Southwest D.C. & Buzzard Point

Chip Akridge, Founder and Chairman of the commercial real estate firm bearing his name, is an innovator in the industry, a committed advocate of community initiatives in the Washington, DC, region, and a dedicated supporter of philanthropic and charitable organizations. Chip founded the firm in 1974 to specialize in commercial real estate in downtown and suburban Washington, DC. Since then, Akridge has acquired, developed, or entitled more than 14 million square feet of office, industrial flex, residential, retail, and entertainment space in the metro area. As chairman of the company, he is responsible for corporate oversight and strategic planning. He continually focuses on developing the highest-quality products and delivering superior Client service. Chip leads the commercial real estate sector in regulatory, legislative, and financial changes in Washington, DC. He was the first to use the “Woodies Act,” which enables developers to lease the air-rights above and below a public area in order to join properties. Chip was also the first to use the DC Tax Increment Financing Program to build a mixed-use complex that revitalized the city’s downtown core. He worked closely with the city government to develop innovative legislation that created the housing linkage program, Business Improvement Districts, and regulatory guidelines to improve the water quality of the Anacostia River. Chip has served as a member of the Economic Development and Executive Committees of the Federal City Council, and as chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Emergency Preparedness Task Force. He has received numerous industry awards. A strong advocate for the environment, he has served on the Board of Trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Nature Conservancy of Maryland/DC, and various agencies of the city government. Chip testifies frequently in support of environmentally friendly legislation before the DC Council, and the Maryland State House and Senate. He is committed both personally and professionally to sustainable building design – earning numerous Smart Growth awards, more than any other developer, and the LEED Accredited Professional designation. He is also an EPA Energy STAR partner and has been recognized by the Garden Club of America for his environmental work. Chip is a leader in philanthropic and civic organizations throughout the Washington, DC, area. He is the founder and chairman of the Trust for the National Mall, a non-profit created to assist the National Park Service to restore and improve The National Mall. Previous philanthropic leadership initiatives include: chairman of The John Akridge Homeless Foundation, member of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, member of the Board of Trustees of The Georgia Tech Foundation, and member of the President’s Advisory Board of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Chip is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and a Vietnam veteran. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Real Estate Development from Harvard University.

David Orr, founder and Chairman of Orr Partners, possesses 40 years of experience and has been involved in over 20 million square feet of construction projects. Mr. Orr began his career with one of the world’s largest construction companies, Morse Diesel, where he oversaw projects in New York City such as the Park Lane Hotel in Central Park South and 88 Pine Street. After relocating back to the Washington, DC area, Mr. Orr was hired by Marriott International to supervise construction of Marriott Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. Subsequently, Mr. Orr gained additional experience with Richmarr Construction and as Partner for Lee Sammis Associates, where he directed their Washington, DC offices and managed the development of 14 master planned office parks. In 1988, Mr. Orr founded David Orr Associates, the predecessor to Orr Partners, which has grown to be one of the Washington metropolitan area’s top development and project management firms. In 2006, Orr Partners was named to the Washington Business Journal’s Top 10 commercial real estate developers in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Orr Partners has established a reputation for providing all of its clients with the highest quality of independent, impartial, and professional advice and project management expertise. David maintains oversight of the company’s upcoming projects and serves as Principal-in-Charge on key projects. He has been involved in over 35,000,000 SF of construction projects. Mr. Orr’s leads Orr Partners development activities and also provides the firm’s clients with the highest quality of construction and project management services. He brings an extraordinary depth of expertise, creativity, and technical skills and is particularly strong in his knowledge of construction and in contract negotiation. He is recognized for a number of innovations in construction and program management including procedures with cost estimating and analysis, scheduling, contract management, and communications.

Todd Stokes, managing partner of the Tysons, Virginia office, has been with Baker Tilly since 2001. He provides oversight and leadership to the professionals serving the greater Washington, D.C. area and is a member of the firm’s management committee. Todd believes in the teaching culture of Baker Tilly and helps develop client service leaders and Valued Business Advisors. He works across multiple disciplines and teams to provide opportunities to the future leaders of the firm. Experience > Provides leadership, management and strategic direction for the Tysons office including providing insight and advice to client engagement teams, fostering employee development and recruiting and driving growth > Works primarily with owners and financial officers of construction and real estate companies providing business consulting and accounting services > Serves as a Valued Business Advisor to his clients, providing guidance on organizational structure, incentive compensation, estate and succession planning > Engages with his clients to generate specific tax and business planning opportunities, as well as deliver strategic expertise on more complex accounting and advisory matters, based on his extensive construction and real estate experience <p>Click HERE for <a href=" https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddastokes/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p>

Geoffrey Griffis is a real estate developer with extensive background in architecture, urban planning, land use and zoning. A resident of the District of Columbia since 1990, Mr. Griffis has been integrally involved in community and civic activities. In 2005 Mr. Griffis founded CityPartners, a development group focused on the acquisition, design, and development of office, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use real estate.

