EMBREY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Employee Engagement
Job Titles:
- Managing Director & Executive Vice President of EMS
Allyson McKay leads all owned and third-party assets of the Embrey Management Services division with a focus on enhancing value through timely lease-up, efficient management of long-term holds, and growth of third-party management contracts.
Prior to joining Embrey, Allyson was Senior Vice President - Southwest Region for Lincoln Property Company. In this position, she oversaw approximately 45,000 multifamily units in Central Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and Southern California and supervised 500+ staff both on and offsite. Previously, Allyson was an Executive Director at Fort Sam Houston Family Housing LP in San Antonio, Texas, where she was responsible for defining business plans requiring multimillion-dollar capital enhancements.
Allyson, who attended Oklahoma State University, also is a Certified Property Manager® (CPM). She served as 2015 President of San Antonio Apartment Association and is a current board member and Legislative Committee member for the Texas Apartment Association. Allyson is also a member of the San Antonio and Austin Apartment Associations.
As Regional Manager for Embrey Management Services (EMS), Amy Hood oversees the management of Embrey's portfolio of multifamily communities in the Denver region.
Amy has an extensive background in direct property operations, holding key management positions from companies including McWhinney Commercial Real Estate Development, Colorado, and Alliance Residential, San Antonio. She first joined Embrey as a community manager before taking on her regional supervisory role.
She is an Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®), Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), and a Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP).
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Development
Andy Swadel leads development in the Florida market. He ensures that the development vision for each project is defined, realized and consistently representative of Embrey's brand and history of excellence.
Prior to joining Embrey, Andy served as Vice President of Development at Madison Capital Group. His previous experience includes Director of Development for SC Advisors in Orlando; Senior Vice President for TowerPoint Capital in Atlanta; and Senior Associate for Investments at Carter in Atlanta. He served as development advisor to Dr. Phillips Charities for the planning, entitlement and initial land sales, including Embrey's Cannery project, of the 200-acre Packing District in Orlando, Florida.
He received his Master of Business Administration in Real Estate from J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, University of Georgia, Athens.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President of Development
- in 2012 As Senior Vice President of Development
Brad Knolle leads development efforts in Embrey's eastern markets which include Nashville, Charlotte, and Raleigh. Additionally, he has lead development teams on successful projects in Phoenix and Orlando. To date, he has been involved in the acquisition and development of over 7,000 multifamily units in six states for Embrey.
Brad joined Embrey in 2012 as Senior Vice President of Development and was named Executive Vice President of Development in 2018. Prior to joining Embrey, he was Director of Acquisitions for The NRP Group's Texas office where he was in charge of land acquisitions for NRP's affordable housing program.
Brad holds a Master of Land Economics and Real Estate from Mays Business School, and a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science from the Langford School of Architecture at Texas A&M University, College Station.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager
- Vice President of Development
Brian first joined Embrey as a Development Manager and was subsequently promoted to Senior Development Manager before assuming his current role. Prior to joining Embrey, he served as development manager at Titan Development and Titan Development Real Estate Fund, San Antonio.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, he received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance-Real Estate.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Asset Management
As Vice President of Asset Management for Embrey, Bruce Sommerfeldt is responsible for managing Embrey's asset portfolio.
Bruce joined Embrey from The Hanover Company where he developed their international asset management program and successfully managed the disposition process for transactions totaling more than $4 billion. His prior positions at Hanover focused on quantitative analysis and asset management that emphasized enhancing asset value.
Bruce received his Masters of Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University, Utah.
Job Titles:
- Director of Land Acquisitions
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Engineer
- Vice President of Development
Chris Alvarado represents Embrey through all phases of the development cycle from project identification, negotiations and planning, to design, build and closing in the Denver and Phoenix markets.
Chris first joined Embrey as a Senior Project Engineer, moving on to Pre-Construction Manager, and then progressing within the development team to his current position. Previously, Chris served as project manager and estimator with JMEG, L.P.
Job Titles:
- EMS Director of Marketing
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Accounting Services
Elizabeth Fancher oversees corporate, property management, construction, development and fund accounting including external reporting and compliance.
