ULI has announced a new chairman and a new president for its Americas region, which serves the Institute’s members in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Global Board member and ULI Treasurer John R. “Jack” Chandler, founder of Majesteka Investments Holdings and chief investment officer and board member for Reterro Inc., and former managing director and chairman of BlackRock’s global real estate business in New York City, has been named chairman of the Americas region, a volunteer role that includes service as chairman of the Americas Executive Committee. He and his fellow committee members will lead the implementation of ULI’s Strategic Plan for the Americas region, which is part of the Global Strategic Plan approved by the Institute’s Global Board of Directors in May 2018. The plan’s priorities include delivering greater member value through investments in people and technology to improve member connections and involvement; strengthening and broadening ULI’s member networks; and encouraging more philanthropic giving to expand ULI’s reach.
Multifamily industry leader Gwyneth Jones Cote, who most recently served as chief operating officer for Bell Partners, has joined ULI’s staff as the president of the Americas region. She will work closely with Chandler and the Americas Executive Committee, as well as with ULI’s global leadership and staff to ensure that the Institute maximizes member engagement in the Americas region through the implementation of the Strategic Plan. She will also make certain that ULI’s work in the Americas aligns with the Institute’s work in the Europe and Asia Pacific regions, and that it reinforces a culture of philanthropy that results in more resources to support ULI’s mission-driven activities.
“We’re extremely pleased to have Jack as our Americas chairman and Gwyneth as our Americas president,” said ULI Global Chairman Thomas W. Toomey, who is chairman, chief executive officer, and president of UDR Inc. in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. “Jack played an integral role in helping to create a Global Strategic Plan that is based on member input, and which will help guide ULI for years to come. Gwyneth has a thorough understanding of the plan’s vision for ULI as a member-driven organization, which makes her well positioned to help with the plan’s implementation. ULI’s Americas leadership is in very good hands.”
Chandler succeeds Patricia R. “Trish” Healy, principal of Hyde Street Holdings LLC in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the Americas chairmanship. “Jack is the quintessential ULI member and leader—dedicated to advancing our mission and broadening our reach. During the past two years, his contribution to the Americas Executive Committee has been invaluable. I’m delighted that he is in this role, and I am equally excited about Gwyneth coming on board,” Healy said. “I look forward to working with Jack and Gwyneth to continue ULI’s progress as an organization by, for, and about its members.”
A ULI member for over 25 years, Chandler is a longtime member of ULI’s Product Council member network, including his current service as vice chairman of the Sharing Economy Council, which is focused on the confluence of traditional real estate and new business platforms.
“I think of ULI as a ‘big tent’ for the real estate industry, and our members truly are the focus of the organization. I’m excited to help the leadership, Gwyneth, and the rest of ULI’s staff identify and curate opportunities so our members can continue to make a difference,” Chandler said. “Through the Global Strategic Plan, we are expanding the value proposition for our members. I see my role as helping to harness members’ enthusiasm, encourage more involvement, and as a result, increase the impact we are making in communities throughout the Americas region.”
Chandler’s career has provided opportunities for involvement with ULI’s global expansion, specifically in the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2011, he held various executive positions with LaSalle Investment Management for 25 years, including service as the global chief investment officer and executive chairman for the firm’s Asia Pacific region. “Real estate investing and operations have become increasingly global in the last couple of decades, and that is something ULI has mirrored as it has expanded into other regions and countries,” Chandler said. “Many of the issues our members are focusing on transcend borders, and it is inspiring to see ULI evolving into a platform that fully supports their work.”
“Jack’s thoughtful leadership has been extremely valuable in ensuring that ULI evolves as it grows. As Americas chairman, his guidance will help greatly to keep ULI’s momentum going as we continue to identify new opportunities for engagement and exchange best practices in creating thriving communities,” said ULI Global Chief Executive Officer W. Edward Walter.
“Gwyneth has an extraordinary skill set that makes her perfectly suited for this role—expertise in managing complex organizations with large teams and business units; and the ability to quickly and precisely identify what must be accomplished to deliver high value to constituents,” Walter continued. “I am confident in her ability to ensure that the content, services, and programs that ULI delivers in the Americas will meet the needs and exceed the expectations of our members in the region.”
Cote, who served as Bell Partners’ chief operating officer from 2013 until the end of 2017, was responsible for a team of more than 1,400 employees and approximately 60,000 multifamily units. Prior to her service at Bell Partners, she consulted for several years to private real estate companies. Cote began her real estate career in 1989, joining the Mid-Atlantic division of Trammell Crow Residential after receiving her master of business administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. She remained with Trammell Crow as it evolved into Avalon Properties and AvalonBay Communities. She served 15 years with AvalonBay Communities (and its predecessor companies), concluding her career as a senior vice president, responsible for property operations of 19,000 apartment units located east of the Mississippi River. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College.
“I look forward to listening to and learning from our members across the Americas on how we can keep improving ULI. My top priority is to provide an optimal member experience that will result in greater member impact,” Cote said. “With the Global Strategic Plan as our compass, we will chart a course for strong member participation that will keep members engaged throughout their careers and reinforce ULI’s role as the preeminent real estate organization worldwide. I am excited to work with our leaders, members, and staff to keep moving the plan forward.”
