Kosmont Cos. (213-599-5191) named Armando Aguirre head of the Kosmont Urban Retail Group. Aguirre currently serves as the company’s senior vice president and a specialist in the development and leasing of urban commercial and investment properties. He has worked in real estate for 25 years and has handled big-box tenant representation, shopping center developement, the expansion of fast food restaurant chains and Hispanic-oriented retailers and retail outlets.

Edens & Avant (800-662-7212) named Elizabeth Furnelli vice president of retail leasing for the northeast region. She will be responsible for the company’s retail leasing initiatives and development of retail tenant relationships. Furnelli was previously employed by The Flatley Co., where she served as vice president for the company’s shopping center division. The company also named Joseph Pierik the head of its new office located at 360 Newbury Street in Boston, MA. The new office will manage the company’s portfolio of retail real estate throughout the northeast region. Pierik will also serve as the company’s vice president of the northeast region. He will be responsible for acquisitions and development initiatives for the company in the northeast region. Pierik previously served as vice president of the northeast retail investment team at CB Richard Ellis/Whittier Partners.

Coldwell Banker Commercial-Almar Real Estate Group, Inc. (858-453-9990) and Retail Properties Group formed a joint venture and named Joseph A. Balla president. Balla will oversee the operations and strategic planning. He will also oversee further development of the retail component in the other three branch offices of Coldwell Bank Commercial-Almer Real Estate Group in Carlsbad, Temecula and South Bay, CA. Alan Scott will remain president and CEO of the company’s Carlsbad Office.