North America
Jon Martin is AEW's Chief Executive Officer responsible for the oversight of the firm’s Private Equity & Debt platform, Global Securities platform, Investor Relations team, and Corporate Operations. He chairs the firm’s Senior Leadership Team and is a member of its Investment Committee, Risk Management Committee, and Audit Committee. He is also the executive sponsor of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Jon has nearly 31 years of real estate experience and has been with AEW since 2001. Prior to assuming his role as CEO of AEW Capital Management, Jon became CEO of North America in 2021. He was also the firm’s Chief Operating Officer for a period of three years and also spent ten years as a Portfolio Manager for AEW’s flagship core, open-end strategy. During his time at AEW, he has also served in various roles in the firm’s Asset Management, Accounting & Finance teams. Prior to joining AEW, Jon worked for ten years as a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, in Boston and Minneapolis where he was an auditor and financial consultant specializing in the real estate and mortgage banking industries. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.A.) in Finance and Accounting.
North America
Mike Acton is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s Head of Research with responsibility for directing the activities of AEW Research, the firm’s in-house research group. As one of the founding members of AEW Research in 1990, Mike has over three decades of expertise as an economic analyst and forecaster. The resources offered by AEW Research are an essential component of the firm’s successful investment process. He collaborates closely with senior experts from all sectors of the firm to formulate core through opportunistic equity and debt investment strategies that align clients’ risk and reward objectives with prevailing market prospects. Additionally, he played a vital role in shaping the strategy for AEW's listed securities business, which was launched in 1995. During his career, Mike has also actively contributed to the development of various proprietary research tools, notably playing a key role in the creation of the highly regarded and widely read AEW Relative Value Index. His important contributions to the advancement of research on real estate as an institutional asset class led to his 2023 PREA Graaskamp Research Award¹, a prestigious recognition to those who contribute to the common body of knowledge and insights gained through their significant research. He holds a permanent position on the Investment, Risk Management and Compliance Committees within the organization. Prior to joining AEW, he was with DRI/McGraw-Hill where he managed the Metropolitan Area Forecasting Service. He is a graduate of Bates College (B.A.), and a CFA charterholder, as well as a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society Boston.
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¹PREA members submit nominations for the award. Nominations are reviewed by former winners of the PREA Graaskamp Award, and three finalists are then voted on by the full PREA membership to determine the winner.
North America
Michael Byrne is AEW’s Chief Investment Officer and Head of Private Equity and Private Debt in North America. He has been with AEW since 2003. He is responsible for overseeing all of AEW’s commingled and separate accounts, and direct investments in North America. In this capacity he is responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of the firm’s portfolio management, acquisitions, capital markets and asset management functions in addition to managerial responsibility of the Private Equity Group resources. Michael also serves on AEW’s Investment Committee, Risk Management Committee and Governance Committee in North America, and he is a member of AEW’s Global Investment Committee. Michael plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, he was a member of the real estate team at the Pension Reserve Investment Management Board (“Mass PRIM”), where he managed the pension fund’s real estate and timber portfolios. Prior to that he worked at Citigroup in the real estate investment banking group. Michael is a member of the Urban Land Institute (U.L.I.) and NAREIM, and a graduate of Dartmouth College.
North America
JT Straub is a Managing Director of the firm and Head of AEW Real Estate Securities. He oversees AEW’s securities team in Boston, London, and Singapore. He is a member of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. JT plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. JT brings to AEW over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Principal at CBRE Clarion Securities, where his responsibilities included institutional client coverage, consultant relations and product solutions. He is active within the real estate community and is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA), the Defined Contribution Real Estate Council (DCREC) and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). JT is a graduate of Connecticut College where he earned a B.A. in economics with distinction and government.
North America
Jay Struzziery is a Managing Director at AEW with overall responsibility for the firm’s Investor Relations. His broad experience at the firm includes responsibility for marketing AEW’s investment services and for developing and maintaining client and consultant relationships, as well as strategic partnerships. He is a member of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. Jay plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Jay joined AEW in 2004 from Morgan Stanley and prior to that he was an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Fixed Income Capital Markets group, working with U.S. corporations. Jay graduated from Villanova University (B.A.) and is a CFA charterholder, as well as a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society Boston.
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North America
Seth Berger is the Chief Financial Officer of AEW Capital Management and a Managing Director at the firm. He oversees the corporate finance department, which encompasses corporate accounting, tax, treasury and payroll functions. Seth plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW in early 2018, Seth spent over 18 years at MFS Investment Management in various Corporate Finance positions, the latest being Senior Group Controller and Head of Financial Planning; and before that, he was a Senior Auditor with Arthur Andersen LLP. He is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Management (B.S.B.A.) with a concentration in Accounting.
North America
Piper Sheer is a Managing Director and AEW's Chief People Officer. Piper directs the activities of AEW's Human Resources Group. Piper is a member of AEW's Diversity Equity & Inclusion Steering Committee and plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, she served as the Managing Director for the Global Human Resources Group at State Street Bank. She has more than 31 years of broad-based human resources experience. Prior to that, she spent 15 years in Human Resources at IDG. Piper is a graduate of University of Vermont (B.A.).
North America
Carrie Bellerby is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s Co-General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer. Carrie manages AEW’s legal, regulatory and compliance matters and also oversees AEW’s Insurance Risk Management group. She is a member of the AEW Risk Management Committee, the AEW Compliance and Internal Audit Committees, and the firm's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee. Carrie plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW in 2005, Carrie practiced at the law firm Sullivan & Worcester, LLP, in its Business Law Group. At Sullivan & Worcester, Carrie concentrated in the areas of public company corporate governance, including advising public company clients on SEC regulations, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. Carrie is a graduate of Clark University (B.A.) and Boston College Law School (J.D.).
North America
Jess Bissey is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s Chief Resilience Officer. Jess is responsible for overseeing the evolution of AEW’s Social, Governance and Resilience (ESG) efforts across the firm, driving a cohesive approach to ESG performance and its continued integration into our global investment processes. At AEW, she will implement innovative systems, enhance responsible transparency, and foster the exploration and adoption of best practices, while leading a team of subject matter experts for the firm’s operating partners, investors, property managers, and other vendors. Jess brings with her deep expertise in leading and advising companies on sustainability, governance, social impact, and transformational change with a specific focus on ESG. She is a member of the firm's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee. Jess plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. In her most recent position, Jess was Director of ESG at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she launched and led an enterprise-wide ESG function and was responsible for establishing a data-driven, integrated approach to corporate sustainability, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. While at Booz Allen, she also served as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary. Previously, Jess was Deputy Chair of the Social Enterprise and Impact Investing Practice Group at the global law firm, Morrison & Foerster LLP, and practiced corporate law at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Jess is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.) and Cornell University (B.A.).
North America
Alec Burleigh is a Portfolio Manager in AEW's Private Equity Group, with responsibility for client real estate equity portfolios. He has 37 years of real estate finance and portfolio management experience encompassing all major property types. Alec joined AEW in 1997 as a Senior Portfolio Controller, responsible for the financial reporting and management of real estate separate and co-mingled accounts containing assets throughout the U.S. He later served as Asset Manager for several office and industrial properties. Prior to joining AEW, Alec was employed with First Data Investor Services Group and The Boston Company (1989-1997), where he was a Senior Portfolio Controller, specializing in real estate limited partnerships. Prior to that, he was employed at Boston Federal Savings Bank (1986-1989). Alec is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (B.A.).
North America
Sara Cassidy is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Portfolio Management for the firm’s Private Equity Group. In this capacity, she is responsible for the oversight of all portfolio management activities across strategies and separate accounts. Sara is also a Senior Portfolio Manager for the firm’s open-end, core property strategy, where she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the strategy's investments and operations as well as working closely with investor relations on marketing and providing support to investors. She is also a member of the firm’s Investment, Risk Management, Talent, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committees. Prior to joining AEW in 2018, Sara worked with J.P. Morgan Asset Management since 2006, and she most recently held the title of Executive Director. In that role, she was responsible for the origination, structuring, negotiating and underwriting of investment transactions in the Northeast, focusing on acquiring core, value-add, and opportunistic real estate. Prior to J.P. Morgan, she had affordable housing equity investment experience with Related Capital. Sara holds a B.A. in finance from Boston College and serves as a council member for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is a Management Committee member for ULI Boston, is a past President and current active member of NAIOP Massachusetts and is an Advisory Board Member for The Boston College Real Estate Council.
North America
Redmond Costello is a Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer at AEW. In this capacity, he is responsible for both the day-to-day management and operations of technology infrastructure and information systems across all of AEW’s U.S. and international offices. This includes defining IT initiatives, developing and implementing IT strategy, overseeing system implementations, ensuring availability and support of technology infrastructure and managing all technology related expenses and acquisitions. Redmond plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining the firm, Redmond worked for eight years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where he was an auditor and systems consultant specializing in the real estate industry. Redmond is a graduate of Holy Cross (B.A.) and Northeastern University (M.S., M.B.A.). He is also a former CPA in Massachusetts.
North America
Tony Crooks is a Managing Director at AEW and Senior Portfolio Manager for AEW's opportunistic strategy with responsibility for investment origination and asset management, as well as assisting in overseeing the strategies' operations and strategic direction. Tony is a member of AEW’s Investment Committee and Risk Management Committee. Since 2000, he has invested and managed office, multifamily residential and mixed-use sectors. He is currently responsible for office, retail, residential, industrial and debt acquisitions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida Markets. He also leads AEW's opportunistic strategy in all healthcare related investments and asset management domestically and in Canada. During his tenure at AEW, Tony has been involved in acquisitions, dispositions, financing, asset management and portfolio management for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types across North America. Prior to joining AEW in 2000, Tony served as an Equity Analyst with Thomson Financial. He currently is a member of the American Senior Housing Association (ASHA) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a graduate of Northeastern University (B.S.B.A.) and a CFA charterholder.
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North America
Marc Davidson is an Executive Managing Director of AEW Private Equity in North America and serves on the firm’s Investment Committees and Risk Management Committees for the U.S. and APAC regions. Previously Marc was the Head of AEW's opportunistic strategy group, where he was responsible for overseeing the resources, strategic direction, investment strategy and portfolio management. He has over 42 years of experience in real estate portfolio and asset management, investment acquisition and structuring, property management and development, including extensive experience working with national developers and large institutional property owners. Prior to joining AEW, Marc worked at Coopers & Lybrand as a Senior Manager in the Real Estate and Reorganization Groups, where his areas of expertise included financial analysis and planning, forecasting, development of internal management controls, deal structuring, and investment analysis. Prior to that, he served as a commercial real estate controller at several real estate development and management companies, including Winthrop Management, The Linpro Company and Charter Development Company. Marc is a graduate of Bentley College (B.S.).
North America
Al Della Porta is a Managing Director and Head of AEW’s Capital Market Group with responsibility for financings, subordinate debt investment originations, and strategic asset dispositions on behalf of the firm’s institutional clients. Since joining AEW in 1998, he has executed capital market transactions including project and entity level financings as well as mezzanine and B-note investments across various markets and property types including multifamily, industrial, office, senior housing and hotels. Al plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, he worked for Konover & Associates, a private retail developer. Al is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate & Urban Economics. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and Mortgage Bankers Association.
North America
Mike Dopler is a Director within AEW’s private equity group. Mike is a separate account Portfolio Manager, responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and operations, and a Senior Acquisitions Officer, responsible for sourcing and closing new acquisition and development opportunities. Mike has over 18 years of broad real estate experience primarily focused on acquisitions and development but including portfolio management, asset management, dispositions, and restructurings. Mike joined AEW in 2006 from The Bascom Group, where he focused on value-added multifamily acquisitions in California, Colorado, Texas, and Georgia. He is currently a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and National Multifamily Housing Council. Mike earned a B.A. in Business Administration at California State University, Fullerton.
