Founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1974 by Chairman Alex Pananides, WestPac is a real estate development and management firm handling a diversified, privately-held investment portfolio. At present, WestPac Companies employ over 350 employees and have operations throughout California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Hawaii.

In association with banks and private investors, WestPac and its principals have put together projects that include over 5,000 apartment units, seven hotels, five senior living communities, single family sub-divisions and numerous condominiums and office buildings.

As the company enters its fourth decade, it will continue to honor its mission statement: to develop exceptional investment opportunities with a long term objective of optimizing yields while safe guarding capital.

Alex Pananides started the first WestPac company in 1974. In the more than 30 years since, his companies have been involved in more than $1.5 billion in development and acquisition of real estate assets throughout the western United States. He is currently responsible for corporate, strategic, and long range planning for all foreign and domestic assets.

As Vice-President of WestPac Investments, Inc. and one of the principle partners for WestPac Development Corporation, Hamish Marshall oversees acquisition and financing of properties for development in California, as well as his native country of Australia. Mr. Marshall’s development responsibilities in California include commercial buildings, residential units, mixed use projects, and senior assisted care facilities. In Australia, his projects include hotels and casinos.

As Secretary of WestPac Shelter Corporation Dean Pananides has overall responsibility for administration and Human Resources, as well as oversight of all hotel operations. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and studied law at Berkeley's Boalt Hall. He has been associated with WestPac for over 25 years.