Future of Alexandria

A founding principal of Stonebridge, Douglas Firstenberg directs firmwide strategic planning, oversees landmark development projects, and plays a key role in major transaction negotiations. Under his leadership, Stonebridge has developed several of the region’s most innovative and successful urban mixed-use properties, including breakthrough transit-oriented developments and public/private initiatives. Mr. Firstenberg has more than thirty-five years of real estate industry experience, leading complex development projects totaling more than 10 million square feet and $4 billion in value. Mr. Firstenberg started his career with K.S. Sweet Associates, a Philadelphia-based real estate and investment firm where he was named partner. In 1993, he co-founded Stonebridge Associates in Washington, D.C., and led the transformation of the firm into an urban infill mixed-use developer. Mr. Firstenberg graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts and currently serves in leadership roles of several industry and charitable organizations.

President and founder of the Paradigm Companies, Stanley manages Paradigm’s daily responsibilities as a full-service development, construction and property management firm. Beyond his Paradigm responsibilities, he also teaches a graduate-level real estate development course during the fall semester at The George Washington University. Before initiating a career in development, Stanley worked in construction lending with Pittsburgh National Bank. An active community member, he is a founder of Rocketship Education (a DC charter school) and serves as both the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Lycoming College and a member of the Board of Trustees for The Washington Center for Academic Studies. Stanley is a longtime supporter of Teach for America in DC and an advocate for affordable housing. He has served on the DC Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force, the Arlington County Housing Commission and the City of Alexandria Affordable Housing Work Group. Stanley is a graduate of Lycoming College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry, and has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jeffrey Zell founded JM Zell Partners, Ltd in 1989, with a unique vision for providing client-centered real estate consulting. Developed over his 30-year career, Jeffrey’s innovative approach to delivering practical solutions while fostering meaningful client relationships forms the core of JM Zell’s value-added process. Jeffrey believes that only by partnering with clients and truly understanding their business as well as their real estate needs, can JM Zell provide long range, comprehensive, unbiased advice. By evaluating factors including a client’s long-term needs, financial objectives, and corporate culture, JM Zell is able to provide customized, proactive and fiscally responsible solutions for major corporations, institutional investors, professional firms, government institutions and not-for-profit organizations. To fully realize his vision, Jeffrey attracted a diverse, multi-disciplinary staff of seasoned professionals, who share in his philosophy – and in the profits of the company, based on client satisfaction and results. This collective approach ensures that everyone at JM Zell works for the common good, and that our client’s best interests are never compromised. Jeffrey has provided strategic planning, investment, lease negotiation, development consulting and project management services for award-winning projects for more than 25 years. Jeffrey's greatest strengths are his creative strategic thinking, business acumen, transactional ability, marketing savvy and financial expertise. A graduate of Syracuse University, Jeffrey is a licensed real estate broker in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Additionally, he is a member of the distinguished Counselors of Real Estate. In April 2013, Jeffrey was named to the National Geographic International Council of Advisors for his specialized knowledge in real estate strategy.

Mr. Hard is the senior executive for LCOR’s Bethesda, MD office, responsible for all Washington, DC metropolitan area development activity. Among his accomplishments are the development of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in Alexandria, VA, the acquisition of the COMSAT campus in Clarksburg, MD, the development of North Bethesda Center at the White Flint Metrorail station in Maryland, and the Oyster School/Henry Adams House in the District of Columbia. Mr. Hard’s affiliation with LCOR dates to 1981 when he joined its predecessor The Linpro Company as a Partner. He subsequently was named Vice President of LCOR upon its founding in 1992, and an Executive Vice President and Principal in 1999. He is actively involved in a number of industry organizations serving on the Executive Committee of the Urban Land Institute’s Washington, DC District Council, Treasurer of Hospice Caring, Inc., and Chairman of the Real Estate Committee of the Montgomery College Foundation. A graduate of Lafayette College, he also was awarded an MA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Steve Smith joined Cooper Carry in 1986 and was named a Principal in 2005. Devoted to the design of multi-tenant office buildings and office campuses, Steve has completed many complex projects during his tenure at Cooper Carry, primarily in mixed-use, office and corporate facilities. A number of Steve’s projects have received recognition including his work on the NASA Langley Research Center Headquarters in Hampton, Virginia which received the 2012 NASA Blue Marble Award for Excellence in Energy and Water Management. Steve is a member of several organizations including the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and is a registered architect.

