Prudential John Aaroe Founders to Step Down

John Aaroe and Alan Field, co-founders of brokerage Prudential John Aaroe & Associates that was sold late last year to a San Diego firm, said Monday that they will leave the company’s management team to consider other entrepreneurial possibilities, including establishing an estate sales practice within the company.

Pickford Realty Inc., which does business as Prudential California Realty in San Diego, in December purchased Beverly Hills-based John Aaroe & Associates for an undisclosed price, creating a 60-office brokerage that in 1998 sold more than $7 billion in real estate in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

Field said his and Aaroe’s departure was mutually and amicably agreed upon, and that he and Aaroe will take a month off to ponder their next project.

“John and I are entrepreneurs. We are builders,” Field said, adding that he and Aaroe are contemplating returning to selling estate properties for the company.

Aaroe could not be reached for comment Monday.