North America
Josh Heller is a Managing Director within AEW's Private Equity Group and also on the firm's Investment Committee. He plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Josh is the head of Eastern U.S. Acquisitions and oversees a team of acquisitions professionals with the responsibility of sourcing, underwriting, negotiating, and closing new acquisition and development opportunities across the eastern half of the U.S. Since joining AEW in 2011, Josh has completed a wide variety of deal structures including direct real estate acquisitions, speculative ground-up developments, joint venture partnerships and structured financings. In his time at AEW, he has assisted with portfolio management duties for one of the firm’s institutional clients, a large private pension, as well as helped launch AEW’s cold storage platform. Josh is a member of Urban Land Institute (U.L.I.) and a graduate of Cornell University (B.A.) (M.S.A) (Real Estate Finance).
North America
Lily Kao is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Asset Management for the firm’s Private Equity Group. In this capacity, she is responsible for the oversight of all asset management activities across all strategies and separate accounts. Lily is also a Senior Portfolio Manager for the firm’s open-end, core property strategy, where she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the portfolio's investments and operations as well as working closely with investor relations on marketing and providing support to the Fund’s investors. She has been with the firm since 1998 and is a member of AEW’s Investment and Risk Management Committees. Lily plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Lily serves as a Council Member for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.
North America
Julie Kittler is a Director and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group, responsible for co-managing AEW's essential housing income strategy, which focuses exclusively on multifamily investments. Ms. Kittler is also the Head of Multifamily Asset Management. She leads a team of multifamily and housing asset management specialists who are responsible for the management of apartment units. In addition, Julie has been actively involved with developing, incorporating and enhancing AEW’s resiliency practices across AEW’s platform and multifamily properties. Ms. Kittler joined the firm in 1993 and has 30 years of institutional real estate advisory experience in a variety of property types across the country. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts (B.A. Economics).
North America
Dillon Lorda is a Director and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group, responsible for co-managing the AEW's essential housing income strategy, which focuses exclusively on multifamily investment. Prior to joining AEW, Dillon was a Managing Member of Conrad Investment Management, where he utilized research-based metrics to target specific segments of the multifamily sector that were expected to have resilient income potential and led a team focused on underwriting and structuring those transactions. In 2009, he joined Pension Consulting Group (now part of Meketa Investment Group), as a Managing Director, consulting on a non-discretionary basis for the real estate accounts of major institutional investment plans. Dillon’s prior roles included development, sourcing and underwriting of real estate assets focused on residential properties at both Del Mar Development and Time Equities. Before starting his real estate career in 2006, Dillon spent six years in international agricultural trading with Bunge and ED&F Man. He is a graduate of Hamilton College (B.A.) and New York University (M.S. Real Estate Finance).
North America
Shirley McCrohan is a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group focusing on the management and support of office, industrial, retail and multifamily assets. Shirley joined the firm in 2012 and has ten years of real estate experience spanning portfolio management, asset management and accounting. She is a graduate of Cornell University (B.S. Economics) and Northeastern University (MBA/MSA) and holds the designations of Certified Public Accountant, inactive, and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
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North America
Patrick McLaughlin is a Director of the firm and a Portfolio Manager within AEW's Private Equity Group. As a Portfolio Manager for AEW’s separate account clients, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the investments and operations of institutional client portfolios. Prior to joining AEW, Patrick worked at Long Wharf Capital, most recently holding the title of Director of Investments. In that role, he was responsible for the origination, underwriting, structuring and negotiating of investment transactions. He also retained responsibility for all key strategic decisions being made on behalf of those investments. Prior to Long Wharf Capital, Patrick was a Vice President at CIBC Private Wealth Management, serving as a senior member of the investments team. Patrick is a graduate of MIT Sloan School of Management (MBA.) and Tufts University (B.A. Economics). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
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North America
Mark Morrison is a Director of the firm and a Portfolio Manager in AEW’s Private Equity Group. Mark is responsible for managing portfolio assets across the core and value-added spectrum that represent all major property types and most significant U.S. markets, in addition to sales and new acquisitions. Mark has 19 years of real estate experience spanning portfolio management, acquisitions and accounting. Prior to transitioning to the role of Portfolio Manager, Mark served as an acquisition specialist for several years responsible for sourcing, underwriting, negotiating and closing new investment opportunities. Prior to that, Mark was based in AEW’s Singapore office where he served as Financial Controller for a pan-Asian closed-end strategy. Prior to joining AEW in 2008, he was a Senior Accountant at Ernst and Young, with a primary focus on publicly traded REIT’s. Mark has a B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College and is a Certified Public Accountant, inactive. Mark is also a CFA charterholder.
