In Memory of ULI Life Trustee Frederick Kober, Chairman of the Board of the Christopher Companies

ULI Life Trustee Frederick Kober, chairman of the board of the Christopher Companies, passed away on March 17, 2018, in Los Gatos, California, following a lengthy illness. He was 80. Kober, who joined ULI in 1970, was named a life trustee in 2005, a recognition reserved for the Institute’s most dedicated and respected members, and bestowed to only 15 members in ULI’s 82-year history.

t12172724011_20180324

Frederick Augustus Kober VI

ULI Life Trustee Frederick Kober, chairman of the board of the Christopher Companies, passed away on March 17, 2018, in Los Gatos, California, following a lengthy illness. He was 80.

Kober, who joined ULI in 1970, was named a life trustee in 2005, a recognition reserved for the Institute’s most dedicated and respected members, and bestowed to only 15 members in ULI’s 82-year history. He was highly engaged in the Institute throughout his 48-year membership, serving most recently on the ULI Foundation Board of Overseers. His volunteerism included service on the ULI Foundation Executive Committee, ULI Foundation Governors Campaign Committee, ULI’s Executive Committee, Awards for Excellence Management Committee and Jury, UrbanPlan Advisory Task Force, Inclusivity Task Force, Council Coordinating Committee, and Inner-City Coordinating Committee.

Kober was very active in the District Council Network, serving on the District Council Chairs Advisory Group and as a district council adviser, as chairman of ULI Washington, and as a member of ULI Atlanta, ULI Los Angeles, and ULI North Texas. In addition, he was a longtime member of the Product Council Network, serving on the Residential Development Council, Residential Neighborhood Development Council, and Small-Scale Development Council.

“Fred was the quintessential ULI leader—thoughtful, visionary, and giving,” says ULI Americas Chairman Trish Healy. “He was absolutely committed to ULI. Anyone participating at the district council level owes him a debt of gratitude, as he was instrumental in the growth of district councils and passionate about their responsibility of delivering ULI’s mission. Fred was a respected colleague and mentor to many of us, and he will be greatly missed.”

Kober founded the Christopher Companies in 1974 as a design-conscious homebuilding firm with operations in northern Virginia and the Tidewater area of southeast Virginia. Since then, the firm has expanded to Fairfax County, Prince William County, Caroline County, Loudoun County, and Albemarle County in Virginia and Sussex County in Delaware. Its portfolio includes single-family homes, townhouses, residential condominiums, apartments, and mixed-use properties.

Kober is survived by his wife, Sydene, of 38 years; his sister, Suzanne Norling (Fred); his children Christopher (Kelli), Derek (Lucie), Kurt Naegele, and Kirsten Flaherty (Tom); and several grandchildren.

Trish Riggs is a public relations consultant and freelancer with Keadle-Riggs Communications. Riggs was a senior vice president with the Urban Land Institute from 2005 to 2019.
Members Sign In
Don’t have an account yet? Sign up for a ULI guest account.
Members Get More

With a ULI membership, you’ll stay informed on the most important topics shaping the world of real estate with unlimited access to the award-winning Urban Land magazine.

Learn more about the benefits of membership
Already have an account?