Our experienced staff has come together through their own paths of inspiration, to arrive at their Thirty-Four Moment. It’s part of what makes each of them unique, while creating a bond within the firm that is evident in how we service our clients. Enjoy learning more about our professional’s Thirty-Four Moments by scrolling over the images below.
Sarah has 22 years of experience in office brokerage in the DFW region. Prior to founding Thirty-Four Commercial, she was previously a Principal at Peloton Commercial Real Estate (acquired by JLL in 2019) and an Associate at Transwestern. Sarah graduated from Miami University before relocating to Dallas, Texas in 2003.
Sarah focuses her life around wellness and balance. In 2018, she obtained a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification. Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and children, as well as traveling whenever their schedule allows.
Sarah has 22 years of experience in office brokerage in the DFW region. Prior to founding Thirty-Four Commercial, she was previously a Principal at Peloton Commercial Real Estate (acquired by JLL in 2019) and an Associate at Transwestern. Sarah graduated from Miami University before relocating to Dallas, Texas in 2003.
Sarah focuses her life around wellness and balance. In 2018, she obtained a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification. Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and children, as well as traveling whenever their schedule allows.
Awards/Designations
CCIM Designee, NTCAR 2011 Young Citizens Award Winner, CoStar Power Broker, Black’s Guide Top 30 Under 30, D CEO Power Broker, DBJ Heavy Hitter, Transwestern’s National Rising Star, 2019 Bisnow Power Women, 2021 D CEO’s Dallas 500, YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) Member: Mustang Dallas + Telluride Integrated Chapter, 2021 ALC TREC Chair.
Growing up as an avid NBA fan, I always admired Charles Barkley’s tenacity on the court and therefore adopted “34” as my number in life. The number 34 has always had such a significant meaning to me and has been on my jersey in every sport I played growing up! Two weeks after I turned 34, I was baptized at my church for the first time. This awakening transformed my faith and lead me through a series of obstacles that ultimately unveiled my calling to form Thirty-four Commercial. My 34 moment was when God and The Universe showed me what was destined to be in the thirty-fourth year of life!
Bryce is a Principal at Thirty-Four Commercial. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Bryce worked in business development for a start-up technology industrial firm. Bryce received a BS in Political Science and Marketing at the University of North Texas, where he led the University’s basketball team and was voted the best team player by his peers. He is passionate about servicing his clients with a do-whatever-it-takes attitude.
Bryce is invested in servicing his community through his work at Shoreline City Church and volunteering his time with the nonprofit Big Thought. He is a member of NTCAR and TREC.
Bryce is a Principal at Thirty-Four Commercial. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Bryce worked in business development for a start-up technology industrial firm. Bryce received a BS in Political Science and Marketing at the University of North Texas, where he led the University’s basketball team and was voted the best team player by his peers. He is passionate about servicing his clients with a do-whatever-it-takes attitude.
Bryce is invested in servicing his community through his work at Shoreline City Church and volunteering his time with the nonprofit Big Thought. He is a member of NTCAR and TREC.
When my college basketball career ended, I was unsure of my career path, but I knew I wanted to pursue a career that would afford me the ability use my gifts and connect with people in a meaningful manner. After developing an impactful relationship with a prominent commercial real estate leader, he introduced me to other industry leaders and encouraged me to explore the journey of commercial real estate. Shortly thereafter I was introduced to Sarah and after meeting with the team I quickly realized Thirty-Four’s values and principles were what I was searching for in a team and that are also instilled in me. It was so clear to me that Thirty-Four was the place for me that I quit my job before a formal offer, took a leap of faith and joined the team.
Ruth is a Principal at Thirty-Four Commercial. She brings over 18 years of experience in both office leasing and investment sales. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Ruth was Vice President at JLL Preston Center Office and the in-house Leasing Director at PegasusAblon overseeing their office and Design District Portfolios. Ruth started her career as a financial analyst in the Capital Markets division of Trammell Crow.
Ruth was a Presidential Scholar at Elon University in North Carolina and graduated with honors in 2004. In her free time, Ruth enjoys yoga, running, and spending time with her husband and two sons at the lake.
Ruth is a Principal at Thirty-Four Commercial. She brings over 18 years of experience in both office leasing and investment sales. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Ruth was Vice President at JLL Preston Center Office and the in-house Leasing Director at PegasusAblon overseeing their office and Design District Portfolios. Ruth started her career as a financial analyst in the Capital Markets division of Trammell Crow.