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North America
Tom Mullahey is a Managing Director of the firm and co-heads the firm's Acquisitions, leading the Western U.S. sourcing efforts. Tom is also a member of the firm’s Investment and Risk Management Committees. Tom plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. He has 40 years of real estate experience and is responsible for overseeing the management of a variety of investment assets, located primarily in the western U.S. Tom is also involved in sourcing and underwriting office and industrial investment opportunities in West Coast markets. He joined the firm in 1995 after spending ten years at L.J. Melody and Company as correspondent to Copley Real Estate Advisors and New England Mutual Life Insurance Company. Tom is a member of the Urban Land Institute (U.L.I) and a graduate of the University of Arizona (B.S.).
North America
Lauren O’Neil is the Chief Operating Officer of AEW Capital Management and a Managing Director of the firm. Lauren has responsibility of AEW’s day-to-day operations, including working with the firm’s Investor Relations, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology groups. In addition, she is responsible for developing, maintaining, and expanding key relationships for the firm nationwide. As a Managing Director, Lauren plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Lauren is a member of AEW's Risk Management Committee. Prior to joining AEW, Lauren was a Senior Managing Director and Boston office Co-Head at JLL (and previously HFF) since 2018. Her primary responsibilities included managing day-to-day operations of the capital markets business, in addition to deal origination. She spent the previous 13 years as a Senior Director, Director and Analyst at the firm. Lauren is a Board Member and former President of the Real Estate Finance Association (REFA); National Forum Member, MA Chapter Board and Gavel Member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP); and a Member of IOPC Green Product Council for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She is actively involved in community initiatives and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Heading Home, Hill House and The Advent School. Lauren is a graduate of Boston College (B.A.).
North America
Justin Pinckney is the Head of Private Debt at AEW. Justin is a member of AEW's Debt Investment Committee. Prior to joining AEW in 2022, he was a Principal with Mercer Alternatives where he served as Head of Private Debt, North America and was a member of the Private Debt Investment Committee and Ratings Review Committee. Previously with Mercer, Justin served as a lead researcher within North American real estate and as consultant on select client relationships. Before Mercer, he was Deputy Chief Investment Officer with Michelin North America. Justin started his career as an underwriter for commercial real estate and lower middle market commercial and industrial lending at First Citizens Bank. Justin graduated from Wofford College (B.A.) and is a CFA charterholder, as well as a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society South Carolina.
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North America
Adam Schwank is a Director in AEW’s Private Equity Group and Portfolio Manager for AEW's cold storage strategy. In this capacity, he is responsible for the strategy’s portfolio construction and risk analysis, the seamless integration with the Fund’s dedicated cold storage operating platform and working closely with investor relations providing support to the investors. Prior to transitioning to the role of Portfolio Manager, Adam served as an acquisition specialist and was responsible for the origination, underwriting and structuring of real estate investment transactions in Florida, as well as retail opportunities across the East Coast. He brings to his position 17 years of real estate experience, and while at AEW, has completed transactions that involved a variety of deal structures. Adam joined AEW in 2011 as an Asset Manager in the retail group where he managed, repositioned and sold multiple shopping center investments. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in asset management at Bentall Kennedy responsible for industrial, office and retail properties. Adam is a graduate of Northern Arizona University (B.S.) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S.) where he remains actively involved at the MIT Center for Real Estate as a teaching assistant for graduate level courses focused on real estate contracts.
North America
Steven Sechko is a Managing Director and a Portfolio Manager in AEW's opportunistic strategy group with responsibility for investment origination and asset management on the East Coast. During his tenure at AEW, Steven has been involved in acquisitions, asset management, dispositions, and financing for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types and strategies across the U.S. At AEW, Steven has been involved in acquisition transactions across the risk/return spectrum. Steven plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Steven joined the firm in March 2002. Prior to joining AEW, Steven worked for Citigroup in their Financial Management Leadership Development Program. Steven is a graduate of Boston College (B.S.).
