Housing 20/20: Clarity on the Future of Residential Real Estate

Moderator

Edward Marchant
Adjunct Lecturer,
Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Edward Marchant is an adjunct lecturer in public policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government where he teaches a course on real estate development and finance and another on the development, financing, and management of affordable housing. He also serves as a faculty member in Harvard's Executive Education Programs sponsored by the Kennedy School, the Design School, and the Divinity School. As a real estate professional working at The Community Builders, Inc. and later at John M. Corcoran Co., he was actively involved in the development, financing, construction, and management of affordable housing, suburban office, and R&D real estate assets for more than 20 years. An independent real estate advisor since 1990, his clients include developers and investors, municipalities, higher-education institutions and foundations. Mr. Marchant received a B.A. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School

Alec Brackenridge
Senior Vice President,
Equity Residential

Alec is Equity Residential’s (NYSE:EQR) Senior Vice President in charge of the acquisition of apartment property in Boston, New York and Washington, DC. He has been with Equity Residential since 1993 and has completed over $4 billion in transactions throughout the Eastern United States.  During his tenure, he has also had nation-wide experience in the asset management, disposition, and condominium conversion of apartment property.  Additional responsibilities have included structuring joint venture development partnerships and analyzing international investment opportunities.  Prior to Equity Residential he worked in the mortgage finance group at Citibank and was a summer associate at Tishman Realty.  Alec holds a M.B.A. from Yale University and a B.A. from Williams College. 

Willie Jones
Senior Vice President and Director
The Community Builders, Inc.

Mr. Jones is a Senior Vice President and Director of The Community Builders, Inc. He is responsible for managing the full range of real estate services that TCB offers, as well as evaluating business opportunities and assisting in corporate policy development. Recently, Mr. Jones spearheaded The Community Builder's efforts in securing and implementing new HOPE VI engagements nationally.

Mr. Jones is a graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology concentrating in Urban Planning. Before joining The Community Builders, Inc., he was an assistant to the Dean at the College of Engineering of Northeastern University, and has served on the faculty at Tufts University's Urban and Environmental Policy Program, and the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning's Professional Development Institute. He continues to teach seminars for the Urban Land Institute and at Harvard's Kennedy and Divinity Schools. In addition, he has just completed a term on the Consumer Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Board and has received multiple awards for his Housing and Community work.

Meredith Oppenheim
Founder,
Oppenheim Real Estate Ventures, LLP

Meredith Oppenheim is a senior housing specialist and has worked for leading industry developers and operators conceiving and launching new product types and brands, as well as analyzing asset performance and executing strategic initiatives to turnaround distressed properties.

In July 2005 Meredith launched Oppenheim Real Estate Ventures, LLP where she evaluates and executes development deals and alliances, as well as advises developers, operators and investors on senior housing ventures.  She recently completed senior housing business plans for clients in India and Mexico to export and customize US best practices.  Moreover, she is an active advisor to hedge funds and investment banks investing in the senior housing sector.

Prior to forming her own company she worked as a full-time consultant for nearly two years with K. Hovnanian (NYSE:  HOV), one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and a Fortune 500 Company.  As a result of pitching a new active adult (55+) community concept to the executive team, she was hired to evaluate and execute this strategy.  By mobilizing the company’s assets and forming strategic partnerships, Meredith spearheaded the launch of K. Hovnanian’s first age restricted service enriched condominium in March 2005. 

Prior to K. Hovnanian, Meredith worked for Marriott International Senior Living Services and Sunrise Senior Living.  Her responsibilities included optimizing the performance of, supporting capital raising efforts and pioneering new concepts in independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and home health services.  While at Marriott, she identified and disseminated best practices portfolio-wide and spent time in the field turning around underperforming properties.  She was selected by the Sunrise Senior Living executive team to join the company in the aftermath of its acquisition of Marriott International’s Senior Living portfolio. 

She most recently was an invited speaker at the Harvard Business School for her real estate industry specialization and contribution to the Senior Housing case study and Cornell University Masters of Real Estate program, as well as the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Young Leaders Group and Senior Housing Council.  She is a frequent contributor to Multi-Housing News co-authoring the November 2005 article “Converting Shoppers to Renters and Buyers” and the January 2005 article “Urban Bliss: High-End Spas Can Help Spur Quick Sales, Record Prices.”

Meredith earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School and graduated with a BA from Cornell University.  She currently resides in New York City.