Ruth was a Presidential Scholar at Elon University in North Carolina and graduated with honors in 2004. In her free time, Ruth enjoys yoga, running, and spending time with her husband and two sons at the lake.
My journey into commercial brokerage came through trial and error. Through finding out what I did not love to do, I found my passion. At Starbucks in the summer of 2017, I recall listening to Sarah explain her vision for Thirty-Four Commercial with such enthusiasm and no hesitancy. Since that day, it has always been in the back of my mind of the incredible opportunity to join the team, but the timing did not quite align. A very out of the blue but well-timed call from a mutual friend happened on a day when I was questioning my next steps, and I took it as a sign. From that point, I felt that same enthusiasm with no hesitancy to join Thirty-Four. The timing aligned, our goals were aligned, and there was no doubt that this was the perfect calling for me to take that next step in my career to join Thirty-Four Commercial.
Clayton Kennington is a partner for Thirty-Four Commercial and leads property management and investments. He brings more than 20 years of experience leading the operations of Kennington Commercial, a family-owned commercial management and investment firm based in Dallas. Throughout his career at Kennington, Clayton has acquired, sold, and financed more than $250 million in transactions of the family’s legacy assets in the office, flex, retail, and industrial asset classes. In addition, Clayton has approximately 2.1 million square feet of commercial assets under management (65% family-owned and 35% third party) including approximately 50 buildings throughout Texas and the Midwest.
Clayton Kennington is a partner for Thirty-Four Commercial and leads property management and investments. He brings more than 20 years of experience leading the operations of Kennington Commercial, a family-owned commercial management and investment firm based in Dallas. Throughout his career at Kennington, Clayton has acquired, sold, and financed more than $250 million in transactions of the family’s legacy assets in the office, flex, retail, and industrial asset classes. In addition, Clayton has approximately 2.1 million square feet of commercial assets under management (65% family-owned and 35% third party) including approximately 50 buildings throughout Texas and the Midwest.
Prior to Kennington Commercial, Clayton was a senior associate in the real estate consulting group at Ernst & Young-Kenneth Leventhal, working with publicly traded REITS and private equity firms on their acquisition and disposition strategies in Latin America and Asia.
Clayton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.
My lifelong career goal was to become my own boss and, after working for a large financial services firm, that desire became even stronger. My Thirty-Four Moment was clearly the opportunity to step away from that career path and take over the property management of my family’s real estate. I was allowed to learn on the job and, working alongside my father, absorbed the nuances of both commercial real estate ownership and the overall business. When my father became ill years later, the training and wisdom he shared afforded me the experience I needed to take on the ownership roles I perform for the family businesses today.
Jim Hodges is an asset manager and trusted advisor for Thirty-Four Commercial. He has been involved in the real estate industry for the last forty years and has extensive experience in the business as a developer, financial officer, and certified public accountant.
Jim began his career with the international accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co., where he ultimately led the real estate practice division of the Dallas office, with clients including Trammell Crow Company and Lincoln Property Company. He soon became a senior regional controller of Trammell Crow Company. As Chief Financial Officer, then Executive Vice President of the Equitable Grossman Dallas Company, otherwise known as Park Central, he was responsible for the development of office and hotel developments including The Sheraton Park Central Hotel, and Park Central Buildings VII, VIII, and IX. Jim was also President of a subsidiary of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (the “Equitable”) which managed and asset managed Park Central. Jim took his talents to Triland International, Inc., completing, leasing and disposing of approximately 1.2 million square feet of office developments under construction by Triland.
Jim Hodges is an asset manager and trusted advisor for Thirty-Four Commercial. He has been involved in the real estate industry for the last forty years and has extensive experience in the business as a developer, financial officer, and certified public accountant.
Jim began his career with the international accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co., where he ultimately led the real estate practice division of the Dallas office, with clients including Trammell Crow Company and Lincoln Property Company. He soon became a senior regional controller of Trammell Crow Company. As Chief Financial Officer, then Executive Vice President of the Equitable Grossman Dallas Company, otherwise known as Park Central, he was responsible for the development of office and hotel developments including The Sheraton Park Central Hotel, and Park Central Buildings VII, VIII, and IX. Jim was also President of a subsidiary of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (the “Equitable”) which managed and asset managed Park Central. Jim took his talents to Triland International, Inc., completing, leasing and disposing of approximately 1.2 million square feet of office developments under construction by Triland.
In 1988, Jim founded The Allegiance Group, Inc., which developed and managed more than 2,000 apartment units over the next ten (10) years. And in 1997, he focused on developing his CPA practice, until retiring from Public Accounting in 2017.
Jim earned his BBA, Accounting from the University of Texas Arlington. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants’ and the Dallas Chapter of Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a licensed real estate broker. Jim received the CPA of the year award in 2001 from the North Texas Region of the United States Small Business Administration. He is Past-President of the Bishop Lynch High School Board and Past-President and Board member of Nexus Recovery Center, Inc., a recovery center for indigent women and their children located in east Dallas. He is also a past Board Member of the Family Studies Center in Dallas, a charity that counsels’ families on a sliding scale basis, and the Shelton School, a private school for learning different students.
Sometimes a Thirty-Four moment is in the building of a long-term relationship that you don’t know at the time will come full circle during a career change. After retiring from public accounting in 2017 and deciding to return to real estate for the rest of my working life, it was a conversation with Sarah and Clayton that was that moment. Their optimistic view was exciting to me and, having known the Kennington family for a very long time, I knew this was the opportunity for me.
Laura Dobbs Verden is the Director of Marketing for Thirty-Four Commercial. Laura brings seven years of experience in Marketing and Design, including six years in the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Laura was a Senior Graphic Designer on the national design team at JLL, and Senior Graphic Designer at Peloton Commercial.
Laura received a BS in Architecture – Visualization from Texas A&M University with a minor in Graphic Design and a minor in Urban Planning. Aside from being an active member of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, she loves capturing photos of buildings, friends, family, new cities, getting lost in new places and frequenting her favorite spots in Dallas and Colorado with her husband, Shelby and their puppy, Poppy.
Laura Dobbs Verden is the Director of Marketing for Thirty-Four Commercial. Laura brings seven years of experience in Marketing and Design, including six years in the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial, Laura was a Senior Graphic Designer on the national design team at JLL, and Senior Graphic Designer at Peloton Commercial.
Laura received a BS in Architecture – Visualization from Texas A&M University with a minor in Graphic Design and a minor in Urban Planning. Aside from being an active member of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, she loves capturing photos of buildings, friends, family, new cities, getting lost in new places and frequenting her favorite spots in Dallas and Colorado with her husband, Shelby and their puppy, Poppy.
I first met Sarah in 2017 after I joined Peloton Commercial Real Estate in my first marketing role working with office brokers. We immediately “clicked” and I admired her effortlessly chic style, the way she carried herself and especially her creativity and appreciation of great marketing. Sarah was a marketer’s dream client! When I learned of Sarah’s departure to start Thirty-Four, my emotions were equally filled with excitement and sadness. Selfishly, I was upset my creative confidant was leaving but it was also exciting to watch what would become Thirty-Four Commercial. As she was walking out the door to start the journey of Thirty-Four, she told me “this isn’t the end.” My journey with Thirty-Four didn’t begin until nearly four years later, but when the opportunity presented itself I jumped and couldn’t be more proud of our team.
Matt Roth manages the company finances, accounting, treasury, and risk management functions for Thirty-Four Commercial. With more than 15 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Matt is a hands-on professional who draws on his previous Chief Executive Officer experience in developing and executing company strategies, resulting in significant profitability and revenue growth.
Matt was CEO of Fashion Industry Gallery for more than 8 years prior to joining Thirty-Four. His previous executive experience was with Brook Partners, Inc., Partnership Accounting for Bass Enterprises, and as an Auditor with Arthur Andersen.
Matt Roth manages the company finances, accounting, treasury, and risk management functions for Thirty-Four Commercial. With more than 15 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Matt is a hands-on professional who draws on his previous Chief Executive Officer experience in developing and executing company strategies, resulting in significant profitability and revenue growth.
Matt was CEO of Fashion Industry Gallery for more than 8 years prior to joining Thirty-Four. His previous executive experience was with Brook Partners, Inc., Partnership Accounting for Bass Enterprises, and as an Auditor with Arthur Andersen.
Matt earned his BS, Accounting and MS, Accounting, Auditing and Financial Accounting at the University of North Texas. He is a coach for various Dallas/Fort Worth baseball organizations and enjoys mentoring young student athletes. Matt has three sons with whom he spends the majority of his free time.
