Fireside Chat: Baltimore on the Rise

Discussion on downtown revitalization, attracting talent and employers, and the partnerships needed to position Baltimore for long-term growth

• 

  P. David Bramble

  P. David Bramble has been working in real estate investment for over 20 years. He dedicates his time to sourcing & capitalizing transactions and overseeing project underwriting and execution. As a corporate and real estate attorney by training, David brings a deep knowledge of all aspects of the real estate cycle. Prior to MCB, David served as the director of commercial lending for a regionally based full-service lending firm –Madison Funding – which he co- founded in 2000. Prior to devoting all his time to commercial real estate investment, David practiced law in the transactions group of Steptoe & Johnson LLP where he provided corporate and real estate advisory services. His practice focused on complex workouts, primarily in the real estate and financial products space. David serves as the Chairman of the Board of Lendistry, a fintech enabled CDFI focused on providing small business capital to underserved communities nationwide. He serves on the investment committee and board of the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation which invests in innovative people, projects, and ideas that improve the quality of life in Baltimore and beyond. He also serves on the boards of Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, UPENN Institute for Urban Research, The Abell Foundation, and Baltimore Tree Trust. David received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and A.B. from Princeton University. David received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and an A.B. from Princeton University.

  MCB Real Estate

  Co-Founder & Managing Partner

  Keynote

  P. David Bramble

  Co-Founder & Managing Partner

  MCB Real Estate

• 

  Mohan Suntha

  Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, advances UMMS' mission to deliver exceptional care, train health professionals and support community wellness. He leads UMMS' many employees and oversees its network of academic, community and specialty hospitals and other health care clinics across the state. Under Dr. Suntha's leadership, UMMS leverages its size and scale to ensure that its innovations and discoveries translate into compassionate, patient-centric care for the people of Maryland. He led the organization through the tumultuous years of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis unfolded, he and the UMMS leadership team rallied team members, empowering them to find better ways to serve and protect the communities where they live and work. At the same time, his vision for how UMMS can transform the way Marylanders access high-quality healthcare coalesced, as the lessons of the pandemic both informed new solutions and shone a light on existing gaps in health equity in the United States. Dr. Suntha has served UMMS for his entire career. In 1991, he arrived at its flagship academic medical center, University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), as a radiation oncology resident, ready to harness the life-saving discoveries of his chosen field for the benefit of cancer patients. Previously, Dr. Suntha served as president and CEO of UMMC and, before that, University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. In 1995, Dr. Suntha joined the faculty of the University of Maryland Medical School, where he developed a national reputation for the management of head and neck and thoracic malignancies. In 2008, Dr. Suntha became a tenured professor and was awarded the inaugural Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Suntha is a member of the American College of Radiation Oncology and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University. In 2009, he earned his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and was named vice president of system program development. Dr. Suntha has maintained faculty and clinical appointments throughout his administrative roles.

  University of Maryland Medical System

  President and Chief Executive Officer

  Keynote

  Mohan Suntha

  President and Chief Executive Officer

  University of Maryland Medical System

Investing in Baltimore’s Future

Unlocking the unique development and redevelopment opportunities does Baltimore provide and how are investors approaching the region

• 

  Mark Caplan

  Mark Caplan, is a Baltimore native active in real estate investment and management as well as equipment and vehicle financing in the region. He is the President and CEO of The Time Group, a real estate equity firm where he has worked since the mid-1970s. The Time Group has interests in approximately 7,500 units of multi-family, manufactured housing, and senior living. He is also a founder and is currently the Chairman of WPM Real Estate Management, a manager of multi- family properties as well as other property types currently comprising in excess of 23,000 units. In addition to his real estate activities, Mr. Caplan is Chairman of the Management Committee of Madison Capital, an independent vehicle and equipment financing firm. Mr. Caplan is a member of the Board of Directors at Capital Bank, (NASDAQ, CBNK). Mr. Caplan is active in the non- for-profit community in Baltimore, having served or currently serving on the Boards of The Walters Art Museum, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, The Bryn Mawr School, The Enoch Pratt Free Library, The Gilman School, Center Stage, B.E.S.T., Charles Street Development Corp., Real Estate Advisory Board of Columbia Business School, and St. Ignatius Loyola Academy. Mr. Caplan graduated from Gilman School in 1976 and Johns Hopkins University in 1981 where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences. He received his Master of Business Administration from the Columbia Business School in 1983, which he attended as a Dean’s Fellow.

  Time Group

  CEO

  Mark Caplan

  CEO

  Time Group

• 

  Doug Schmidt

  Doug's love for Lego and block construction made it clear from an early age that he was destined for a career in real estate development. As the founding principal of WorkShop Development, Doug has channeled his creative leanings and passion to bricks and mortar projects in the rapidly changing urban landscape of Baltimore. After graduating from Duke University, Doug spent 16 years at CB Richard Ellis as a broker focusing on landlord representation and national corporate assignments. Doug co-founded Chesapeake Real Estate Group in 2005 and further honed his focus on urban and suburban development with the founding of WorkShop Development in 2014. Doug is also an expert in Brownfield development. Doug is active both in the Baltimore real estate industry and local community. He is the Vice Chair of the Southeast Community Development Corporation working to improve the lives of all Baltimoreans.

  WorkShop Development

  Principal

  Doug Schmidt

  Principal

  WorkShop Development

• 

  Mark Anthony Thomas

  Mark Anthony Thomas is President & CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), the leading voice of the private sector in the Baltimore Region. In his three-year tenure, Mark has repositioned GBC as the region’s business-civic engine—uniting more than 300 partners behind the first 10-Year Economic Opportunity Plan, building a stronger platform for business investment and innovation, advancing strategies to tackle vacant housing and public safety, introducing Bold Moves, the region’s first unified economic brand, and integrating UpSurge Baltimore, BLocal, and the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore into the GBC.

  Greater Baltimore Committee

  President and CEO

  Mark Anthony Thomas

  President and CEO

  Greater Baltimore Committee

• 

  Jeremy Watson

  Jeremy Watson is Senior Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer at Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). He is a real estate development and infrastructure leader with over 15 years of experience delivering complex, large-scale projects across the public and private sectors. His work spans residential, commercial, mixed-use, and infrastructure development, with a particular focus on adaptive reuse, urban infill, transit-oriented development, and projects that require close coordination between public agencies and private capital. Jeremy has led development programs and transactions across the full project lifecycle—from early feasibility, underwriting, and capital structuring through entitlements, design, financing, and delivery. He brings deep expertise in financial analysis and risk management, having underwritten and executed institutional-quality investments and prepared investment cases that inform capital allocation decisions. His experience includes structuring and managing public-private partnerships, negotiating commercial and development agreements, and aligning diverse stakeholder interests to move complex projects forward. Most recently, Jeremy served as Principal of Watson Cohen, a privately-owned real estate development and asset management firm, where he led strategy, design, and development. Previously, Jeremy served as Senior Manager of JFK Infrastructure & Strategy, where he managed cross-functional workstreams, advised executive leadership, and helped mitigate material commercial and delivery risk for JetBlue Airway’s $4.2 billion, 1.2 million SF terminal redevelopment at JFK International Airport. Prior to that he worked for PGIM Real Estate in both New York and London across their institutional equity, mezzanine debt, and impact investing platforms. His background also includes significant public-sector experience for Arlington County, Virginia, where he oversaw a portfolio of major transportation infrastructure projects. Jeremy holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master of Urban & Regional Planning from Virginia Tech, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a former member of American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), bringing a rare combination of technical rigor, financial discipline, and development perspective to every project.

  Baltimore Development Corporation

  SVP & Chief Real Estate Officer

  Jeremy Watson

  SVP & Chief Real Estate Officer

  Baltimore Development Corporation

• 

  Patrick Terranova

  Patrick Terranova serves as Vice President of Economic Development at Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) - Downtown Baltimore's business improvement district. Patrick oversees a diverse portfolio of business attraction/retention initiatives, capital projects, and commercial revitalization programs, and serves as a conduit for the business and development community in support of investment opportunities within downtown's core. Before joining DPOB, he was a Development Manager at Caves Valley Partners (CVP) and played a critical role in the revitalization of the Village of Cross Keys - Jim Rouse's original master-planned, mixed-use community that has undergone a complete turn-around in the past five years through a combination of major renovations and infrastructure upgrades, new construction, and re-tenanting. Prior to his time at CVP, he was a Senior Director at Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), where he served as project manager for the Port Covington TIF, led RFP and property disposition efforts, and oversaw a variety of public-private partnerships and business assistance initiatives. Patrick holds a Master's in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech, a Bachelor's Degree from La Salle University, and - most importantly - a high school diploma from Mount Saint Joseph.