David R. Millard joined the McLean office of Avison Young as a Principal in April 2011. Formerly, he was an Executive Director with Cushman & Wakefield, which he joined in early 2004. Dave has over 25 years experience in commercial real estate in the Washington Metropolitan area marketplace. He has focused his efforts on landlord representation and corporate tenant representation services throughout the greater Washington Metropolitan area. Dave's experience spans a wide range of real estate transactions on behalf of his clients, including lease acquisitions and dispositions, build-to-suits, investment sales and structured financing. He has been involved in more than 8 million sf of real estate transactions since 1996. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, Dave spent eight years with Transwestern Commercial Services as Senior Vice President of Owner Advisory Services. In that position he specialized in office leasing and sales in Northern Virginia and was a stockholder in the firm. Dave was also a partner at Smithy Braedon during his tenure there from 1984 - 1996. Dave began his real estate career in 1980 with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) where he was an interior design Project Manager. While at SOM, he was the Project Manager for the interior design of the 350,000 square foot Terrace Building expansion of the National Geographic Society Headquarters. In 1982 and 1983, Dave was Director of Interior Design for Ellerbe Associates (now Ellerbe Becket).

Stephanie is President & CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP). Appointed by the Board of Directors in April 2015, Stephanie has held leadership roles in the organization since 2005. In her position, Stephanie provides strategic and financial oversight to two hosted organizations: SBDC and Capitol Post. She also offers advice and information to the Alexandria City Council, Planning Commission and City Departments. Stephanie serves in various capacities on Boards, Commissions and Committees related to economic development, marketing and business throughout the Washington, DC region. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in City & Regional Planning from the University of Virginia, and an MBA from the UVA's Darden School of Business. As an Alexandrian, Stephanie’s favorite thing about the city is the diversity of new boutique fitness studios and restaurants opening up all around

Robert Vaughan, Vice President, Development of JBG SMITH, joined JBG in 2013. He holds more than 9 years of experience in commercial real estate and is responsible for managing mixed-use development projects throughout Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, overseeing JBG SMITH’s developments in Potomac Yard Landbay G. In addition, Mr. Vaughan has been involved with several notable JBG SMITH projects such as 900 16 th Street and Notch 8, as well leading the master planning & valuation effort of the Hoover site, as part of the JBG/Vornado FBI Headquarters pursuit. Prior to joining JBG, he served as a Project Manager for The Gilbane Building Co. He is a member of both NAIOP – Northern Virginia and DCBIA. Mr. Vaughan received his B.S. Mechanical Engineering, from the University of Virginia and his M.B.A. from Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business.

Austin Flajser is in charge of day-to-day operations of The Carr Companies with over 40 executive suite, hotel, commercial and retail assets under management in 8 markets across the country. These assets account for over $180M in annual operating revenue and over $200M of new projects currently in the development pipeline. Austin received his Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University, his Masters in Real Estate from Georgetown University and his Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University.

Bill Dickinson has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate with involvement in nearly every facet of the industry, including construction and property management. Bill now specializes in brokerage, representing retail tenants and landlords in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore markets. Current clients include: Buffalo Wild Wings, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Panera Bread, Potbelly Sandwich Works, J. Alexander’s, AT&T, PNC Bank and Gander Mountain. Bill has completed transactions with Nobu, CVS/pharmacy, US Airways, Bank of America, Ted’s Montana Grill, llMulino, Ann Taylor, Legal Sea Foods, Thomas Pink and Chipotle, among others. Bill works closely with many landlords leasing a variety of retail formats, such as lifestyle centers, open air centers, mixed use properties and retail sites.

Gabriela is a Principal and Designer. With an architectural background, Gabriela approaches her projects comprehensively with a goal of transforming the public realm into a legible, safe, and engaging environment, no matter the size, scope or budget. She is known for her legacy impact on design in many of the firm’s mixed-use, urban infill, public space, residential and commercial projects. She is a senior lead designer who thinks best with pen in hand, and is responsible for project vision creation and storytelling, concept development and project management. She takes clients through successful project zoning entitlements, works with the design teams and municipal staff to convey the sense of place and the rationale behind the big ideas, guiding the projects from concept through full construction documents.

Bob joined Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh in 2015 and is an associate in the firm’s Land Use & Zoning practice group. His practice focuses on securing zoning and land use entitlements including rezonings, special exceptions, special use permits and development special use permits in Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax and the Town of Vienna. Prior to joining Walsh Colucci, Bob gained valuable experience representing condominium and homeowners associations throughout Northern Virginia. Bob graduated from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC after earning a Bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary. He and his family currently reside in Fairfax County.

