Executive Leadership

As President, CEO and founder of Capstone Advisors, Alex Zikakis oversees the company’s full range of real estate services including commercial property acquisitions, value-add repositioning, property development, residential land development, and asset management services.  In addition, he oversees investments in alternative asset classes including real estate secured loans and private equity transactions.

Under his direction, Capstone Advisors has been an equity investor in over $2 billion of residential development ventures, purchased five million square feet of commercial properties, overseen third party asset management services for millions of square feet of retail and office properties, and has developed a variety of commercial properties and residential communities throughout the US.

Mr. Zikakis has an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in finance from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He is a member of the Building Industry Association, the International Council of Shopping Centers, and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. He currently serves as an advisory board member for the Program in Real Estate at the University of San Diego and is a past advisory board member at Cornell University and the University of Colorado. He is a member of both YPO and CEO organizations.  Mr. Zikakis was honored as a 2024 Leader in Commercial Real Estate by the San Diego Business Journal. In 2023, he was named a Best Boss in the real estate industry by GlobeSt., a leading trade publication for the commercial real estate industry. Additionally, Mr. Zikakis was awarded the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for real estate and financial services.

He inspires his employees to give back through the ‘Capstone Cares’ program which makes contributions through companywide volunteer initiatives. Mr. Zikakis established the Capstone Impact Foundation, which supports a wide variety of local community organizations and has provided significant financial support for local youth. As a volunteer for the Salvation Army, Mr. Zikakis served in a leadership position on a capital campaign which successfully raised $85 million for the development of two large-scale residential facilities for the unsheltered in San Diego and led the successful opening and operations of a shelter for women and children in Tijuana, Mexico.

As Chief Operating Officer, Jay Matthes leads company operations, manages the overall asset strategy, and works to develop key relationships in new markets to support Capstone Advisor’s growing portfolio.

Prior to joining Capstone Advisors, Jay led both operational and financial aspects of retail, office, industrial, multifamily and hotel investments and developments throughout the U.S. In his most recent role as executive vice president at American Realty Advisors, he led a team of asset managers and staff who oversaw a $1.6 billion retail investment portfolio totaling over 5.4 million square feet. Prior, as director of asset management for Grosvenor Investment Management, Matthes managed a 4.3 million square feet portfolio of office, retail and industrial properties as well as 1,300 apartment units located throughout major U.S. markets. 

As Vice President of Finance and Accounting, Paul Kneisel joined Capstone in March 2024 with twenty years of Controller and VP-level property management accounting experience.

From 2005 to 2024, Paul led the Accounting department at four successive companies:  Sea Breeze Properties, Davlyn Investments, Bridgewest Group, and Griswold Real Estate Management.  He managed the accounting and financial statement reporting, served as the database administrator, and completed multiple software implementations.  Paul’s expertise includes training, motivating, and managing personnel; delivering consistent and accurate financial reporting; maintaining effective internal controls; analyzing operating results; and ensuring compliance with the various lending and tax requirements.

Paul Kneisel has earned three degrees from San Diego State University: a BS in Finance, MSBA in Finance, and an MBA in Accounting.  Paul is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the State of California. He also holds a Broker license through the California Department of Real Estate.