  Downtown Partnership of Baltimore

  VP, Economic Development

  Patrick Terranova

  VP, Economic Development

  Downtown Partnership of Baltimore

• 

  Matthew Rothstein

  Matthew Rothstein is a partner in Citrin Cooperman’s Owings Mills office. He offers a creative advisor approach to his clients in order to maximize business value and personal wealth by providing business advisory and sophisticated tax planning for businesses and high net worth families. Matt has more than 15 years of experience, allowing him to be involved in all areas of client service, including business and personal strategic tax planning, succession, estate and gift planning, choice of entity, mergers, acquisitions, and interactions with government agencies on tax related matters. He has experience in a variety of industries, including commercial and residential real estate, construction, technology, automotive, government, and distribution, as well as high net worth families.

  Citrin Cooperman

  Partner

  Moderator

  Matthew Rothstein

  Partner

  Citrin Cooperman

Assessing Baltimore's Assets

Discover what asset classes and projects have remained maintained strong fundamentals and are driving growth in the city

• 

  Cheryl Washington

  Cheryl Washington is the President and Chief Executive Officer for East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI), which is the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization charged with overseeing the $1.8 billion revitalization of an 88- acre portion of East Baltimore adjacent to the Johns Hopkins medical campus. EBDI was established in 2002 by the Mayor and Baltimore City Council with the mission of positively transforming a targeted East Baltimore neighborhood by creating new and enhanced economic, housing, employment, business and human development opportunities for current and future residents. As President and CEO, Ms. Washington provides the vision and leadership necessary to implement the master plan for this large mixed-used and mixed-income community revitalization effort. Ms. Washington has been with EBDI since 2004 and has provided leadership on every aspect of the organization by always keeping the core values of community engagement, economic inclusion, and responsible redevelopment at the forefront of every decision. Harnessing the strength and power of this public-private partnership, Ms. Washington prides her leadership style as being collaborative, inclusive, and solution-oriented. In addition to overseeing the administrative, financial and operational functions of the organization, Ms. Washington serves as the lead negotiator in real estate development transactions and sets the programmatic and policy agenda for EBDI’s human and community services work. During her tenure, EBDI was the 2020 recipient of the Greater Baltimore Committee’s 2020 Bridging the Gap Achievement Award in Diversity in Leadership. Prior to her current appointment, Ms. Washington was the Chief Operating Officer at EBDI and had the primary responsibility of advising the President & CEO and other key members of the executive and senior management team on operational, administrative, human resources, internal and external communications, economic inclusion and workforce development. She served as the management liaison to the Board of Directors and the various Board committees and served as Corporate Secretary. In addition, she served as grants manager and liaison to funders and other stakeholders regarding grant applications, reporting, payments, and other matters that may arise; as well as the liaison to external stakeholders regarding communications, marketing and branding strategies and the planning of all events to be held in the EBDI project area. Ms. Washington also managed economic inclusion and workforce development programming, policy development, and compliance monitoring. Under her leadership, EBDI has exceeded its goals related to local and minority business contracting and local hiring. Moreover, EBDI’s economic inclusion and workforce development model has been commended by Congressman Cummings as setting the pace for inclusion across the country and has been emulated by other redevelopment projects and jurisdictions. Prior to EBDI, Ms. Washington was the Executive Director of Aunt Hattie’s Place, Inc., a residential leadership program for boys in foster care that her mother, Dr. Hattie Washington, founded. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 1996 and was admitted to the Maryland State Bar later that same year. She graduated magna cum laude from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. Ms. Washington currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the East Baltimore Community School and the Advisory Board of Fulton Bank, National Association. From 2011 through 2014, she was a Mayoral appointed member of the Governing Board for Baltimore City Head Start and served as Secretary and Chairof the Board during her tenure. Previous board service was with Outward Bound and Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. In 2013, Ms. Washington was honored to be a recipient of the Daily Record’s Top 100 Women of the Year Award. Ms. Washington was a member of the Class of 2000 Greater Baltimore Committee LEADERSHIP program and the Class of 2003 of Leadership Maryland. Ms. Washington has been a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. since 1992.

  East Baltimore Development, Inc.

  President & CEO

  Cheryl Washington

  President & CEO

  East Baltimore Development, Inc.

