Leadership

David Diestel serves as President of the South Region, overseeing the FirstService Residential markets throughout the region.  

Diestel, who joined FirstService Residential in 2005, previously served as the company’s Senior Vice President, Operations. In this role, he supported the sales and operational excellence of markets across North America and was responsible for the company’s planning, marketing and business efforts. His responsibilities included developing strategic platform initiatives to improve customer experience and associate engagement, as well as delivering value-added services across all markets. 

Before joining the company, Diestel held the position of Director of Strategy and Operations at parent company FirstService Corporation in Toronto, which he joined in 2002.    

Diestel earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from McGill University, as well as an MBA  from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He earned his certification as a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council. He currently lives in South Florida with his wife and two sons where he enjoys traveling, running and the challenges of trying to keep up with his kids.  

 

Robert G. Smith serves as President of the company’s South Florida Condo-HOA Division, and brings more than 20 years of experience in the development and management of residential communities to FirstService Residential.

Smith ensures smooth operations and exceptional customer service in Southeast Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties), the Treasure Coast (Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties), and Southwest Florida (Collier, Lee and Charlotte Counties).

Prior to joining FirstService Residential in 2017, Smith held leadership positions with residential property management firms, financial institutions and real estate developers. In these roles, Smith was responsible for directing all functions of statewide management operations, business development and land acquisition, management of 200 developing communities and crafting service initiatives designed to deliver exceptional results.

Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah, and is a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA). He moved to South Florida from the Atlanta area 16 years ago and enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and three children.

Mark Stoops is the President of North Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee for FirstService Residential.  He joined the company in 1998 and brings 35 years of experience in the property management industry. Stoops oversees the operations of  hundreds of associations in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Orlando, Destin/Perdido Key and Jacksonville.

Previously, he served as President of FirstService Residential subsidiary Sterling Management. During his time at FirstService Residential, Stoops achieved a 10% annual growth in North Florida for the company, making it the fastest-growing region in the state.     

Stoops is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and earned a BS in Business Administration in 1978. He is also a Certified Manager of Community Association (CMCA), is a Florida Real Estate Broker and a Licensed Community Association Manager (LCAM).

Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Stoops was based in St. Petersburg, Florida until he relocated to Atlanta in 2016. He also has a home away from home in New Orleans. Stoops supports various charitable causes including St. Vincent DePaul, Metropolitan Ministries and New Orleans-based Joshua House.
 
 
 

Hector Vargas is the President of South Florida High-Rise for FirstService Residential. He joined the company in 2001 and brought 20 years of industry-related experience to the organization. His role’s responsibilities lie in overseeing the operations of high-rise Associations throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, business and employee retention, hospitality training and community outreach.

Vargas has an extensive background in hotel management, and prior to joining FirstService Residential, he held various management positions at Le Pavilion and The New York City Hilton.  Locally, he is responsible for the most notable high-rise condominiums in South Florida.  His portfolio includes Regalia, Bristol Tower, Santa Maria, CityPlace, WaterGarden, Brickell Key, Iconbrickell, Las Olas Grand, Trump Towers, Las Olas Riverhouse, APOGEE, Residences at the Bath Club, Sapphire, Jade Residences, Jade Beach and Jade Ocean, amongst many others.      

Vargas is a graduate of Florida International University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. Vargas is a native of Colombia and lives with his wife Veronica and her son Nicholas in Coral Gables. He is heavily involved in various charities, including Voices for Children, Miami Children’s Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis, The Humane Society and is a strong proponent of Breast Cancer Awareness.    

Bobet Bennett-Marshall serves as Senior Vice President, Financial Services, leading the teams that provide accounting and financial services to the 1,600 community associations managed by the South region of FirstService Residential.

Prior to joining FirstService Residential, Bennett-Marshall spent more than 17 years with Wyndham Destinations Inc., most recently as Regional Vice President of Resort Operations-Florida, Caribbean and New Orleans. She also held leadership roles in finance and corporate services including Vice President Division Controller-Wyndham Vacation Ownership and Vice President of Finance-Enterprise Shared Services for Wyndham Worldwide.

Bennett-Marshall holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Rutgers University, a Master of Science degree in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology, and is a licensed Community Association Manager (CAM).

She is a native of Jamaica and enjoys listening to music, reading and spending quality time with her three sons.

Paula Allen serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for FirstService Residential’s South Region. She joined the company in 2015, bringing with her over two decades of human resources expertise.

Prior to joining FirstService Residential, Allen’s experience included major South Florida organizations, including Baptist Health, the largest healthcare organization in South Florida with more than 15,000 employees, and Burger King, where she led a team that supported operations with annual revenue in excess of $10 billion. 

Allen focuses on forging trusted partnerships with business leaders and developing highly effective teams that proactively respond to business needs. She holds professional certifications in facilitation and coaching, as well as the DiSC® and Hogan assessment tools.

Allen earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel/Resort Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the Greater Miami Society for Human Resources Management, The Women’s Fund Miami and Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Lillian Guerrero serves as Vice President, Marketing & Communications for the South Region of FirstService Residential. Guerrero oversees all marketing and communications initiatives for the region, including the direct support of the company's sales and customer retention efforts, public relations and crisis management.

Guerrero joined FirstService Residential in 2012, bringing with her over two decades of marketing and branding expertise, much of that focused on the real estate and hospitality industries. She is a graduate of Florida International University, with degrees and certifications in Marketing, Advertising and Business Administration.

