Board of Directors

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  Gilbert J. Winn

  Chief Executive Officer

  Gilbert J. Winn X

  

  Gilbert J. Winn - Chief Executive Officer

  Gilbert J. Winn is the Chief Executive Officer of the Boston-based WinnCompanies, which has acquired and developed real estate holdings in excess of $2.5 billion. The company’s management division, WinnResidential, is the 6th largest residential property management firm in the country operating more than 100,000 units across 22 states and the District of Columbia.
  
  Gilbert is responsible for overseeing WinnCompanies’ property management and investment activities, as well as the real estate development activities of the firm alongside WinnDevelopment partner Larry Curtis. He plays a leadership role in the creation, planning, implementation and integration of the strategic vision and growth of WinnCompanies. Among Mr. Winn’s recent focuses is the development of high-impact mixed-income and mixed-use environmentally sustainable redevelopment projects, many of which have received awards from city and state agencies as well as non-profits and industry associations for their impact on the community, design, sustainable features and/or historic preservation.

  Prior to joining WinnCompanies, Mr. Winn was an Associate at Related Capital Company, a full-service real estate investment company based in New York City, where he originated and implemented over $150 million of equity investments in various projects throughout the United States. Mr. Winn graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Arts studying History and Psychology. He resides in Boston with his wife and two children.

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  Lawrence H. Curtis

  President and Managing Partner, WinnDevelopment

  Lawrence H. Curtis X

  

  Lawrence H. Curtis - President and Managing Partner, WinnDevelopment

  Lawrence H. Curtis, the President and Managing Partner of WinnDevelopment and member of the Board of Directors, has led a full range of real estate development and acquisition activities for more than 30 years. He has been instrumental in helping the company grow from 3,000 units in 1986 to more than 100,000 units, which Winn currently has under management in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

  Mr. Curtis’ primary focus has been on the creation of affordable housing and historic rehabilitation developments. He is the past president of the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Multi-Housing Council, as well as the Citizens Housing and Planning Association. Mr. Curtis was also recently named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Board of Trustees.

  Mr. Curtis served as the 2006 chairman of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB) and as a co-chair of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ annual campaign in 2008. He has also received numerous awards, including the Paul E. Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts. In addition, Mr. Curtis co-founded New Lease, a non-profit based in Boston that provides a clearinghouse of affordable housing units for families staying in state-funded shelters and motels throughout Massachusetts.

  Mr. Curtis received a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York and a Master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Design from Harvard University, where he is now a Lecturer on Urban Planning and Design. He is a licensed architect in Massachusetts, and resides in Boxford with his wife Marla and their four sons.

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  William W. Wollinger

  Chief Operating Officer

  William W. Wollinger X

  

  William W. Wollinger - Chief Operating Officer

  William W. Wollinger, Chief Operating Officer and member of the Board of Directors, has worked in the property management industry since 1971 and has served the Winn organization for more than 35 years. Collaborating with the board of directors and senior leaders, he helps to define the company’s vision; ensuring the implementation of the company’s objectives while delivering high-quality services to its clients and residents. During his tenure, Mr. Wollinger has helped expand the company to become one of the largest management organizations in the country.

  Prior to joining Winn, Mr. Wollinger served as an officer in the United States Army. He holds a BS degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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  Marvin M. Siflinger

  Board Member

  Marvin M. Siflinger X

  

  Marvin M. Siflinger - Board Member

  Marvin M. Siflinger, member of the Board of Directors, is a recognized national leader with 50 years of experience in housing and community development, as well as in public administration. He testified before Congress on several occasions, including in support of the preservation of multi-family government-assisted projects and to extend low-income housing tax credits. Mr. Siflinger joined WinnCompanies’ Board of Directors in 2012, where his expertise and guidance has become an integral part of the organization’s growth and success.

  Mr. Siflinger has served as Chairman of Housing Partners, Inc., a national affordable housing consulting firm, since 1995. His clients have included the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Harvard University and the City of Gulfport, Mississippi. From 1983 until 1995, Mr. Siflinger was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) (now MassHousing). In this role, he was credited for reinventing MHFA as a nationally-acclaimed entrepreneurial organization recognized for its creativity and success.

  Mr. Siflinger began his career at HUD in its New York and Boston offices, administering every major housing and community development program. During his last seven years there as Director of the Boston office, Mr. Siflinger oversaw HUD’s major programs in New England. During this period, he received the highest departmental commendation for excellence in housing and community development programs. His many other award recognitions include the National Public Service Award by the American Society for Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration, Distinguished Public Service Award from Northeastern University, Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and Distinguished Public Service Award from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.

  Mr. Siflinger has also served two terms at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and is a past president of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the B’nai B’rith National Senior Housing Committee and on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Deposit Insurance Fund. Mr. Siflinger holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and his Bachelor of Business.

