Our Founders

Founding partner Jona Goldrich embodied the American dream. An immigrant to the United States, he started his real estate empire with the simple idea of keeping construction sites clean. What began with a single apartment building in 1957 has grown into one of the most successful housing development and management firms in all of California. Today, Goldrich Kest manages more than 200 properties and employs close to 600 people.

Born in Lvov, Poland in 1927, Mr. Goldrich fled Europe in 1942 to escape the Holocaust. He landed first in Palestine, where he participated in military action that helped assure the creation of Israel in 1948, before immigrating again to Los Angeles. While working as a window installer, he started a business to clean up construction sites. A chance meeting with construction foreman, Sol Kest, led to a partnership lasting more than 50 years.

Mr. Goldrich passed away in June 2016 at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife of 50 years Doretta, their two grown daughters, a son in-law, two grandsons and a granddaughter. During his lifetime, Mr. Goldrich received countless awards and recognition from both civic and private organizations. His legacy lives on in his family foundation, which focuses on Holocaust awareness and education.

Sol Kest was born in 1922 in Wulchowice, Czechoslovakia. Swept up in the horrors of World War II, he survived 9 concentrations camps only to return home and find his entire family had perished. Determined to rebuild his life, he married fellow survivor, Clara Adler, and they began a lifelong journey together. Sol and Clara eventually immigrated to Los Angeles in 1955 with two small children, determination and a willingness to work hard.

Sol began laboring on construction sites. He was quick to recognize incredible opportunities in the Southern California post-war construction boom. A fortuitous meeting with Jona Goldrich grew into a partnership that created one of California’s largest and most diversified real-estate holding and property management firms. Together Jona and Sol realized their vision of providing diverse housing for Californians across all income levels.

Sol and Clara had two more children in Los Angeles. They remained in Los Angeles, forever dedicated to work, family and their community. Their worldwide philanthropic endeavors focused on Jewish education and medical care continues since Sol's passing in 2010.

As President and CEO of The Goldrich Group, Barry Cayton is responsible for the leadership and direction of the Goldrich/Cayton family’s business endeavors. His responsibilities include the oversight of all facets of the family business, including property acquisition and disposition, due diligence, financing, loan-origination, asset allocation, and cash management. Mr. Cayton’s management philosophy emphasizes relentless innovation, a competitive mindset, and professional expertise. His business acumen and solid foundation have resulted in wide success and diversification of the family’s holdings.

In addition to his primary role with The Goldrich Group, Mr. Cayton is also the Founder and President of Audio Command Systems, the West Coast’s premier residential audio, home theater, lighting control, and home automation company, providing state-of-the-art home entertainment systems and D-Cinema Theaters to a discriminating clientele.

Mr. Cayton lives in Bel Air with his wife, Andrea Goldrich Cayton and their three children.

Since the 2010 passing of Sol Kest, his son, Dr. Ezra Kest, stepped into his role as the Kest family’s primary representative on the Goldrich Kest team. He also assumed the role as Chief Executive Officer of Jordinia Operations, Inc., the asset management firm for the Kest Family.

Dr. Kest works with the other members of GK’s management team on acquisitions, major re-positioning and refurbishments of existing properties, and the overall strategic planning of the existing multi-billion Goldrich Kest portfolio of assets.

Dr. Kest worked in a successful, private Dermatology practice in New York City from 1989 to 1993. He subsequently relocated to California and founded the Kest Clinic in Beverly Hills, which he ran until 2011. Dr. Kest is married and he and his wife Lauren have four children.