Sean is the Senior Managing Director, Mid-Atlantic, where he manages the company's development activity for the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to this position, Sean served as a Managing Director. During his career, Sean has been involved in the entitlement, development and construction of over 3,000 multifamily units. Prior to joining Mill Creek, Sean was a Managing Director for Trammell Crow Residential where he was responsible for all phases of the development process for both rental and for-sale multifamily communities. Prior to joining Trammell Crow, Sean was a Senior Project Manager with the civil engineering firm of VIKA, Inc. In this role, Sean’s responsibilities included the design, coordination, management, and approval of multiple development projects throughout the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area. Projects varied from 500 unit multifamily development projects to 200,000 sf commercial redevelopment projects. Sean received his Bachelor of Science Degree from George Mason University in Civil Engineering and his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He is a member of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA), the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He also has served in various capacities with the Northern Virginia Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Holly Hull has more than a decade of experience in real estate development in the Washington metropolitan area and specializes in complex, urban mixed-use projects. She is Vice President of Development at Republic Properties Corporation and in this role is responsible for the planning and development of several high-profile projects in Washington, DC. Throughout her career she has participated in all aspects of development activities, including acquisition, planning, zoning and entitlements, design, finance, construction, marketing, and leasing. Prior to joining Republic in 2014, Ms. Hull was a Vice President of Development at The JBG Companies. In her eight years there, she worked on several large-scale commercial and mixed-use projects including: the American Pharmacists Association Headquarters Building on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC; Central Place and Rosslyn Gateway in Arlington, VA; two downtown Bethesda, MD mixed-use projects; and a 130-acre master plan/rezoning in Alexandria, VA. She successfully obtained zoning approvals for over 2 million square feet in her portfolio. Before JBG, Ms. Hull served as Director of Development at The Jenco Group, a boutique DC development firm focusing on urban sites with close proximity to Metro stations. Ms. Hull holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with concentration in Finance from Georgetown University and a Master’s in Real Estate degree from Georgetown University. She is active with local non-profits, including Arlington Street People Assistance Network (ASPAN) and Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. She is a member of ULI, NAIOP, and CREW.

Founded almost fifty years ago, Ruben Companies and its affiliates are leaders in the development and management of prime real estate, and in the development and marketing of internet business applications. In New York, Washington DC and Boston, Ruben Companies has developed, and continues to own and manage, over five million square feet of prestigious office space and over 1,000 luxury residential apartments. Madison Avenue in New York, Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC and Washington Street in Boston are just a few of the prized addresses represented in its portfolio. Ruben Companies’ tenants include major domestic and international corporations, leading financial institutions, prominent service firms and prestigious retailers. Its latest development plans include two million square feet of residential and commercial projects in the emerging Capitol Riverfront area of Washington DC. Ruben Companies has also been at the forefront in the development and implementation of internet business applications. In 2000, Ruben Companies created Workspeed, whose web-based workflow applications are used in over 500 million square feet of commercial real estate throughout the country. In 2011, Ruben Companies launched skedge.me, an internet-based scheduling application that enables online scheduling for businesses of all sizes. Ruben Companies’ team of talented professionals has expertise in finance, development, land use, leasing, construction, building operations and law. The company has partnered with industry leaders such as Goldman Sachs, Vornado Realty Trust and Related Companies, and has performed consulting services for major hedge funds and other investment companies. Through its various investment vehicles, Ruben Companies also makes selective investments in real estate-related debt and equity, technology and other areas.

Thomas Penny is President of Donohoe Hospitality Services LLC (DHS). As the senior leader of Donohoe Hospitality, Thomas guides the operation of a portfolio of 11 business class hotels, which are affiliated with the Marriott, Hilton, and InterContinental Hotels Group. Thomas’ leadership responsibilities for DHS include strategic planning, overall operational direction, development and acquisition of properties, and long-term financial and capital planning. Thomas is a career hospitality professional with multi-brand hotel experience and a history of achieving above-average results in the areas of employee satisfaction, guest satisfaction, market share and profitability. Thomas joined The Donohoe Companies in 1996 and he has shared a successful 21+ year career with the company in both a developmental and hands-on operational capacity. In his most recent role with Donohoe Hospitality, Thomas served as General Manager at DHS’ Courtyard by Marriott Convention Center (CMCC) where he was responsible for oversight of the hotel’s day-to-day operations, guest service training, and strategic management of financial performance. During his nine year tenure as General Manager, the property achieved the 2nd highest RevPAR of any Marriott brand in the city for four consecutive years (Ritz Carlton excluded). Additionally, the hotel maintained the highest guest satisfaction score of any Courtyard in the city two of the last three years. Prior to his role as CMCC General Manager, Thomas served as Assistant General Manager at DHS’ Holiday Inn Capitol where he shared responsibility for 250 employees and $40 million in annual operating revenues. In this position, Thomas served as the hotel’s guest service culture leader, while also mentoring the growth and development of his staff.