• 

  Lou Kousouris

  Lou Kousouris is a senior commercial real estate executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across asset management, investment oversight, corporate real estate, and property operations. He currently serves as Managing Director of Asset Management at MCB Real Estate in Baltimore, Maryland, where he is responsible for the company’s downtown portfolio. Prior to joining MCB Real Estate, Lou served as Executive Vice President at Artemis Properties, responsible for the portfolio strategy, leasing oversight, capital planning, and long-term value creation of a local family office’s real estate holdings. Earlier in his career, Lou held senior leadership positions at some of the nation’s leading commercial real estate firms. At JLL, he served as Account Director and Global Transaction Manager, supporting multiple enterprise clients. Before that, he was President and Principal of Colliers International in Baltimore, where he oversaw a full- service commercial real estate organization with more than fifty employees and over twelve million square feet of assets under management. Lou also served as President and Principal of KLNB Management. Lou began his professional career as a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army, serving from 1998 to 2003. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, an experience that helped shape his leadership philosophy and commitment to service. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point. In addition to his professional career, Lou is deeply engaged in civic, nonprofit, and industry leadership. He currently serves as Board Chair of Next One Up, Chair of the Board of Governors at The Center Club, and Vice Chair of The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. He previously served as Board Member and Past President of The Baltimore Station, Founder and Past President of the West Point Society of Baltimore, and as a Service Academy Nomination Committee Member for Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger.

  MCB

  Vice President of Strategic Projects and Initiatives

  Lou Kousouris

  Vice President of Strategic Projects and Initiatives

  MCB

• 

  Alex Aaron

  Founder

  Blank Slate Development

• 

  Khalil Uqdah

  Leading the development team at Charm City Buyers, Khalil is responsible for project selection, financial modeling, strategic focus, organizational capacity, partnership advancement, and community engagement. His expertise in residential development seamlessly transitions to the organization's role as the lead developer at Eager Landing, a $20M new construction homeownership development in East Baltimore consisting of 54 townhouses. By creating new affordable and market rate single family homes, he is creating opportunities for wealth generation. Khalil is a developer at 211 W 28th Street, a new 62 unit mixed- use building + 13,000 SF public plaza with amenities for residents, families, cafe/retail patrons, pets, and the community at large. The new building responds to the neighborhood's demand for new affordable and market rate housing units. Previously, Khalil was a lead developer at Henderson Crossing, a $18M homeownership development consisting of 53 historic rehab units located in East Baltimore and The Packing House, a $24M adaptive reuse and historic preservation project involving higher education, emerging industries, and the investment community. Khalil has rehabilitated vacant and blighted properties for residential resale since 2012. His extensive knowledge of tax credits, subsidies, and other sources allows for a high quality, low cost product to market rate and affordable home buyers. Khalil is a father, husband, and former captain of the Men's NCAA Division 1 track and field team at Lehigh University. He continues to oversee a rental portfolio located in Baltimore, MD.

  Charm City Buyers

  President, Real Estate and Business Development

  Khalil Uqdah

  President, Real Estate and Business Development

  Charm City Buyers

• 

  Dana Blackwood

  Dana Blackwood is the General Manager for Turner Construction Company’s Maryland business unit, where she leads business operations, strategic growth initiatives, and community engagement efforts. With over 18 years of experience across preconstruction, business development, and project management, she has supported the delivery of complex projects spanning healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, K-12 education, and critical data facilities markets across the region. She is actively engaged with the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), Maryland Tech Council, Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA), Associated General Contractors (AGC), and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Baltimore, among other industry groups. Dana holds a B.A. in General Engineering and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

  Turner Construction Company

  General Manager

  Dana Blackwood

  General Manager

  Turner Construction Company

• 

  Venroy July

  Venroy July is a partner in the corporate & finance practice group of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman, P.C.  Based in the Washington, D.C. office, Mr. July’s practice includes a wide range of corporate and finance matters, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, advising on venture capital investments, general corporate counseling and real estate development matters. He has written extensively on the power and potential of Opportunity Zones, as well as other capital raising mechanisms. In addition to his legal career, Mr. July is a real estate investor in the city of Baltimore, and utilizes many of the capital raising mechanisms that he writes about to facilitate his real estate investment. Over the course of the past 10 years he has acquired and renovated a portfolio consisting of single family houses, mixed use properties and commercial properties all within the Hollins Market neighborhood of Baltimore, where he also resides. He received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Economics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law. He has been recognized for his legal and other efforts within the community by being named as a Super Lawyer ad well as being named to the Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class of 2014, the Black Business Review’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2017, a Warnock Fellow for the Class of 2017, and with the Leadership in the Law Award by the Daily Record. He was recently selected to chair the Opportunity Zones subcommittee of the Greater Baltimore Committee. He currently serves on the board of directors of Park Heights Renaissance, Grace Medical Center and Sinai Hospital. Additionally he previously served on Brandon Mayor Scott’s transition team, and was appointed by Governor Wes Moore to serve on the Judicial Nomination Committee.

  Cohen Seglias

  Partner

  Moderator

  Venroy July

  Partner

  Cohen Seglias