Reconnecting with someone from a former life/career at just the right time was my Thirty-Four moment. Having crossed paths with Sarah Kennington (then Hinkley!) more than 15 years prior while working as a real estate developer, I was at a crossroads in my life after years of various other entrepreneurial projects, trying to determine a route to take for a career change that I’d hoped would be my last. Enter Sarah, Clayton and the Thirty-Four team. It was literally a “too good to be true” scenario with an opportunity that screamed “this is what you are good at, this is what you know, and this is what you should do.” I’ve been here ever since!
Gip brings decades of managerial and business development experience to his role as Chief Property Management Officer. He is responsible for leading, improving, and growing the property management platform.
A commercial real estate professional since 1984, Gip was Vice President of Asset Services at Transwestern and oversaw management and engineering services for multiple office buildings in the Dallas/Fort Worth area prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial. He also served in a senior-level capacity in global account management, business development, and strategic alliance relationship building at JLL, The Staubach Company, and Archon Group.
Gip brings decades of managerial and business development experience to his role as Chief Property Management Officer. He is responsible for leading, improving, and growing the property management platform.
A commercial real estate professional since 1984, Gip was Vice President of Asset Services at Transwestern and oversaw management and engineering services for multiple office buildings in the Dallas/Fort Worth area prior to joining Thirty-Four Commercial. He also served in a senior-level capacity in global account management, business development, and strategic alliance relationship building at JLL, The Staubach Company, and Archon Group.
In addition to being a certified instructor for BOMA and TREC, Gip is a values-driven coach, licensed real estate salesperson, and lifetime member of Texas Real Estate Teachers Association (TRETA). He earned his MBA from Baylor University. An amateur triathlete, avid yachtsman, and father of two daughters, Gip and his wife live in Dallas.
While I was on the verge of celebrating 10 years at my former employer, I yearned for the opportunity to bring a mix of talents uncommon for most property managers to a company that valued them. I have spent all my career in commercial real estate management, but I also have the experience of 10 years in business development and an additional 10 years coaching other professionals in the industry. That unique combination of management, sales, and coaching was exactly what Thirty-Four Commercial was looking for. Upon my very first meeting with Sarah and Clayton, I instantly knew I had found my next career home where my talents would be put to good use. That was my Thirty-Four moment.
Ultimately, my Thirty-Four moment was at the end of a real-life connect the dots! My dream all through college was to work in a large network Children’s hospital. During my senior year, on the first night of my first visit to Dallas, I decided to move here because it was the place and the opportunity to realize my dream. As it turned out it was the right place, but a different reality. When the hospital role didn’t materialize, a mutual connection from a previous life-altering event connected me with Sarah and Clayton Kennington and I’ve been working at Thirty-Four Commercial ever since. The Lord is so sweet in how He connects dots and relationships we didn’t even know existed.
Wyatt Anderson is a Senior Associate at Thirty-Four Commercial. A Dallas native, Wyatt brings decades of local knowledge to his clients.
Prior to joining Thirty-Four, Wyatt worked in business development for Gartner, and as an acquisition agent for a local residential real estate investor. Wyatt graduated cum laude with a Psychology degree from Sewanee: The University of the South. He is a current member of The Real Estate Council (TREC) and a CRE Analyst alumnus.
Wyatt Anderson is a Senior Associate at Thirty-Four Commercial. A Dallas native, Wyatt brings decades of local knowledge to his clients.
Prior to joining Thirty-Four, Wyatt worked in business development for Gartner, and as an acquisition agent for a local residential real estate investor. Wyatt graduated cum laude with a Psychology degree from Sewanee: The University of the South. He is a current member of The Real Estate Council (TREC) and a CRE Analyst alumnus.
Wyatt is passionate about fly fishing and is active in the Dallas chapter of Stewards of the Wild and Trout Unlimited. When not outside, Wyatt enjoys spending time with his fiancé and their black lab, Lady.
My Thirty-Four moment came through the CRE Analyst program, where I was introduced to the culture, values, and opportunity available with Sarah and the Thirty-Four team. Having started my career in residential real estate, I was looking to get into the commercial side of the business and learn from a well-respected and talented team. I could not have chosen a better place to kick off my commercial real estate career.
