Tangherlini lands at private real estate firm

Just weeks after suddenly stepping down as administrator of the General Services Administration, Dan Tangherlini has taken a position with a private real estate firm based in Washington, D.C.

Tangherlini, who spent more than two decades in government, will join Artemis Real Estate Partners LLC as chief operating officer, a representative of the firm confirmed with FedScoop. He will “execute the firm’s corporate strategy and oversee the firm’s operating performance,” according to a release.

Artemis, a private equity real estate manager based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, was founded by now-Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in 2009 with CEO Deborah Harmon. The firm has raised nearly $2 billion since then to invest in distressed properties, with a focus on California, Texas and Florida, according to a Bloomberg profile.

“Dan’s wealth of experience and leadership in fiscal and operational management will enable him to be a valuable partner as Artemis continues its significant growth,” Harmon said in a statement. “We are excited to work with Dan to implement institutional and operational best practices while maintaining our entrepreneurial culture.”

Tangherlini’s government run began in the 1990s at the Office of Management and Budget as a program examiner before moving to the Transportation Department. He then served the District of Columbia government on several levels, including stints as city administrator and director of the D.C. Department of Transportation, finally returning to the federal government in 2009 with the Treasury prior to joining GSA.

In Tangherlini’s absence, Denise Turner Roth has stepped in as acting administrator of GSA.

FedScoop spoke with Tangherlini shortly before his departure about the innovative legacy he left with GSA.

He told D.C.’s WJLA Channel 7 this week he’s “excited about exploring what a life outside the public sector might look like for a little bit.”