Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Barton is responsible for the direct oversight of the financial affairs of American Assets, Inc. and is a member of the Company's Executive Operating Committee.

Mr. Barton has been directly involved in raising over $3 billion in debt and equity through various structured finance transactions over the last 20 years.

Prior to joining American Assets in 1998, Mr. Barton was Executive Director of Real Estate and Finance for Flour Daniel, a Fortune 500 engineering and construction company. Before that, he served as Chief Financial Officer for a privately held real estate developer in Los Angeles for 10 years.

Mr. Barton started his career as a CPA with Ernst & Young (Arthur Young & Co. and then Kenneth Leventhal & Co.,) specializing in the real estate, financial service, hospitality and health care industries. Following an Executive Management certification in mergers and acquisitions from Northwestern University, Mr. Barton was active in M&A structuring and due diligence for the real estate and financial services industries.

Mr. Barton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from California State University Pomona. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California State Society of CPA's, an active member of the Urban Land Institute as well as a member of both International Council of Shopping Centers and California Receivers Forum.