Elizabeth has more than 20 years of professional expertise in the real estate industry, most recently serving as Vice President-Controller and Treasurer of Patrinely Group, Houston. Elizabeth also worked as a Senior Controller with Hines and as an Audit Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts, Plan II Honors Program. Elizabeth is a CPA.
Garrett Karam - Chief Investment Officer
Garrett Karam leads all investment and capital markets activity for Embrey, including growing the company's funds and acquisitions platforms. Since joining Embrey, Garrett has secured nearly $3 billion in capital for more than 40 developments and has presided over $2 billion in asset sales. He is integral to setting the strategic direction of the company and maximizing return on investment for both Embrey and its investors.
Garrett was previously Vice President of Capital Markets for The Hanover Company in Houston, Texas where he helped source nearly $3 billion in capital for multifamily projects, leading to the development of over 9,000 units nationwide. His experience also includes roles as project manager and analyst for Southeast Venture, a real estate development firm in Nashville, Tennessee.
He holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University, New York, and Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director & Executive Vice President of Construction
Helena Finely is a seasoned multifamily executive with more than 25 years of experience in development and construction. She leads EMBREY's construction division and has oversight for all residential and commercial building in the company's portfolio.
Before joining EMBREY she was on the founding leadership team of Vero Sade, which develops, builds and operates Class-A residential real estate. Previous experience includes leading multifamily construction for Morgan Group Development, Trammel Crow, Gables and Post Properties. Her portfolio includes construction of 29 multifamily and mixed-use projects with more than 6,800 units and combined budgets of more than $830 million.
Helena was recruited from South Africa on a full swimming scholarship to the University of Houston, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. She has competed in many ultra-distance events including the Colorado River 100-mile kayak race, the Leadville 100-mile mountain bike race, Ironman Texas, and a variety of adventure races, triathlons and marathons.
She and her husband, David, have three children and four grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Development
Jacob Shalley leads development in the Denver, Phoenix and Austin markets. He ensures that the development vision for each project is defined, realized and consistently representative of Embrey's brand and history of excellence.
Prior to joining the Embrey team, Jacob was a Project Manager on several major multifamily projects in Texas and California. His background includes work with Cameron International where he oversaw commercial and industrial developments around the world including projects throughout the Americas, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.
Jacob received his Bachelor of Science in Construction Science from Texas A&M University, College Station; he also holds Associate Constructor certification from the American Institute of Constructors (AIC) and is a LEED-accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Pre - Construction & Estimating
Jeb Brown leads pre-construction and estimating for Embrey, guiding the transition of development opportunities into executable projects.
Jeb has nearly two decades of construction management experience including roles at Senderro Construction and Arch-Con Corporation. He has also held the roles of Pre-Construction Manager and Director of Pre-Construction and Estimating at Embrey.
Jeb has obtained multiple degrees from The University of Oklahoma including a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, Master's Degree in Construction Management and a Master of Business Administration.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Development
- Senior Vice President of Development
Jeremy Williams leads Embrey's development in the Dallas-Ft. Worth and San Antonio, Texas markets. He ensures that the development vision for each project is defined, realized and consistently representative of Embrey's brand and history of excellence.
Jeremy originally joined Embrey as Vice President of Development bringing with him more than 20 years of industry experience. Prior to his time at Embrey, Jeremy was employed by JPI Companies, Irving, Texas, where he held the positions of architect, senior design manager and vice president of development. As a licensed architect by the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, he also contributes a wealth of specialized and firsthand expertise in the design-build field.
In addition to his architect's license, Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University, College Station.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Regional Manager
- Vice President of Operations & Support Services
Jessica Kelly, Director of Operations and Training, supports Embrey's commitment to quality through the development and design of training curricula and effective implementation of residential systems and software.
Jessica initially joined Embrey as a Regional Manager. She has held roles in property management for companies such as Knightvest Residential, Roscoe Properties and the NRP Group.
She is a Certified Apartment Manager (CAM), National Apartment Association, and a candidate for Certified Property Manager® (CPM), National Association of REALTORS®.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Development
- Executive Vice President of Development
Jimmy McCloskey leads Embrey's development pipeline in multiple Western markets, including Phoenix, AZ, Denver, CO, and Salt Lake City, UT, as well as San Antonio and Austin. To date, he has participated in developing more than 8,000 multifamily units from project inception through disposition.