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  Patrick M. Appleby

  President, WinnResidential

  Patrick M. Appleby X

  

  Patrick M. Appleby - President, WinnResidential

  Patrick M. Appleby, a veteran of WinnCompanies for more than two decades, serves as President of both WinnResidential and WinnResidential Military Housing Services. In this role, he is responsible for directing the property management operations for the 100,000 apartments in the company's owned and managed portfolio, including more than 40,000 homes managed under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).
  
  He assumed responsibility for all of WinnResidential operations in 22 states and the District of Columbia after serving for 16 years as the executive in charge of privatized military housing managed through the company's joint venture with Lendlease.
  
  A member of WinnCompanies senior leadership team, Mr. Appleby also has strong prior experience in the market rate, affordable and tax credit housing fields.
  
  Prior to joining WinnCompanies in 1999, Mr. Appleby was a Principal at Boston Financial/Lendlease Residential, where he was responsible for a diverse portfolio of more than 6,000 apartment homes. In this role, Mr. Appleby also tracked operational results, explored ancillary revenue opportunities and implemented efficient procurement practices for the company’s entire portfolio of more than 40,000 apartment homes.
  
  Mr. Appleby has served on the Military Housing Committee of the National Apartment Association (NAA) since its inception and was previously a member of the NAA’s Apartment Careers Committee. He currently serves on the Board or Directors of the NAA Education Institute (NAAEI)
  
  He is a Certified Property Manager with the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), as well as a Certified Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) with the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA).
  
  AFFILIATIONS
  National Apartment Association (NAA)
  Board of Directors,  NAA Education Institute (NAAEI)
  Member of the Military Housing Committee
  
  DESIGNATIONS
  Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)
  Certified Property Manager (CPM)
  National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA)
  Certified Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM)

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  Susan H. Malatesta

  Executive Vice President, Asset Management

  Susan H. Malatesta X

  

  Susan H. Malatesta - Executive Vice President, Asset Management

  Susan H. Malatesta, Executive Vice President, Asset Management, has worked in the property management and real estate industry since 1985 and has served the Winn organization for more than 25 years. Ms. Malatesta is responsible for the asset management oversight of more than 85 assets. These responsibilities include audit, tax and investor reporting, sales, refinancing and acquisition activities. She also acts as a liaison between the property management and development teams to facilitate the financial reporting during the construction phase of new developments. In her role, Ms. Malatesta is also responsible for the oversight of the WinnResidential internal audit function and the WinnCompanies master budget.

  Prior to joining WinnCompanies, Ms. Malatesta worked for Laventhol & Horwath, a public accounting firm.

  Ms. Malatesta is a member of the Massachusetts Society of CPA’s as a Certified Public Accountant. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Executive Team

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  Terri Benskin

  Executive Vice President, WinnResidential
  
   

  Terri Benskin X

  

  Terri Benskin - Executive Vice President, WinnResidential

  Terri Benskin serves as Executive Vice President for WinnResidential. Terri’s responsibilities include property management operation for Winn properties and asset management for key clients. Terri’s current portfolio includes more than 100 diverse properties, with an equally diverse group of owners. The properties consist of Conventional Developments, Tax Credit, Bond Financed, Project-Based Section 8, Senior Housing and condo conversions. Her focus remains on development and maintaining client relationships.

  Terri has more than 23 years of experience in all aspects of property management with a focus on operations. Prior to joining WinnCompanies, Terri held the title of Chief Operating Officer with Ledic Realty Company for more than eight years. Earlier in her career, she held positions at other property management companies, working closely with property assessments, appraisals and new construction.

  Ms. Benskin also served for six years in the United States Naval Reserves.

  Terri achieved her Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and is a Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) through the National Association of Home Builders.

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  Lynne Chase

  Executive Vice President, Accounting
  
   

  Lynne Chase X

  

  Lynne Chase - Executive Vice President, Accounting

  Lynne Chase, Executive Vice President of Accounting at WinnResidential, joined WinnCompanies in 1990 and was promoted to her current position in 2005. She is responsible for corporate accounting and treasury management, as well as all property management accounting related to the properties managed by WinnResidential and WinnResidential Military Housing Services. In her role, Ms. Chase is responsible for the oversight of more than 2,500 bank accounts and oversees 96 employees in three functional areas that include accounting and reporting, treasury and cash management, and accounts payable.

  Ms. Chase received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Merrimack College.

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  Alessandra Quagliata de Vaca

  Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Training

  Alessandra Quagliata de Vaca X

  

  Alessandra Quagliata de Vaca - Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Training

  As Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Training for WinnCompanies and its affiliates, Alessandra Quagliata de Vaca is responsible for the oversight of the human resources, payroll and training functions for over 500 properties managed by Winn. Ms. de Vaca and her team are responsible for setting up programs that promote the maximum level of employee engagement thereby helping to ensure that the residents living in the more than 92,000 units managed by Winn receive the highest level of service possible.

