, French Polynesia, the Caribbean, Chile, Scotland, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Europe and Africa. (www.gmaintl.net)

Jorge Azcarate, CEA Group – Project Engineer CEA Group is an emerging civil engineering and architecture firm providing planning, design, project management and construction phase services throughout the Southwest. Incorporated in 2002, CEA was founded with a personal commitment to responsive professional services. The founders, Ruben Chavez, P.E., Ulises Estrada, P.E. and Jorge L. Azcarate, P.E., bring a solid foundation of over 30 years of combined civil engineering design experience to the firm.

Picacho Mountain Consultants:

Eddie Martinez (Limited Partner), Zia Engineering & Environmental Consultants, LLC President & CEO Mr. Martinez has 30 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering. He has provided project management across simple and complex design, compliance and construction programs involving hydrologic and hydraulic systems analysis and design, environmental impacts analysis (NEPA), storm water management and permitting (NPDES), construction management, solid waste, regulatory compliance, air quality, water resources, industrial wastewater pretreatment, municipal roadway and highway design, and private development projects. He has also conducted and supervised numerous investigations for groundwater, soil remediation, remedial systems design, site characterizations and environmental site assessments. Past projects include major federal installations (national) facilities operations, engineering and environmental compliance. Projects in New Mexico include the City of Las Cruces Downtown Plaza, Park Ridge Development (hospital, medical office building, subdivision, commercial retail), Zuni Riverbed Drive Bridge Analysis at Pueblo of Zuni, Las Vegas Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Las Alamedas Development in Las Cruces, and Las Cruces New Mexico International Airport, to name a few. He has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from New Mexico State University. Mr. Martinez assisted in the initial approvals for the master sketch plan approval in 2006.

John Small, ResortCom International – Luxury Management & Resort Hospitality John E. Small is one of the World’s most well known hospitality executives, and has perhaps the broadest and most extensive background in the travel industry. He has worked on six continents and has held key management positions at some of the world’s leading properties including the Shangri La Hotel Singapore, Block Hotels Africa, Sun City Resort, South Africa, Sugarbush Resort, Vermont, Royal Lahaina Resort, Maui, and Waiohai/Poipu Resorts, Kauai. His cruise line experience covers Sitmar Cruises, Royal Viking Line and Princess Cruise Lines. He has operated Hotels, Resorts, Safari Game Lodges and Cruise Ships. While under his management, these entities received worldwide recognition as leaders in the industry.Most recently, John was President of International Resort Management, Senior Vice President of RCI and Chief Operating Officer of RCI Management. In 2002, IRM merged with Resort Communications to form ResortCom International. During his time as Chief Operating Officer with RCIM, he was instrumental in growing RCIM from 19 resorts to over 43, in three and one half years. During his tenure, RCIM won 40 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) awards, and was also named as the Employer of Choice in the Timeshare Resort Industry by ARDA.

W. David Bernard, Scott Hulse – Attorney Mr. W David Bernard is President of Scott Hulse and Chairman the firm’s Board of Directors. He joined the firm in 1979 after serving in the U.S. Army, lastly as a trial lawyer in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAGC) Corps. Mr. Bernard’s primary areas of practice are Real Estate, Real Estate Lending, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). In the M&A area, he is primarily engaged in the buying and selling of privately held companies and divisions, and cross-border U.S./Mexico transactions.Mr. Bernard has been board certified in commercial real estate by the Texas State Board of Legal Specialization since 1983. He advises clients on all aspects of the acquisition, financing, development, construction, leasing, management and sale of improved and unimproved real property as well as formation of joint ventures, partnerships and syndications of real estate projects.

Donald Beasley, Beasley Mitchell & Co., LLP – Accountant Don Beasley has worked in the accounting field for 37 years. He earned his accounting degree from NMSU in 1972 and founded Beasley, Mitchell & Co LLC in November 1987, growing from a three person staff to 32. Don provides business consulting to our clients and specializes in Tax Planning and Advising for Closely Held Businesses.In addition, he spends a large amount of time assisting clients in maximizing their profits and also in the transition of their business. Don is very active in local, civic, and charitable work. He was one of the founding Board Members of the Mesilla Valley Hospice and also served as President of the New Mexico University Foundation. He has served on various Accounting boards and has lectured for various accounting organizations.