Jimmy joined Embrey as Vice President of Development and was later named Senior Vice President before assuming his current role. Previously, he was project manager for Colonial Properties Trust, Austin, where he managed all construction activities for the company's capital improvement projects in the Western region.
He holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development, Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, and a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, Utah Valley University.
Job Titles:
- Chief People Officer
- Senior Vice President
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Development
Joel Albea represents Embrey throughout the development cycle, from project identification, negotiations and planning, to design, build and closing. He focuses on projects in the Charlotte, Nashville and Orlando markets.
Prior to serving as Vice President, Joel worked as a Development Manager and Senior Development Manager at Embrey. He also is a licensed architect and came to Embrey with a diverse and comprehensive career in architecture acquired as a Director and Associate Principal.
He received his Bachelor of Environmental Design and Master of Architecture from Texas A&M University, College Station, prior to completing his Master of Business Administration at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, Austin.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Controller & Director of Tax
Job Titles:
- EMS Regional Manager
- in 2019 As Community Manager
As Regional Manager for Embrey Management Services (EMS), Katie Ellis oversees all facets of the management and compliance of the company's portfolio of multifamily communities in the San Antonio region.
Katie joined Embrey in 2019 as Community Manager at one of Embrey's residential properties. She brought to the company more than a decade of experience managing luxury properties, most recently at Carbon Thompson Multifamily.
Katie is a Certified Apartment Manager (CAM).
Job Titles:
- Director of Facilities
- EMS Director of Facilities
Kerry Oden, Director of Facilities, leads Embrey's construction operations and maintenance efforts. Kerry ensures that construction activities are conducted safely and that the highest quality standards are consistently achieved.
Kerry previously held the position of Senior Director of Maintenance for Lincoln Military Housing, San Antonio, where he managed more than $23 million in renovations and related insurance procedures for 900+ residences, of which nearly half were considered historic structures.
A long-tenured property operations professional with an extensive background in maximizing asset revenue through effective facilities oversight, building strong teams and a hands-on approach. Kerry also is an Accredited Resident Manager (ARM®), Institute of Real Estate Management.
As Regional Manager for Embrey Management Services (EMS), Leesa Alder oversees the management of Embrey's portfolio of multifamily communities in the San Antonio region.
Job Titles:
- Director of Talent Management
Job Titles:
- Director of Investor Relations
Madison Seward develops and manages relationships between Embrey's private capital and institutional fund investors and our senior leadership. She is responsible for communicating matters related to our investors.
Madison joined Embrey as an intern and has since held multiple roles in our Development and Investments Divisions, each with increasing levels of responsibility. She offers a broad and insightful perspective of Embrey's operations and portfolio, continually ensuring the best interests of our investors and buyers are represented.
Madison holds a degree in Business Finance from Texas A&M University, College Station.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Construction Operations
As Regional Manager for Embrey Management Services (EMS), Monique Garces oversees all facets of the management and compliance of the company's portfolio of multifamily communities in the San Antonio Region.
Monique first started with Embrey as a property manager in 2014. Prior to joining the team, she acquired more than a decade of multifamily property management experience through her work at companies such as Broadway Developments, CK Property Management and Trammell Crow Residential.
Job Titles:
- Director of Construction Administration
Patsy Wells manages Embrey's Construction Administrative team which provides procurement and project management support to our on-site field teams.
She previously held positions at Zachary Engineering Corporation, San Antonio, Texas where she was responsible for Technical Training and Project Support.
Patsy received her bachelor's degree in general studies with an emphasis in business and management from West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications & Brand Management
Rod Riordan, Chief Financial Officer, oversees corporate finance, accounting, planning and forecasting, human resources, risk management, technology, and provides internal and partner reporting for the organization.
Rod joined Embrey from JPI, where he served as Executive Vice President and Finance Partner. His background also includes experience with Belo Corp. in the Corporate Finance group and with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Financial Advisory Services practice.
Rod holds a Master of Business Administration from The Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and a Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance, University of Texas at Austin.