North America
Neal Sharma is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s co-General Counsel. Neal manages AEW's legal, regulatory and compliance matters and is also a member of the AEW Risk Management Committee. Neal plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, Neal practiced at the law firm Goodwin, LLP, in its Real Estate and Private Investment Funds groups. Prior to joining Goodwin, Neal provided legal and consulting services to the affordable housing and supportive services firm Cascap, Inc. Prior to attending graduate school, Neal was an analyst at the information technology service and consulting firm Accenture. Neal is a graduate of Boston University (B.S., Biomedical Engineering), University of Michigan Law School (J.D.), and University of Michigan Ross School of Business (M.B.A.).
North America
Dana Spires is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Fund Operations for the firm's North American and Asia Pacific commingled strategies platform. In this capacity, Dana is responsible for all operational aspects from the strategies’ structuring, initial setup and overseeing efficiencies in the asset management and accounting functions. Dana has expertise in the establishment, administration and management of a variety of client investment accounts, including the management of one of AEW’s senior housing separate accounts, and the AEW's Core Plus/Value-Add strategy and AEW's Asia Pacific Core/Core Plus & Value-Add Strategy. Dana plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. He joined the firm in 2000 as Controller within the firm’s Private Equity Group. Prior to AEW, Dana was the Controller of Leggat McCall Retirement Properties, where he assisted in the development, construction, acquisition, financing and management of assisted and senior living communities throughout New England. He is the former Vice-Chair of the NCREIF Performance sub-committee and a member of the National Investment Center for Senior Housing & Care Industry. Dana is a graduate of Thiel College (B.A.).
North America
Brian Sunday is a Managing Director of the firm and Portfolio Manager for the AEW senior housing investment strategy. In his role as Portfolio Manager, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the seniors housing portfolios. Brian plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Since joining the AEW's acquisitions team in 2005, he has completed investments in the senior housing sector, including age-restricted, independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities in metropolitan markets throughout the U.S. Before joining AEW, Brian worked at AMC Delancey Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Brian is a graduate of Villanova University (B.S.).
North America
Gina Szymanski is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager in the firm’s Real Estate Securities Group where she is also a member of the Global Securities Allocation Committee. Gina plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, Gina worked at Putnam Investments for over 15 years where she was the REIT portfolio manager for Putnam's Research Fund, a senior member of the Global Equity Research team, and a portfolio member of the Quantitative Equity Research team. Prior to joining Putnam Investments, Gina held finance positions at CIBC World Markets and Matson Driscoll & Damico Ltd. In 2019, Gina was selected as the winner of Bonhill’s 2019 Women in Asset Management Award¹ for the Real Estate category. Gina earned an Honors Bachelor of Mathematics in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Science in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. She is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society Boston.
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¹ Nominations are open to asset management professionals across industries and are judged by a panel of senior women in the industry. Nominations are only considered for candidates living and working within the USA. Nominations are open for all: individuals can nominate themselves or someone else. No fees were paid to participate in the nomination process.
North America
Matt Tracy is a Director of the firm and Portfolio Manager within AEW's Private Equity Group. He has over 37 years of experience in real estate investment management and finance and is responsible for managing two separate accounts. Matt joined AEW in 1996 as a Portfolio Controller, responsible for the financial reporting, management, and disposition of client assets throughout the U.S. He later served as Asset Manager for a several office, industrial, and independent living properties. Prior to joining AEW, Matt worked at Saunders Real Estate Corporation, specializing in commercial, residential and condominium property management. He is a Certified Commercial Investment Manager (CCIM), a member of the New England CCIM network, and is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts (B.A.).
North America
Jonathan Watson is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager in the AEW's opportunistic strategy group with responsibility for investment origination and asset management on the West Coast. Jonathan plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. During his 17-year tenure at AEW he has been involved in the acquisition, disposition, financing, and asset management for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types. Prior to joining AEW, Jonathan was with Thomas Properties Group (NASD: TPGI), where he was involved in acquisitions, asset management, leasing and development services for a multi-million square foot office portfolio. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business (B.S.)
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific
Jeff Furber joined AEW in 1997 and from 1999 to 2020 served as Global Chief Executive Officer. In 2020, Mr. Furber transitioned from Global Chief Executive Officer to the newly created role of Global Chairman, primarily overseeing the completion of a firm-wide leadership succession plan. He retired from AEW in 2023.
