Our Team

President | Chief Executive Officer

Michael Costa

Mr. Costa is responsible for overseeing all activities at Highridge Costa, which specializes in the development, ownership, financing, construction, repositioning, and asset management of affordable housing for families and seniors throughout the U.S.

These housing communities are all developed utilizing low-income housing tax credits, as well as other types of public and private financing. Mr. Costa is considered an industry expert in tax exempt bond financing and other affordable financing programs as well as tax credit-based asset management, including the myriad of compliance issues associated with owning and managing bond financed and tax credit properties.

Over the past 29 years, Mr. Costa and his team have been responsible for developing and growing a portfolio of more than 30,000 affordable housing units in 300 communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Throughout a career spanning nearly three decades, Mr. Costa has supervised the development and financing of nearly 45,000 units of multi-family affordable and market- rate housing. Highridge costa was founded by Mr. Costa in 1994 originally as a subsidiary of KB Home, in 2011 the company was recapitalized through a joint venture between Mr. Costa and Highridge Partners, a diversified, privately held investment firm.

In recognition of his contributions to the industry, in 2018 Mr. Costa was inducted into both the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame (AHF), a national recognition, and the California Housing Hall of Fame (CHC). He was named the Freddie Mac Multi-family Builder of the year in 2000 and the 1999 Builder of the Year by Multi-family Executive Magazine. An executive member of the California Housing Consortium and the California Council of Affordable Housing, which are statewide nonprofit organizations focused on the production of affordable housing in California.

Mr. Costa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and also holds a general contractor’s license from the State of California

President, Highridge Costa Development

Mohannad Mohanna

Mr. Mohanna is Principal and President of Highridge Costa Development Company, LLC (“HCDC”), the development arm of Highridge Costa.

His responsibilities included overseeing land acquisition, planning, entitlements, construction, financing, lease-up activities, property management and asset rehabilitation. Mr. Mohanna joined the firm in 1995. A real estate veteran with over 30 years of real estate development experience both nationally and internationally, his knowledge spans the entire spectrum of the real estate development industry from land acquisition, entitlement and construction through sales/lease-up and asset management.

Mr. Mohanna received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics from the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

COO, Highridge Costa Development

Thomas Erickson

Mr. Erickson is responsible for day-to-day supervision of construction, financing and lease-up activities of the Highridge Costa portfolio, as well as new development projects.
Mr. Erickson joined Highridge Costa in 1994. Previously, he was Vice President with Thomas Brothers Development supervising the development, construction and operation of numerous Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations throughout Southern California.

Mr. Erickson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University, Long Beach.

Senior Vice President | General & Counsel

Jeffery Sussman

Mr. Sussman is responsible for legal affairs of the Highridge Costa Companies, including transactional activity, asset and portfolio management issues, investor reporting and compliance, litigation and dispute resolution.

Mr. Sussman joined Highridge Costa in 2012. Previous to this, he served as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO), Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at National Partnership Investments Corp., and an associate at the law firm of Rus, Miliband, Williams & Smith.

Mr. Sussman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Southern California. He is a member of the State Bar of California and holds several licenses issued by the National Assn. of Securities Dealers, Inc.

CFO|COO

Robert Tetrault

Mr. Tetrault is responsible for all accounting and financial reporting activities, as well as risk management and quarterly business plan preparation.

Mr. Tetrault joined Highridge Costa in 1999. Previously, he was Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer with ARV Assisted Living, Inc, and also served as an Audit Manager at Arthur Andersen, LLP.

Mr. Tetrault earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in accounting, from California State University, Long Beach. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.

Vice President | Information Technology

Andy Baerst

Mr. Baerst is responsible for IT operations including security, software, data, user, hardware deployment and management.

Mr. Baerst joined Highridge Costa as a Development Engineer in 2003 and was subsequently promoted to Business Applications Manager and then Vice President. Previously, he spent fifteen years as a technology consultant for clients including AOL/Time Warner, IKON Office Solutions, ARCO Products Company, Edwards Life Sciences, Certified Grocers and Aero Jet Electronics.

Mr. Baerst earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in finance, from California State University, Long Beach.

Vice President | Construction And Development

Pierre Harispuru

Mr. Harispuru is responsible for overseeing construction operations, including management of contractors, project superintendents, budgets, cost controls, design and implementation of construction schedule s, and relationships with consultants, government agencies and the firm’s development partners.

Mr. Harispuru joined Highridge Costa in 1994. Previously, he was Vice President, Construction with U.S.
Home Corporation and a construction manager with SPE Corporation, which built both single-family and multi-family homes.

Mr. Harispuru attended Fresno City College, where he studied business management, architecture, real estate and estimating. He holds a general contractor’s license from the State of California.

Vice President | Business Planning

Nicole Farmer

Ms. Farmer is responsible for all corporate budgeting, forecasting and quarterly business planning. Ms. Farmer joined Highridge Costa as a Senior Financial Analyst in 1999, and was subsequently promoted to Director of Business Planning and then Vice President.

Previously, she served as a Financial Analyst and Assistant Controller with ARV Assisted Living, Inc.

Ms. Farmer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California.

Senior Vice President, Capital Markets

Brian Suess

Mr. Suess directs all aspects of the syndication of tax credits, including investor relationship management, financial modeling, project due diligence, and the negotiation of partnership agreements Mr. Suess joined Highridge Costa in 2002, and was subsequently promoted to Senior Financial Analyst, Manager of Tax Credit Resale and then Vice President. Previously, he served as a Staff Accountant with Novogradac & Company LLP.

Mr. Suess earned his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Business Economics with an emphasis in accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara.