BARRISTER’S MANAGEMENT TEAM

Vince H. Otte
Chairman Emeritus
Chief Executive Officer

Vince acquired AOMI in 1990 and changed its name to Barrister Executive Suites, Inc. In recognition of his turnaround of the company, Otte received the “Entrepreneur of the Year” from Inc. magazine in 1993. Under his tenure, Barrister has grown from 11 locations to over 20 locations.

In the late 1980’s, Vince was a founder and partner of the Pacific Equity Development Corporation, a merchant banking firm specializing in arranging financing, leveraged buyouts, acquisitions and divestitures for companies with revenues ranging from $10 to $200 million. Otte was treasurer for Ducommun Inc., a $500 million company from 1978 to 1982. He was a vice president for Wells Fargo and Union Bank from 1972 to 1978.

Vince received his MBA from University of California, Berkeley. He also earned an advanced degree in credit & finance management from Stanford Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Derek Otte
Chairman of the Board
Chief Administrative Officer
Executive Vice President

Derek joined Barrister in 2009 as the Sales and Marketing Manager, bringing his expertise from Newmark Knight Frank. He quickly modernized the department, streamlining sales pipelines and enhancing operational efficiency. Derek’s success in this role led to a transition into portfolio management in 2015, where he played a pivotal role in advising the president on lease renewals and Barrister’s strategic location expansion. In 2018, Derek was promoted to Vice President, Portfolio Management, followed by another promotion in 2019 to Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. In this role, he oversaw corporate office operations, including Finance, HR, Sales & Marketing, Lease Processing, and Project Management. In 2024, Derek was named Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Derek holds a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. Outside of work, he cherishes every moment with his wife and daughter. His passions include beach volleyball, golf, snowboarding, cooking, and exploring fine wines.

Dorthy Bright
President
Chief Operating Officer

With her impressive financial resume and experience at CalPERS, Dorthy was brought on as CFO in 2002. Shortly after, it was evident she had more to offer and was promoted to COO and President at Barrister Executive Suites, Inc. In her first 10+ years, Dorthy advanced Barrister both technologically and geographically. She worked with landlords and brokers to add 12 locations to Barrister’s portfolio and developed a customizable telecom system to serve office tenants, leaving the company on a progressive path while she further explored the technology industry. During her time away from Barrister, Dorthy cofounded HappyDesk, Inc., a technology company geared for the shared workspace industry, was Vice President at Cresa, handling all lease negotiations for Oracle in North America, and held the title of COO at residential and commercial advisory companies.

In 2023, Dorthy resumed her role as COO and President at Barrister Executive Suites, Inc. She works closely with all departments on prospecting, retaining, and opening new locations and manages the overall efficiency of the company.

Dorthy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double Major in Economics and Philosophy from Clarement McKenna College. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf and going on hikes with her beagle, Delilah.

Jerome Chau
Chief Technology Officer

Jerome provides a unique skill set which includes contract negotiation, budgeting and project management. He has over 20 years’ experience in the commercial real estate industry, holding former positions in sales, finance and information technology. He is currently responsible for overseeing voice and data networks for all Barrister locations and leading the overall direction of technology for the company. Prior to joining Barrister, Jerome was a broker with CB Richard Ellis in the central Los Angeles region.

Jerome earned a bachelor of arts in Economics from UCLA. When not on the clock, Jerome enjoys working out, expanding his Nike collection, and trying new boba and ramen eateries with his daughters.

Jacqueline White-Jansen
Vice President of Operations

Jacqueline began her career with Barrister over 3 decades ago. First starting as a receptionist, she quickly showed her capabilities and was promoted to Suite Manager before becoming Area Manager of all West LA locations. Shortly after, Jacqui added Assistant VP to her list of titles, and was most recently promoted to Vice President of Operations. Jacqui handles all new and existing lease negotiations for Barrister’s West LA locations, heads the tenant profitability department, assists with new location acquisitions, and represents Barrister on the board of the Los Angeles Commercial Real Estate Association (LACRA).

Jacqueline is a proud native of England. She spends her free time volunteering at Saint John’s Health Center, hiking the Santa Monica Mountains, and playing with her instafamous grandpets, Katmai, Moose, and Winston.

Barbi Davis
Director of Sales

Barbi handles all new clients interested in leasing office space at any of Barrister’s 20+ locations. Whether it is an 800 call or an online enquiry, Barbi will match the prospect with their ideal office and schedule tours with the onsite manager.

Since becoming Director of Sales, Barbi has increased Barrister’s revenue of new monthly deals by 56%. Her knowledge of office space and the industry comes from nearly 3 decades of experience, having first started as a receptionist in 1993 and most recently holding the title of Area Manager to Barrister’s northeast LA County valley locations before becoming the Director of Sales.

Barbi can be found at the Magic Castle or volunteering in her local San Fernando Valley community on the weekends.

Thomas Kim
Director of Marketing & Digital Content

Thomas Kim is a Marketing Brand Strategist recognized for transforming legacy companies into modern, market-leading brands. A unique hybrid of strategist and creative, he combines data-driven marketing expertise with design excellence to craft compelling brand identities and campaigns that resonate. With over 16 years of experience, Thomas has built a reputation for rebranding organizations from the inside out—unifying identity, storytelling, and customer experience.

Thomas revitalized legacy companies by modernizing their identity, driving sales growth, online engagement, and stronger community connections. He believes every company’s values can be shaped into authentic stories that resonate, blending creativity with strategy to deliver innovation and measurable results.

A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a background in computer art, Thomas brings both artistic vision and strategic precision to every project. Beyond his career, he is a proud husband and father of two, drawing inspiration from family life to balance discipline, creativity, and expression in his work.

Tiffany Taylor
Director of Lease Processing

Tiffany has her hand in everything from collections to deposit refunds, to terminations. Of course, her title gives away what makes up the majority of her workload, processing new agreements. As Director of Lease Processing, Tiffany must review everything signed by our clients including, but not limited to, Leases, Renewals, Amendments, Switch of Spaces, Service Agreements, and much more.

In 2001 Tiffany left a competitor to come work for Barrister as a Client Service Specialist at our corporate office and the rest is history.

Tiffany enjoys spending time with her dog, Tommy, and watching the San Fransisco 49’ers play.