Jennifer S. Banner
Ms. Banner has 36 years of professional, managerial, and board experience, including 22 years in public accounting, 14 years as a sitting CEO, concurrent with 20 years serving on public company boards. She is the Executive Director of the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business Forum for Emerging Enterprises and Private Business. Previously, she served as CEO of Schaad Companies, a privately held real estate company, and SchaadSource, LLC, a related privately held shared services company. Ms. Banner spent 22 years in public accounting, practicing in the tax area with Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young LLP) in Florida and PYA, P.C. in Tennessee. She has been a director of Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC) since 2003, a member of the board of directors of Truist Bank since 2013, and a member of the board of directors of Uniti Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: UNIT) since 2015. Ms. Banner is interested in digital transformation of business and has been a public speaker and consultant globally on the board's role in digital transformation. In 2019, she was named an honorary Fellow of the MIT Center for Information Systems Research.
Benjamin S. Butcher
Lead Independent Director
Benjamin S. Butcher serves as the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of STAG Industrial, Inc., a position he has held since July 2010. Prior to the formation of STAG Industrial, Inc., Mr. Butcher oversaw the growth of STAG Capital Partners, LLC and its affiliates, serving as a member of their Board of Managers and Management Committees, from 2003 to 2011. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. Butcher was engaged as a private equity investor in real estate and technology. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Butcher served as a Director at Credit Suisse First Boston, where he sourced and executed transactions for the Principal Transactions Group (real estate debt and equity). From 1993 to 1997, he served as a Director at Nomura Asset Capital, where he focused on marketing and business development for its commercial mortgage-backed securities group. Mr. Butcher brings the following experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to the Board:
- General business management and strategic planning experience from his service as chief executive of STAG Industrial, Inc. and his previous service with STAG Capital Partners, LLC and its affiliates;
- REIT industry experience from his service as chief executive of STAG Industrial, Inc. since July 2010;
- Real estate investment banking and capital markets experience from his five years as an investment banker with Credit Suisse First Boston and Nomura Asset Capital; and
- Financial and accounting acumen from his five years in investment banking, his experience as a private equity investor and with STAG Capital Partners, LLC, and his service as a public company executive with STAG Industrial, Inc.
Susan Carras
Ms. Carras is a senior managing director in the Washington, DC office of JLL Capital Markets, America. Previously, she served as co-head of HFF’s Washington, DC office from 2011 to 2019 and joined JLL as part of its acquisition of HFF. Prior to HFF, she was a principal and managing director at Sonnenblick Goldman where she served on the operating committee and founded and headed offices in Washington, DC and Tampa, FL. Earlier in her career, she was with the Real Estate Finance Division of Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Carras has served as a director of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) since 2021. She is a trustee emerita of Lafayette College and previously chaired the Development and Alumni Relations Committee and served on the Executive Committee. Together with a fellow trustee, Ms. Carras started the First Women of Lafayette Scholarship Fund. She is active in the Urban Land Institute serving on the UDMUC Blue Council and as co-chair of the Washington Full Member Engagement Committee. Ms. Carras is a past recipient of the Greater Washington Commercial Association of Realtors Top Financing Award and Top Sales Award for the Washington, DC Metro and has been recognized by Real Estate Forum as a Women of Influence, by Bisnow as a Women of Influence in Commercial Real Estate, by Connect Media’s Women in Real Estate and by Commercial Observer as a Power Player of Washington, DC, 2022.
Ellen M. Goitia
Ellen M. Goitia is a Certified Public Accountant and served as the partner-in-charge for KPMG LLP’s ("KPMG") Chesapeake Business Unit Audit practice and a member of the firm’s audit leadership team from October 2011 until her retirement in May 2016. As the partner-in-charge of the Chesapeake Business Unit Audit practice, Ms. Goitia had ultimate operational oversight for five offices in Maryland, DC and Virginia, with responsibilities including business unit financial performance, resource management, human resources, quality client service, and risk management. Ms. Goitia was admitted to the KPMG partnership in 1993 and had more than 30 years of experience as a professional with the firm, including experience as lead audit partner for a variety of publicly traded and private companies. She has served clients on a wide range of accounting and operational issues, public security issuances and strategic corporate transactions. Ms. Goitia was a speaker, panelist and moderator for KPMG’s Audit Committee Institute as well as for other governance programs external to KPMG. In addition, Ms. Goitia served as an independent member of the Nominating Committee of KPMG’s Board of Directors from 2009 until 2011, and has served on several nonprofit organizations’ boards. Ms. Goitia brings the following experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to the Board:
- General business management and strategic planning experience from her 5 years as the partner-in-charge of the Chesapeake Business Unit Audit Practice of KPMG and over 30 years as a professional at KPMG;
- Understanding of and familiarity with public companies and public company boards from her service as lead audit engagement partner at a major accounting firm;
- Public company accounting, financial statements and corporate finance expertise from over 20 years of service as lead audit engagement partner at a major accounting firm;
- General familiarity with D.C. area real estate by virtue of living and working in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 35 years.
