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 32+ 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.
Co-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.
Leadership
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.
Nicole Frade
Head of Growth and Innovation
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.
Our Team
Michelle Aggrey
Growth Manager
Michelle Aggrey is the Growth Manager at 1031X, where she leads cross-functional growth strategy across marketing, sales, and analytics. Her work spans outbound infrastructure, CRM product development, and campaign performance, connecting data-driven insights to scalable acquisition and retention initiatives.
With over five years of experience across SaaS, proptech, and tech-enabled environments, Michelle has built a career at the intersection of systems thinking and strategic execution. She brings deep expertise in customer success, program management, and Agile delivery, with a consistent track record of building frameworks that accelerate growth, improve efficiency, and drive measurable outcomes.
Michelle is based in the Denver, Colorado area and is focused on building the infrastructure that will power 1031X’s next stage of growth.
Amman Abua
Engineering Lead
Amman is a solutions oriented Engineering Lead at 1031X. He brings extensive software engineering experience building scalable cloud-native applications, AI-powered platforms, and full-stack solutions. He specializes in AWS cloud architecture, GenAI integration, and modern web technologies including TypeScript, Next.js, Node.js, and Python. Amman has designed and delivered production systems across SaaS, AI, and digital platforms, focusing on secure architecture, reliable workflows, and technology that solves real business problems. He is passionate about building scalable products, improving engineering practices, and creating meaningful user experiences through innovative technology.
Amirson
Senior Software Engineer
Amirson is a Senior Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience building and scaling full-stack systems across web and mobile platforms. He specializes in backend heavy applications using Python and Node.js, paired with modern React and Next.js frontends.
His experience spans multi-tenant SaaS platforms, marketplace products, ride-hailing applications, and e-commerce solutions designed for SMB and SME use cases. He also has strong expertise in AWS infrastructure, SQL data modeling, third-party integrations, and building reliable background processing systems.
Amirson also has hands on experience building AI-powered automation pipelines using modern AI technologies, designing intelligent workflows that streamline business processes. He works closely with product and operations teams to translate complex business workflows into technology solutions that are simple, reliable, and scalable.
Eric C. Jana, JD
Senior Manager, Complex Exchange Solutions
Eric C. Jana, JD is Senior Manager, Complex Exchange Solutions at 1031X. A licensed attorney and real estate broker, Eric brings experience across commercial real estate, alternative investments, tax and financial consulting, legal advisory, and strategic business development.
His background includes advising corporate, institutional, private equity, high-net-worth, financial services, and commercial real estate clients, as well as serving as a Senior Domain Expert supporting the training and evaluation of advanced AI models across law, real estate, finance, accounting, economics, marketing, and sales. He combines legal, financial, real estate, and technology experience with a practical, client-focused approach to solving complex transactional challenges.
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.
Patrick Ross
1031 Exchange Coordinator
Patrick Ross is a 1031 Exchange Coordinator at 1031X, where he manages operations, documentation, deadlines, and client coordination.
Patrick comes to 1031X from a banking career that includes eight years in mortgage lending, most recently as a Disclosures Supervisor in Loan Operations. While leading that team, Patrick managed regulatory compliance and document accuracy across high-volume, deadline-driven transactions—the same discipline a 1031 exchange requires, where deadlines are fixed and paperwork must be right the first time. He also has experience as a licensed real estate broker in Colorado.
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Administration from Regis University. He serves on the Financial Council at St. Jude Catholic Church and is a longtime supporter of the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center (RMMSC), where he sits on the Board of Directors. He lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Gavin Sears
Growth Sales Manager
Gavin Sears is a sales professional and licensed South Carolina Realtor based in Anderson, South Carolina. He has built his career at the intersection of residential real estate, investment-property strategy, and relationship-driven sales, helping clients make informed decisions in fast-moving markets. Before joining 1031X, Gavin served as a Senior Market Specialist with Second Avenue and worked with buyers, sellers, builders, and investors across the Upstate.
He brings a practical understanding of how real estate professionals and investors evaluate opportunities, along with a strong focus on clear communication, trust, and growth. At 1031X, Gavin is excited to help expand access to modern 1031 exchange solutions in markets across the country.
Bryce Kyereme
Growth Sales Manager
At 1031X, Bryce focuses on building strategic partnerships and helping investors and real estate professionals navigate 1031 exchanges. His work centers on expanding industry relationships, developing new business opportunities, and connecting real estate professionals and investors with 1031 exchange solutions.
With close to a decade of experience across acquisitions, capital markets, and investment sales, Bryce has built his career around real estate investment and transaction execution. Prior to joining 1031X, he served as Vice President of Capital Markets for a private equity firm with over $600 million in assets under management across the United States and previously as a Senior Acquisition Manager for a San Diego based investment firm. His background includes working with high-net-worth investors, family offices, and institutional capital on multifamily value-add investments and ground-up developments, as well as leading acquisitions across more than $50 million in residential and multifamily real estate.
Kristi King
Growth Sales Manager
Kristi King brings more than 25 years of real estate, investment, asset management, and business development experience—and she still genuinely loves helping people find the right path forward. Throughout her career, she has worked with everyone from individual investors and real estate agents to institutional buyers, hedge funds, and asset managers.
Her broad background gives her a unique ability to simplify complex situations, connect the dots, and make people feel comfortable asking questions. Known for her warm personality, honest communication, and creative problem-solving, Kristi believes the best business relationships are built on trust, responsiveness, and a little bit of fun. At 1031X, she builds meaningful partnerships, supports referral professionals, and helps investors approach time-sensitive real estate opportunities with greater clarity and confidence.