Kevin Reynolds is Executive Vice President and Regional President, Director of Sales for United Bank, a subsidiary of United Bankshares, Inc. with $14 billion in assets and over 80 branches in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Formerly president and director of sales for Cardinal Financial Corporation, Kevin joined United Bank in April 2017, following its acquisition of Cardinal Bank. Prior to establishing Cardinal Bank with a select group of community bankers in 1998, he held executive and management positions with several leading area financial institutions, including George Mason Bank and American Security Bank. Kevin’s volunteer efforts, business expertise, and hands-on support have helped organizations throughout the area raise funds and awareness for their causes. His contributions have made a difference to organizations as diverse as the American Heart Association, Cornerstones, The Economic Club of Washington, DC, Rotary International, The Gladney Center for Adoption, Children’s Science Center, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Special Olympics, Homestretch and The Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Foundation. He serves as chairman of the United Cardinal Classic, an annual golf tournament that has raised $5.3 million to benefit Inova Kellar Center and community organizations around the area. Kevin’s contributions toward improving the quality of life in the region are widely recognized and reflect his years of service and dedication. He was elected board chairman of the 2015 World Police & Fire Games, the second largest multi-sport event in the world, surpassed only by the Summer Olympic Games. He was awarded the 2012 Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year for Large Businesses, and was finalist for the 2012 Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Executive Leader of the Year. Kevin was named the 2010 Business Citizen of the Year by the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce and was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2009 as one of Washington’s most outstanding fundraising volunteers. That same year, he was honored by Leadership Fairfax with a Regional Leadership Award for fundraising leadership. A graduate of The College of William and Mary, Reynolds earned an MBA in Finance/Business from The George Washington University. He lives in Oakton, Virginia with his wife, Stacey, their two children, and two golden retrievers.

Starting a company before the age of 30 is a feat that some would consider a pipe dream; to Rich Samit, it was just one of his steps on his life’s journey, which he took in 1995 when he founded Fraser Forbes Real Estate Services. When he first started in real estate, his eagerness to learn and his passion for people and relationships formed what would be the core values for Fraser Forbes. Rich believes that land is just dirt until you connect the right people to dream up a vision which results in building transformational communities. His enthusiasm for watching projects come to life from the ground up translates across all aspects of his career – his entrepreneurial intuition and strategic guidance has led to the sustained success of Fraser Forbes, our team, our clients and their projects. As the leading brokerage and advisory firm supporting ground-up development in the DC MSA, Rich leads the charge of a team that has put together several hundred transactions, totaling more than $6 billion in value and accounting for over 200 billion square feet of residential and commercial density. Rich is widely recognized as a subject matter expert in the industry, and frequently presents on regional real estate panels. He has been featured in numerous publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Bisnow, the Washington Business Journal and Globe St. Real estate is not Rich’s only passion. His commitment to supporting others is paramount in both his business and personal life. As a husband, father, and friend, Rich dedicates himself to personal development and growth through organizations such as Young Presidents’ Organization, the Conscious Leadership Group and others.

Rob’s background in urban planning and economics combined with his passion for placemaking and collaboratively building communities for people, not just buildings, drives his perspective and vision. Since 2007, Rob has played a leading role in the successful transformation of Crystal City into a vibrant downtown community that is attracting residents, new businesses, and a wave of new investment by the private sector. Rob’s unique perspective on how the Crystal City area fits within the greater regional context has established the framework for a larger, unified submarket - including Pentagon City and Potomac Yard-Arlington - that when taken together makes the largest walkable downtown in Virginia and similar in scale to the downtowns of Indianapolis, Austin, and San Diego. Outside of Crystal City, Rob has repeatedly demonstrated a knack for quickly learning what makes neighborhoods tick and developing a vision for community action that embraces creativity, efficiency, and partnership building in order to proactively make change, not just advocate for it. In his two years in Norfolk, Virginia, Rob founded a Civic Association and led the reengagement of a prominent downtown professional group’s membership. Upon moving to the Petworth neighborhood in the District of Columbia, Rob launched a farmers market, led numerous community enhancement efforts, co-founded a community-based volunteer organization, and was elected to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. As an engaged citizen and ANC Commissioner, Rob moved forward new bicycle lanes and traffic calming measures, supported community organizations, and advocated for economic development efforts along Georgia Avenue. Rob earned a graduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Tech’s regional campus in Old Town Alexandria. Specializing in Physical Planning and Community Design, Rob focused on how the relationship between the built environment and public space defined the public realm and an area’s sense of place and identity. Rob is also a graduate of Bowdoin College of Brunswick, Maine having earned a degree in Economics and Environmental Studies. Rob resides with his family in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, DC.