Under his leadership, AEW experienced extraordinary growth, expanding from a small U.S.-focused firm with $8 billion of assets under management to a $90 billion1 global real estate platform with 18 offices and over 800 professionals offering institutional investors diversified real estate strategies in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Mr. Furber is a member of the Board of STAG Industrial Inc. (NYSE: STAG), the Boston Children's Hospital Trust; and the Ogunquit Playhouse, as well as a former member of the Board of The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HHH). He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.
1 As of June 30, 2023. AEW includes (i) AEW Capital Management, L.P. and its subsidiaries and (ii) affiliated company AEW Europe SA and its subsidiaries. AEW Europe SA and AEW Capital Management, L.P. are commonly owned by Natixis Investment Managers and operate independently from each other. Total AEW AUM of $90.7 billion includes $41.9 billion in assets managed by AEW Europe SA and its affiliates, $5.3 billion in regulatory assets under management of AEW Capital Management, L.P., and $43.5 billion in assets for which AEW Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates provide (i) investment management services to a fund or other vehicle that is not primarily investing in securities (e.g., real estate), (ii) non-discretionary investment advisory services (e.g., model portfolios) or (iii) fund management services that do not include providing investment advice. Staff and offices include AEW Capital Management, L.P. and AEW Europe SA and their respective subsidiaries.
North America
Katie Johnson Bergen is a Senior Vice President of the firm in AEW’s Investor Relations Group with responsibility for capital formation, client service and broader firm initiatives. Katie joined AEW in 2024 from Corten Real Estate, where she served as a Principal of Capital Strategies. Before that, she was Senior Director of Capital Strategies and Investor Relations at Sagard Real Estate (formerly known as EverWest Real Estate Investors), fundraising for core through value-added mandates and debt strategies. Prior to Everwest, she spent eight years at CenterSquare Investment Management in a variety of roles, most recently as Director of Capital Markets, focused on capital raising for multiple strategies. Katie earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, double majoring in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, and Finance, Investment, and Banking. She serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Board of the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association (WREAA) as Vice President of Finance. She is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) and its Capital Markets Affinity Group. She is a Founder and Board Member of Project Elevation, an institutional real estate industry group supporting inclusion initiatives, and a Founder and Executive Committee Member of Real Estate Women of Denver (REWD).
North America
Chad Nettleship is a Vice President of the firm in AEW’s Investor Relations Group with responsibility for marketing AEW’s investment capabilities to the insurance industry. Chad joined AEW in 2022 from PIMCO, where he was focused on developing relationships with insurance clients and delivering customized investment solutions. Prior to that, he was with State Street Global Advisors working in their exchange-traded fund (ETF) group where he led the buildout of their insurance distribution efforts and engaged with insurance regulators / industry groups on statutory accounting matters. Chad holds an undergraduate degree in finance and marketing from the University of New Hampshire and is both a CFA and CAIA charterholder.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by the CFA Institute. CAIA®, CAIA Association®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association® are the exclusive service marks of the CAIA Association.
North America
Melanie Warren is a Vice President of the firm in AEW Investor Relations with responsibility for developing and maintaining client and consultant relationships with respect to AEW’s investment services and offerings. Melanie joined AEW in 2024 from JPMorgan where she most recently served as an ETF Sales Specialist within the firm’s North America Institutional business, managing new & existing institutional relationships that contributed to the growth of the ETF and broader platform. Prior, Melanie was a Relationship Manager where she was responsible for strategic broker relationships across JPMorgan’s product and business lines. Melanie holds a B.S. from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business with a dual degree in Finance & Accounting.
North America
Brooke Pinault is a Vice President of AEW Investor Relations with responsibility for overseeing the team’s Client Service efforts. She also contributes to the broad marketing and client/consultant support efforts, with a focus on marketing collateral, sponsorships and events. Brooke has been with AEW since 2010. She is a graduate of Fairfield University and holds a Certificate in Real Estate Finance from Boston University.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by the CFA Institute. CAIA®, CAIA Association®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association® are the exclusive service marks of the CAIA Association.