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®
Chief Executive Officer
Sean Ross became CEO of 1031X in 2021, inheriting a 27-year-old company and building on it. Under his leadership, 1031X has expanded to new offices nationally, grown its team, and recorded its highest revenue year in company history.
Before 1031X, Sean spent over a decade in financial writing, investment consulting, and business development. He has bylined more than 2,000 articles covering tax strategy, investing, economics, and monetary theory — a body of work that shaped his conviction that most investors are underserved by unclear, transactional advisors. That conviction drives how 1031X operates.
Sean holds the Certified Exchange Specialist® designation and is affiliated with the Federation of Exchange Accommodators. He is the author of The Complete Guide to 1031 Exchanges, Private Equity & DST: The Modern Investor’s Blueprint for Passive Income. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and International Political Economy from Regis University.
He is an active supporter of the American Cancer Society and the Rocky Mountain MS Center. He splits his time between Denver, CO, and Toronto, ON.
Denise Warfield, CES®
Operations Manager / Exchange Officer
Denise Warfield is one of fewer than 200 professionals nationwide to hold the Certified Exchange Specialist® designation — the highest credential in the 1031 industry. She has been with 1031X for 22 years, during which she has personally managed thousands of exchanges across residential, commercial, and complex multi-party transactions.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business from Jacksonville University, she was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy.
Following military service, she worked six years as a Financial Counselor for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, followed by five years as a certified counselor with Credit Counseling Services. Client advocacy, financial precision, and accountability under pressure were not concepts she learned in a QI office — they were already her standard.
At 1031X, Denise serves as both Senior Exchange Officer and Operations Manager.
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
Chief Technology Officer
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.
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.
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.
Maris Licis
Chief Financial Officer
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.