As a founding principal of Lee and Associates, Inc., Mr. Lee holds primary responsibilities in all phases of planning, urban design, and landscape architectural design. His most prominent projects include new cities; public plazas; memorials; master plans for parks; open-space systems; communities; resort and recreational development; campuses and waterfront development. He is widely recognized for his specialty in green infrastructure; sustainable city design; and security sensitive site planning. His focus on design excellence is recognized by his peers and institutions and he has served on numerous design award juries. He is a graduate of University of Virginia School of Architecture with a degree in Landscape Architecture where he recently served as a member of the Board of Managers and a trustee for The Jefferson Scholars Foundation. He was the past president of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Potomac Chapter; and in 2007 was inducted into the Council of Fellows of ASLA for exceptional achievement for completed work. For more than 35 years, Mr. Lee has directed his practice based upon context-sensitive designs of the public realm while infusing his sustainable and conscious designs with ecological, historical, cultural, social, and geopolitical sensitivities. Mr. Lee has previously traveled to Liberia and worked on multiple projects in the region, contributing his experience and expertise to improve and enhance the quality of the public realm. A resident of Washington, DC since the early 1980’s, Jeff has actively participated in the renaissance and the growth of DC and the region. He was appointed by then-Mayor Anthony Williams to the DC Comprehensive Plan Task Force. His work has been published in the Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, Architectural Records, Landscape Architecture Magazine, APA Planning Magazine, as well as several other international publications.

With over a decade of experience, Tom is a trusted advisor and strategic consultant to leadership of non-profits/associations, law firms, and financial services companies, as well as technology and Fortune 500 corporations nationally. He began his career as at Grubb & Ellis and was a multiple-year Top Achiever at The Staubach Company (now JLL) before joining Cresa.

Steve Moore leads the Southwest Business Improvement District as Executive Director, connecting businesses and innovation efforts. Established in 2015, SWBID is a 480-acre cultural, government, and residential area occupying most of the SW quadrant of the District of Columbia. The SWBID employs 30 ambassadors and staff and manages several initiatives, including large-scale beautification programs, homeless outreach, weekend markets, transportation, and public art installations. Prior to working at the SWBID, Steve joined the team of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront LLC (HMW) as a leasing strategist and special projects manager. At HMW, he implemented the local leasing strategy and managed special projects for the 25-acre waterfront development on the Washington Channel. Steve also served as the President and CEO of the Washington, DC Economic Partnership, a non-profit organization promoting business and retail opportunities in the District of Columbia, and frequently worked with the Mayor's Office. Before joining the Economic Partnership, he was the Deputy Executive Director for the Downtown DC Business Improvement District. The majority of Steve's career was with The Rouse Company of Columbia, Maryland. Steve had led several forums and summits throughout his career in efforts to further economic prosperity. He has traveled extensively to study cities, tourism, transportation, climate change, event planning, and business development.

Ross Draber is the chief operating officer of United Bank, a subsidiary of United Bankshares, Inc., a $19.3 billion bank holding company. He is responsible for the performance and profitability of the Bank, directing commercial and consumer banking sales and service operations throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area. Draber oversees the region’s market presidents and works alongside them to drive growth and develop business strategy and execution plans. Draber has played an integral role in United Bank’s expansion since assuming the role in 2015. During that time, United Bank has grown to over 70 branches in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. It has the number one deposit market share among community banks in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Statistical Area. Draber is highly involved with the merger and acquisition team and was instrumental in the Bank’s successful acquisitions of Cardinal Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries George Mason Mortgage, LLC and Cardinal Wealth Services, Inc. (2017); Bank of Georgetown (2016); and Virginia Commerce Bank (2014). Draber previously served as a senior vice president of treasury and corporate finance. In this role, he managed the capital adequacy and regulatory risk of United Bankshares, Inc., serving on the Asset Liability Committee (ALCO) and stress test development team. He oversaw the mergers and acquisitions analysis and supervised commercial loan pricing and term sheet structuring within United Bank. Prior to that, Draber held several positions in treasury and credit administration. Draber is a CFA® charterholder and a 2017 Washington Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. He graduated from Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration.