Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT Appoints New Financial Officers
The transition sees internal talent elevated to key roles as the company strengthens its financial leadership team.
April 16, 2025
Leadership Transition, Clearly Communicated
When leadership changes, clarity matters—and Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT is making sure there's no uncertainty about what comes next. Following the planned departure of Michael A. Bender, who will step down from his roles as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary on April 17, the company has already named his successors and outlined how responsibilities will shift.
Bender is moving on to pursue another opportunity. His resignation wasn’t tied to any disagreement with the company or its auditors. With the transition in motion, Pacific Oak’s board moved quickly to keep things moving without disruption.
New Roles, Familiar Faces
Starting April 17, Ryan Schluttenhofer will step into the roles of Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary. He already knows the business—he’s been Director of Accounting and Reporting at Pacific Oak Capital Advisors, LLC, the company’s advisor, since early 2022. Before that, he spent nearly seven years at PwC in New York, where he worked across complex capital market deals. He’s a CPA with a business degree from California State University, Fullerton.
Alongside Schluttenhofer’s new responsibilities, the company’s President, Peter McMillan III, will take on the role of principal financial officer. This split ensures both accounting and finance oversight are covered by leaders who are already close to the company’s operations.
Positioned for Continuity
For Pacific Oak, the announcement reflects a proactive approach. They’re pulling from internal experience to guide the company forward, keeping decision-making sharp and grounded in institutional knowledge. With the new structure in place, the company is positioned to maintain continuity across finance, reporting, and corporate governance.
That means investors, advisors, and other stakeholders can expect the same level of clarity, consistency, and accountability—without missing a beat.
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