Our Team
Ralph Giannella
Founder & CEO
Black Iron Development
Cell: 858.997.9680
Email: ralph@rgiannella.com
Giannella is an entrepreneur and real estate developer of over three decades. He relocated from New Jersey to San Diego. He has a diverse entrepreneurial background including, real estate development, energy technology, banking, wine, and spirits. He has bought, built, and sold over 2,000 apartment units, hundreds of single family homes, large scale apartment buildings, condominium complexes, and many high end luxury homes. His knowledge and accuracy in real estate valuation stems from over 30 years of real estate appraising. During his appraisal career he was the approved appraiser for many national and regional banks and was Lead Appraiser for Freddie Mac in San Diego. In the early days of the internet, Giannella and his partners were pioneers of internet banking when they founded Bank of Internet USA (now AXOS Bank). AXOS Bank is America's oldest and most successful internet bank and currently trades on the New York Stock Exchange with a market cap exceeding $3 billion.
Cal Christensen
Partner & Director of Development
Platinum Beach Belize
Cell: 916.995.1511
Email: cmc11@comcast.net
Cal Christensen is an entrepreneur and real estate developer with over 40 years of experience. His diverse background includes launching successful businesses and managing large-scale residential and commercial projects. Cal’s entrepreneurial journey began in the early 1980s with a luxury limousine service, which he grew into one of California’s largest. He recognized the potential of the emerging cellular phone industry, leading to the creation of a successful cellular company that eventually became part of Cellular One which sold to AT&T in mid 1990's. His most notable achievement was a near decade-long tenure as President and CEO of the International Trade Exchange, the largest trade and barter company in the world, where he managed several thousand employees and significantly increased the company's profitability. Following this, he became CEO of a large development company, focusing on real estate development across multiple states and countries, completing hundreds of residential projects.
Sara Jung
Chief Investment Officer
Platinum Beach Belize
Cell: 916.741.7401
Email: sara@legacybloom.com
Sara Jung is a seasoned real estate professional and investor with over 25 years of experience in real estate lending and sales. Her extensive background in finance and sales allows her to offer clients a holistic and strategic perspective, ensuring their needs are met with the utmost care. Recognized as a former Top 1% National Mortgage Originator, her impressive track record as one of the nation’s top performers speaks volumes about her unparalleled expertise and unwavering dedication to client satisfaction. Throughout her career, Sara has successfully raised millions in private capital, positioning herself as a reliable project sponsor, manager, and liaison for a variety of residential, multifamily, and development ventures. Her keen insights and strategic guidance have been pivotal in driving projects to successful outcomes, while her ability to forge strong partnerships enhances her effectiveness in the field.
Louis Todaro
Director of Business Development
Cell: 424.355.7787
Louis Todaro has an extensive real estate career and background which includes real estate development, residential and commercial lending, and consulting for over 15 years. Todaro has years of experience in project planning, design, acquisitions, value engineering, financing, marketing, sales, and leasing in the real estate development and value-add apartment arena. Todaro specializes in residential real estate and has successfully developed many multi-million dollar luxury homes as well as multifamily projects.
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Chiara Giannella
Development Associate
Before joining Black Iron Development, Chiara worked as a consultant for a real estate investment advisory firm assisting clients in portfolio strategy through asset management and acquisitions processes, project feasibility studies, and alternative investment fund monitoring across all markets and asset types. Chiara also held analyst and transaction coordinator titles at a boutique multifamily and land brokerage firm where she further honed in on her skills. Chiara earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a dual emphasis in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Colorado, Boulder where she was part of the Leeds Scholars Program and competed in the Real Estate Analysis and Presentation Case Competitions. Chiara currently holds her Series 65 and is a licensed California Real Estate Salesperson, Colorado Real Estate Broker, and Colorado Notary Public.
Stacey Page
Property Management
Stacey Page is a highly experienced property manager and real estate professional with 22 years of real estate and property management experience. She has a deep knowledge and understanding of the current rental markets and trends. Stacey prides herself on generating maximum returns for property owners and investors, saving them both time and money, while still providing residents with a great renting experience. Stacey currently manages a portfolio of 125 properties across San Diego County ranging from multifamily units to multimillion dollar homes.