KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 8, 2026--
Jackson Cross Partners LLC announces the appointment of three new partners to the firm’s Leadership Team: Hee Jong Kwon, Esq., Jason Blank, and Zachary Forrest.
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Kwon and Forrest will expand their roles within the heading of the Advisory Services Group, which they began leading in 2020. The new partners oversee lease administration and real estate data-management services for JCP’s clients with portfolios across the United States and around the world. Ms. Kwon has been with JCP for twenty years and has served on the Leadership Team since 2020. Mr. Forrest joined the company in 2017 after beginning his career with Ernst & Young and has served on the Leadership Team since 2020.
Jason Blank has also been named a partner and will expand his role in the Transaction Services Group, which includes both the Corporate Real Estate Strategies (CRES) and Brokerage divisions. Mr. Blank joined JCP in 2008 and has managed account teams and transaction managers for JCP’s CRES clients across the U.S. He became a member of the Leadership Team in 2020.
“Hee Jong, Jason, and Zach have been integral members of JCP’s leadership, and elevating them to partner is a natural progression for both the firm and for them as leaders. As our business has expanded and our services have become more sophisticated, it is essential for JCP to incorporate the next generation of leaders into our business continuity,” said John P. Morrissey, Managing Partner of JCP. “Their skills and experience, leading our service teams, and developing strong client relationships strengthen our foundation and reinforce our exemplary reputation in the marketplace.”
About Jackson Cross Partners
Jackson Cross Partners (JCP) is a nationally recognized provider of commercial real estate advisory, transaction, and portfolio management services. The firm specializes in lease administration, real estate data governance, transaction management, corporate real estate strategy, and brokerage services for clients with regional, national, and global portfolios. JCP combines deep industry expertise with innovative technology and process-driven solutions to help organizations optimize their real estate assets and make informed, strategic decisions. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, JCP serves a diverse range of corporate and institutional clients across multiple industries.
JCP's new partners from left to right: Zachary Forrest, Hee Jong Kwon, Jason Blank.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman told The Associated Press on Wednesday in his first interview since the ouster that he was “blindsided” by the move but has no hard feelings and is unlikely to sue.
Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents have not given a reason for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.
“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.
“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”
But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.
“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”
The AP was the first to report on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.
Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.
“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost said.
She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.
Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.
“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “Not 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.”
Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was “astonishing.”
Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.
Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.
Rothman said Wednesday he didn't know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.
“When you come in to effect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people."
Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”
The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.
Rothman said he wasn’t going to speculate on why he was cut loose.
“I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about retribution. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”
Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
