1031X Company Information & Leadership
Our clients don’t stress about the unintuitive IRS rules or complicated investment deal structures.
We pair each investor (and their advisors) with a designated Exchange Officer and smart, digital solutions.
Founded in 1994 in Denver, CO
Attorney and investor Steven Hickox paired with broker Christopher Sayre and started “1031x.com, LLC” as an online exchange shop in the early days of the Internet.
Today, 1031X is a top-ranked Qualified Intermediary, performing exchange services nationwide. For nearly 30 years, 1031X has dedicated itself to a client-obsessed business model: simplicity, trust, expertise, and on-time results.
Whether you are a first-time investor with a single rental property or a business managing hundreds of assets nationwide, our team is here for you.
Our Founders
Christopher T. Sayre
Co-Founder / Vice President Emeritus
Christopher Sayre has an MBA in Business Administration specializing in finance from the University of Denver and is a licensed Realtor in Colorado. In the past, Chris has worked in financial planning for both start-up ventures and fortune 100 companies. Chris co-founded 1031x.com, Inc. (1031X) in 1994 and has financed small and large commercial real estate projects–helping clients defer their capital gains taxes.
Steven W. Hickox
Co-Founder / Attorney / President Emeritus
Steven Hickox emigrated to Colorado in 1973 attending Colorado State University and graduating with a degree in Economics in 1977. He then attended University of Colorado Law School and received a JD in 1980. In 1981, He was admitted to the Federal and Colorado Bar. In 1994, he founded 1031x.com, Inc. (1031X), Inc. and holds an active law and real estate broker license in the State of Colorado.
Our Officers
Sean M. Ross, CES®
CEO
Sean M. Ross is the CEO of 1031X. He joined 1031X in 2017 before assuming his current position in 2021.
Sean’s prior career spanned financial writing, business development, and investment consulting. Throughout his career as an investment advisor and consultant, Sean has bylined more than 2,000 articles covering tax, finance, investing, economics, and monetary theory.
Sean is affiliated with the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA) and remains active in civic advocacy through volunteer work and financial support of the American Cancer Society and the Rocky Mountain MS Center.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and International Political Economy from Regis University. Sean enjoys travel, writing, meditation, weightlifting, and any team sport. He splits his time between Denver, CO, and Toronto, ON, with his family.
Denise Warfield, CES®
Operations Manager / Exchange Officer
Denise grew up in Long Island, New York and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Jacksonville University, Florida.
Upon graduation, she received a commission in the US Navy serving eight years as a Naval Officer.
Following her military career, she worked as a Consumer Credit/Financial Counselor. Denise now oversees the forward exchange operations at 1031X.
Nicole Frade
Head of Growth and Innovation
Scott A. Davis
Exchange Officer
Growing up in the Midwest, Scott earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Winona State University, Minnesota.
Scott has decades of experience in the capital markets, including mortgage lending, commercial title, and commercial property spaces.
Before joining 1031X, Scott worked for Bank One N.A, Stewart Title of Denver, Acopia Capital Group, and New Penn Financial Group.
Graham Golder
Principal Engineer
Graham joined 1031X after a long career in Silicon Valley, where he served as a chief architect for banking, real estate, and medical hardware tech companies.
A graduate of the UC Davis, Graham is an experienced hands-on engineer whose efforts have lead five separate early stage/series-A firms to successful acquisitions.
Graham currently resides in California with his wife, dog, and–periodically–young stray kittens.
Paul Hart
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
Prior to joining 1031X, Paul was VP/EVP and General Counsel of several software, technology, and sports-media companies, several of which went on to be acquired. He has nearly a decade of “big law” firm experience in Silicon Valley as a corporate securities attorney doing venture capital financing deals, IPO’s, M&A, as well as contracts, licensing, and general corporate representation. He earned a JD and an MBA from UCLA. For many years, Paul has been an angel investor and an LP in multiple angel funds. Paul served as a panelist judge for many angel investor pitch events and a mentor at a start-up accelerator. Paul served as a Board member of the Good Samaritan Medical Center Foundation in Lafayette, CO. He has also previously held real estate broker licenses in Colorado and California. Paul loves the challenges at 1031X, which exist at the crossroads of his almost 40 years of legal, real estate, business, tax, executive management, strategy, business development, marketing, risk management and operations experience. In his free time, Paul enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling.
Cynthia Keyser
Client Lifecycle Manager
With over 25 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, and Interior Design, Cynthia Keyser blends strategic insight with a passion for exceptional client service. As Client Lifecycle Manager at 1031X, she drives partnership growth, manages high-value investor relationships, and optimizes the client journey to maximize results.
Previously, Cynthia spent a decade as a Global Real Estate Advisor, specializing in luxury residential properties, second homes, and multi-family investments across the U.S., Portugal, and other international markets. Her interior design background gave her a distinctive edge, enabling her to deliver full-service, concierge-style real estate solutions.
Passionate about travel and cultural connection, Cynthia brings a global perspective and unwavering commitment to helping clients achieve their goals.
Maris Licis
CFO
Maris serves as CFO of 1031X and is a Managing CFO with AVL Growth Partners, a fractional finance and accounting firm helping organizations successfully navigate the transition from growth to scale.
With more than 25 years of experience as an operator, investment banker, and advisor, Maris brings both strategic vision and hands-on execution. He partners with CEOs, boards, and investors to align financial strategy with business goals, drive operational efficiency, and build lasting enterprise value—while fostering cross-functional alignment and high-performing teams.
In addition to his CFO roles, Maris supports Colorado’s entrepreneurial community as a Growth Advisor and Mentor with organizations such as the Bridge Entrepreneurs Network.He holds a B.A. in Management Economics from the University of Guelph and an MBA from the University of San Francisco. Based in Louisville, CO, Maris is an avid gravel cyclist and downhill skier who enjoys traveling with his wife and spending time with their two adult sons.
Noah Ansley
Growth Marketing Lead
Noah Ansley brings a diverse background in sales, marketing, and business development across technology, SaaS, and data-driven industries. Before joining 1031X, he led growth initiatives at MyRadar, helping the company expand into enterprise markets with clients in insurance, logistics, and aviation. His career has spanned leadership roles in sales strategy, pipeline development, and customer engagement, where he has consistently built scalable processes and forged lasting partnerships.
At 1031X, Noah focuses on driving growth through client relationships and strategic partnerships, combining his passion for clear communication with a proven ability to simplify complex solutions for clients.
Originally from Georgia and raised in Colorado, Noah now calls Tennessee home. Outside of work, he’s a devoted Broncos and Georgia Bulldogs fan who enjoys live music, travel, and discovering great food spots with his wife and daughter.