Guerrero, a native New Yorker, is a long-time resident of South Florida and supports a variety of causes including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Camillus House and Miami Rescue Mission. She enjoys traveling, snorkeling, films, music, and reading.

Rob Huguet serves as Vice President/Controller for FirstService Residential, where he is responsible for the company's internal corporate reporting and cash management functions for the South Region. Huguet’s responsibilities include delivering and supporting capabilities that improve business processes, internal reporting, and controls, integrating acquisitions and enhancing performance across the region.

Huguet joined FirstService Residential as Controller in 2015. Prior to that, Huguet held senior corporate level positions within the transportation and consumer product industries, including Spectrum Brands as Vice President of Global Finance, where he led the financial reporting team throughout Europe, Latin America, North America, and China.

Huguet is both a certified public accountant and a Chartered Global Management Accountant, beginning his career in public accounting. He holds a Master of Science degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Huguet lives in Fort Lauderdale with his family and enjoys boating, diving, and flying throughout Florida.

Michael Strait serves as Vice President of Sales for FirstService Residential’s South Region.

Strait joined FirstService Residential in June of 2016, previously serving as Vice President of Business Development for the North Region. Strait has a strong track record of success in building sustainable, growth-oriented organizations, and believes that the cornerstone of any organization is a deep understanding of its customers and their needs.  

Strait is a gratudate of The University of Western Ontario where he attained a degree in Economics. He  is a native of Toronto and recently relocated to South Florida with his family.

Jeff Edelstein serves as Director, Residential Hospitality for FirstService Residential, where he oversees the Residential Hospitality team, including coordinators and area specialists. Edelstein’s team supports over 200 properties in the tri-county area and lends assistance throughout the region, offering specialized training and support to include a one-of-a-kind Residential Hospitality program.
 
Edelstein joined FirstService Residential in 2007, bringing more than 13 years of property management experience. Prior to that, he served as Clubhouse Manager for the Florida Marlins.
 
Edelstein’s hometown is Cleveland, Ohio, and he studied at The Ohio State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.
 
Edelstein is married with one son and is an avid Ohio State football and Cleveland sports fan.

Jennifer Lasseter serves as the Director of Property Solutions for FirstService Residential, where she oversees process improvement through solutions architecture, innovation, and the creation of technology applications for FirstService-managed properties as well as internal operations. Lasseter is the regional product owner of the company’s proprietary management software and is involved in the development and rollout of enhancements and strategic initiatives.
 
Prior to joining FirstService Residential in 2012, Lasseter was a project manager in the global organizational consulting industry, working with diverse Fortune 500 companies. She also has a background in research, having worked at Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine.
 
Lasseter earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Boston College, a Master of Business Administration (Sigma Beta Delta) from Nova Southeastern University and is a Certified Scrum Professional® Product Owner (CSPO).
 
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Lasseter enjoys the Florida weather with her family, baking and fitness/wellness activities.  

Chris Normandeau serves as Director of FirstService Energy and Value Engineering & Procurement for FirstService Residential’s South Region. Normandeau is tasked with optimizing energy and water savings, and through his subject matter expertise and counsel on assets, the built environment, and utilities. He also leads the Value Engineering Team, managing vendor relationships and savings programs in the region.
 
Normandeau earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M.), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C) and Lighting Certified (LC).
 
Normandeau’s hometown is Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; he enjoys competitive formation skydiving, cooking, home improvement projects, weightlifting and reading science fiction.

Omar Vega serves as Director, Food & Beverage Services for FirstService Residential’s South Region. Vega provides leadership support to the food and beverage operations of FirstService-managed communities in the region to impact and elevate the resident experience.
 
Vega joined FirstService in 2020 with an impressive pedigree of more than two decades in the hospitality space that included work with world-renowned brands such as Omni, Loews, and Ritz-Carlton. Vega is also a distinguished recipient of the Silver Tray Award for the best food and beverage operation in the Loews Hotels portfolio.
 
Vega studied Business Management at Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Vega enjoys spending time with family, Crossfit and, of course, good food and wine.

Ramon Ramirez serves as Quality Assurance Manager for FirstService Residential, developing, applying, and maintaining quality requirements for inspections of mechanical and common areas within properties.
 
Ramirez joined FirstService Residential in 2009, bringing 30 years of property management experience. Prior to his role as Quality Assurance Manager, he was Chief Engineer of Two City Plaza in West Palm Beach, Florida, managed by FirstService; Facility Manager for Microsoft Latin America; Senior Facility Manager for FPL headquarters; and Lead Facility Engineer for Mobil Oil world headquarters.
 
Ramirez’ hometown is Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and he attended the National Association of Power Engineering school and vocational schools specializing in stationary engineering.
 
Ramirez is a first-class licensed engineer in the state of Maryland and holds a CAM license in the state of Florida. Married with 3 children, he is a licensed, private pilot and enjoys flying.
 

After spending 15 years as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for FirstService Residential, Anthony Kalliche now serves as Special Counsel for the organization. 
 
Kalliche has over 35 years of experience in the community association industry. Prior to joining FirstService Residential in 2002, Kalliche was the managing partner of the Miami branch of the law firm of Becker. He was with the law firm for more than 23 years.
 
Kalliche, a member of Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, is a graduate of Wake Forest University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1976 and the University of Miami School of Law, where he achieved a Juris Doctorate Degree Cum Laude in 1979.