Paul T. McDermott
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Paul T. McDermott was elected to the Board of Trustees and named President and Chief Executive Officer of Elme Communities in October 2013. Prior to joining Elme Communities, he was Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Rockefeller Group Investment Management Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. from June 2010 to September 2013. Prior to joining The Rockefeller Group, he served from 2006 to 2010 as Principal and Chief Transaction Officer at PNC Realty Investors. Between 2002 and 2006, Mr. McDermott held two primary officer roles at Freddie Mac — Chief Credit Officer of the Multifamily Division and Head of Multifamily Structured Finance and Affordable Housing. From 1997 to 2002, he served as Head of the Washington, D.C. Region for Lend Lease Real Estate Investments.
Thomas "Tom" H. Nolan Jr.
Thomas H. Nolan, Jr. previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. (NYSE: SRC) from September 2011 until May 2017. Mr. Nolan previously worked for General Growth Properties, Inc. (“GGP”), serving as Chief Operating Officer from March 2009 to December 2010 and as President from October 2008 to December 2010. He also served as a member of the board of directors of GGP from 2005 to 2010. GGP filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in April 2009 and emerged from bankruptcy in November 2010. Mr. Nolan was a member of the senior management team that led GGP’s reorganization and emergence from bankruptcy, which included the restructuring of $15.0 billion in project-level debt, payment in full of all of GGP’s pre-petition creditors and the securing of $6.8 billion in equity commitments. From July 2004 to February 2008, Mr. Nolan served as a Principal and Chief Financial Officer of Loreto Bay Company, the developer of the Loreto Bay Master-planned community in Baja, California. From October 1984 to July 2004, Mr. Nolan held various financial positions with AEW Capital Management, L.P., a national real estate investment advisor, and from 1998 to 2004, he served as Head of Equity Investing and as President and Senior Portfolio Manager of The AEW Partners Funds. Mr. Nolan currently serves on the Board of Directors of RW Holdings NNN REIT. Mr. Nolan brings the following experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to the Board:
- General business management and strategic planning experience from his service as chief executive of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. and his previous service with GGP;
- REIT industry experience from his service as chief executive of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. and his previous service with GGP;
- Real estate asset management experience in multiple asset classes from his 20 years with AEW Capital Management, L.P.; and
- Financial and accounting acumen from his 20 years with AEW Capital Management, L.P. and his previous service with GGP and as chief executive of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.
Anthony L. Winns
Vice Adm. Anthony L. Winns (RET.) is Retired President, Latin America-Africa Region, Lockheed Martin Corporation (“Lockheed”), a position he has held since January 2013. Between October 2011 and January 2013, Mr. Winns was Vice President, International Maritime Programs, at Lockheed. Between July 2011 and October 2011, Mr. Winns was a defense industry consultant. Mr. Winns retired in June 2011 after 32 years of service in the United States Navy. He served as Naval Inspector General from 2007 to his retirement. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Winns served as Acting Director and Vice Director of Operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Winns served as Deputy Director, Air Warfare Division for the Chief of Naval Operations. Prior to 2003, Mr. Winns served in other staff and leadership positions in Washington, D.C., including at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. He also served as commanding officer of several major commands, including the Pacific Patrol/Reconnaissance task force, the USS Essex, an amphibious assault carrier, and a naval aircraft squadron. Mr. Winns also serves as a director on the board of the Navy Mutual Aid Association. Mr. Winns brings the following experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to the Board:
- General enterprise management and strategic planning experience from his 10 years of service as a commanding officer of various military units (including a naval vessel) and 11 years of service in senior staff positions in the Pentagon;
- Government contracting experience from his three years of service managing U.S. Navy procurement programs as Deputy Director, Air Warfare Division for the Chief of Naval Operations;
- Washington, D.C. area defense industry experience from his 16 years of service in staff positions in the Pentagon and current service as President, Latin America-Africa Region, Lockheed Martin Corporation; and
- General familiarity with D.C. area real estate by virtue of living and working in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 25 years.