As Regional Manager for Embrey Management Services (EMS), Sameera Sidik oversees all facets of the management and compliance of the company's portfolio of multifamily communities in the Houston region.
Sameera joined Embrey in 2011 after more than half a decade of experience in multifamily property management at CNC Investments.
Sameera holds an Associates of Science from Houston Community College and a Bachelor of Science, Technical Management from DeVry University. She is a Certified Apartment Manager (CAM).
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Finance
Sara Hanback is responsible for achieving the financial objectives of Embrey through the management of the Financial Planning & Analysis and Risk Management team, reporting of company finances, maintaining the annual plan and long-range financial forecast and reporting to internal partners.
Sara brings to Embrey an extensive background in corporate finance and FP&A, having started her career as a member of the finance rotational program at Ford Motor Company and moving on to positions with Red Hat, Inc., first as principal finance analyst, FP&A supporting Global Real Estate, Facilities Engineering, and then as manager for corporate FP&A.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Investments
Sarah Spector Carroll manages and oversees Embrey real estate transactions and the procurement of equity and debt financing for all development deals.
Prior to joining Embrey, Sarah was Vice President and Financial Analyst Manager with Wells Fargo's Commercial Real Estate Lending team in San Francisco, California where she was a key member of a team that managed a multi-billion-dollar credit portfolio and participated in closing real estate loans.
Sarah received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder and completed post-graduate coursework in advanced credit training with a focus on relationship management, credit underwriting and business development.
Job Titles:
- in 2019 As Director of Technology Services
- Vice President of Technology Services
Scott Baldwin leads all information technology initiatives for Embrey including network management, strategic planning and the development, testing and implementation of technology solutions.
Scott joined Embrey in 2019 as Director of Technology Services, bringing to the company more than 25 years of IT and project management experience in multiple industries.
Scott holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Development
Suzanne White is responsible for management of the development process, including market analysis and demographic research, as well as oversight of contracts and budgets throughout the preliminary development and completion phases of each project.
Suzanne joined Embrey in 1997 and her experience includes several high-profile projects such as Embrey's Quarry Village mixed-use project.
Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Business Arts in Marketing from Texas A&M University. She is a member of the Real Estate Council of San Antonio, the Downtown Alliance and San Antonio Livestock Exposition.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
In his executive leadership role, Trey is responsible for all aspects of corporate and divisional strategy and performance for the company that bears his family name. He leads the company's Executive Committee and Investments Committee and is a member of a variety of additional governance teams. Trey takes an active role in building and maintaining strong relationships with institutional and private investors, community partners and in building high-performance internal teams.
Trey first joined Embrey in 1992 and in 2000 launched his own successful apartment redevelopment enterprise. He rejoined Embrey in 2010 as Executive Vice President of Operations and was named President & CEO in 2017.
Hallmarks of Trey's leadership as the company's top executive include strategic market expansion that today includes Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Tennessee, North Carolina and Florida; significant growth of Embrey's multimillion dollar asset portfolio; widening participation for investors; and building efficiency and effectiveness in operations through streamlined processes and the assembly of one of the best teams in the business.
In 2018, Trey was recognized as a C-suite Award winner by the San Antonio Business Journal. He is a member and donor for the Founders Council of the University of Texas at San Antonio's Embrey Real Estate Finance & Development Program and the University of Texas at Austin, supporting education for the next generation of industry leaders. Professional affiliations include the Urban Land Institute - San Antonio; the Real Estate Council of San Antonio; the National Multifamily Housing Council; and the National Apartment Association.
He supports community organizations such as the United Way; Habitat for Humanity, the San Antonio Food Bank: KIPP Texas-San Antonio; SAMMinistries; and the Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation.
Trey earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS
From his first foray into the real estate industry at just 20 years old, Walter Embrey established the tradition of approaching every project with a commitment to the highest quality. So what began as part-time job, ultimately became a fulltime avocation that nearly 50 years later represents the efforts of hundreds of employees and a national reputation synonymous with excellence in building.
As Chairman of the company he formally founded in 1974 as Embrey Investments Inc., Walter remains integrally involved in an advisory capacity that provides keen insight toward strategic direction on development activities.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Construction Operations