  Prior to joining Winn in September of 2013, Ms. de Vaca worked in a variety of industries including manufacturing, hi-tech, healthcare and affordable housing. Most recently, she spent 11 years working for Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston (HSL), a Harvard-medical school affiliated organization that provides healthcare, housing and research to seniors. At HSL, Ms. de Vaca was responsible for managing a variety of its infrastructure departments including HR, training and education. Prior to working at HSL, she launched full-service HR and training functions at Neighborhood Health Plan and MASCO.

  Professionaly Ms. de Vaca is known for a collaborative approach to implementing a variety of talent management solutions. She is fluent in four languages (English, Spanish, Italian and French) and has lived in several countries. It is her passion for understanding different cultures that originally led her to pursue a career in human resources and training.

  Outside the office, Ms. de Vaca is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), and the New England Human Resources Association (NEHRA). She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University.

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  Kevin Grani

  Executive Vice President, WinnResidential
  
   

  Kevin Grani X

  

  Kevin Grani - Executive Vice President, WinnResidential

  Kevin Grani is responsible for overseeing WinnResidential's management portfolio in the western region of the United States, including nearly 170 properties in Arizona and California with approximately 16,000 units and more than 300 team members. Mr. Grani’s portfolio includes Market Rate and Elderly properties, as well as Section 42, Section 8, Rural Development and HOME assisted sites. Mr. Grani brings more than 28 years of residential management experience to WinnResidential.

  Prior to joining the company, he headed the residential operations portfolio for JCM Partners, an owner and manager of commercial and multi-family properties in Northern California. He has also held executive leadership positions at Essex Property Trust, BRE Properties, and Carmel Partners.

  A California native, Grani received both his MBA and bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Golden Gate University. He is a Certified Property Manager as designated by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), and a licensed Real Estate Salesperson in the State of California. Grani has served as the director of the California Apartment Association’s (CAA) Tri-County division and on committees for the San Diego County Apartment Association and the CAA state-wide.

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  John Kuppens

  Executive Vice President, WinnResidential
  
   

  John Kuppens X

  

  John T. Kuppens - Executive Vice President, WinnResidential

  John Kuppens, Executive Vice President of WinnResidential, has been a member of the Winn team for 20 years. He currently oversees all aspects of property management operations for a portfolio of 192 properties comprised of more than 16,400 apartment homes spanning the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Mr. Kuppens also works with his developer clients on acquisitions, new development and refinancing.

  Prior to joining WinnCompanies, Mr. Kuppens worked in the banking industry at both State Street Bank & Trust and the Boston Company.

  Mr. Kuppens is a certified Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) and a National Affordable Housing Professional – Executive Level (NAHP-e). He holds a Master in Business Administration from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Massachusetts.

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  Michael O'Brien

  Executive Vice President, WinnCompanies

  Michael O'Brien X

  

  Michael O'Brien - Executive Vice President, WinnCompanies

  Michael O’Brien, Executive Vice President, has been part of the Winn Executive Team since January 2014.

  In his role, Mr. O’Brien is responsible for corporate management, strategic planning, and financial and client relationships at WinnDevelopment and WinnResidential.

  Prior to joining Winn, Mr. O’Brien spent nine years as the City Manager of Worcester. During that time, Mr. O’Brien successfully implemented multiple programs to spur economic development and improve neighborhoods. As a result, Worcester is currently rated one of the safest communities in the country, among cities with a population of 100,000 or more, and is experiencing more than $1.3 billion in planned or current economic development activity.

  Additionally, Mr. O’Brien spearheaded "Buy Worcester Now," a new private-public partnership between the city, banks, lending institutions, local companies, non-profit agencies, realtors and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to generate new market demand for all available housing options in Worcester and to assist qualified, responsible buyers in purchasing a home. He also established five Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas, each focused specifically on issues relative to housing, code enforcement, commercial storefront improvements and job training.

  Mr. O'Brien received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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  Choni Wilcox

  Executive Vice President, WinnResidential
  
   

  Choni Wilcox X

  

  Choni Wilcox - Executive Vice President, WinnResidential

  Choni joins the team as Executive Vice President in the Mid-Atlantic region of the WinnResidential portfolio.

  She brings more than three decades of experience with her, as she previously oversaw operations as Executive Vice President with Edgewood Management and Vantage Management and spent fourteen years in a variety of positions at Bozzuto Group.

  Choni holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation with Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) designation with the National Association of Home Builders.

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  Daniel E. Willert

  General Counsel

  Daniel E. Willert X

  

  Daniel E. Willert - General Counsel

  Daniel E. Willert has served as General Counsel, Chief Ethics Officer for WinnCompanies, and has been a member of the WinnCompanies Executive Team since 2010. He brings 30 years of experience, working with and advising businesses and individuals in a wide variety of corporate and real estate matters. In his role, Mr. Willert is responsible for all legal affairs concerning the company, including compliance with various legal and regulatory requirements. Working with the Board of Directors and senior leadership team, he helps to ensure the implementation of the company’s business objectives, including delivering high-quality services to its clients.

  Mr. Willert is a member of the Massachusetts and California Bar Associations. He holds his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University.