| Ascension Commercial Real Estate is a value creation and property management company focused on maximizing asset potential of multifamily properties. With over 100 years of combined experience in commercial real estate, the principals have vast knowledge and experience in various facets of the industry including over 40 real estate partnerships. |
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James G. Wood, CFA
James Wood is a Managing Director and serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ascension Commercial Real Estate. Prior to forming Ascension Commercial Real Estate, LP, Mr. Wood had 15 years of workout experience, first with a Texas regional bank in the 1980s, where he worked for eight years. Most of his time spent at Texas American Bank was dedicated to the resolution of problem loans secured by various property types across Texas. During the 1990s, Mr. Wood was employed with American General, where he was a Vice President and managed a $2.5 billion portfolio of Commercial Mortgaged-Backed Securities (CMBS) and Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) bonds. In addition, he headed the commercial mortgage management group. The $3.7 billion portfolio consisted of mortgages secured by various commercial property types across the United States. From 2002 to 2008, InvestWood Capital a firm founded by Mr. Wood completed over $15 billion of commercial real estate due diligence consulting for third party lenders and investors. Mr. Wood has his BBA from Texas A&M University (Cum Laude) and MBA from the University of Texas. He is also a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
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Michael Novelli
Michael Novelli serves as Managing Director with Chief Financial Officer responsibilities for Ascension Commercial Real Estate. In addition, Mr. Novelli serves as Managing Director of Cypressbrook Company where he is responsible for the coordination of the company's development teams, capital transactions, marketing efforts, and equity financing activities. Prior to joining Cypressbrook Company, Mr. Novelli served as a Principal in various Cypress Realty, Inc. related projects in his capacity as President of The Esterbrook Company, a real estate development company based in The Woodlands, Texas. His duties as President of The Esterbrook Company include directing various land, industrial, office, and senior living development projects. Before founding The Esterbrook Company, Mr. Novelli served as a Principal with a Houston-based private equity company, where he served on the board of directors for several portfolio companies. From 1985 through 1994, Mr. Novelli was employed by the Trammell Crow Company. During his tenure at Crow, Mr. Novelli rose from Marketing Representative to Project Partner to Managing Director. He participated in retail, industrial, office, and land projects in a variety of functions: development, marketing, financing, construction and property management. Mr. Novelli received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rice University in 1979 and his Master of Accounting from the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration at Rice University in 1980. Later in 1982, he received his Masters of Arts in Economics from Cambridge University in England.
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David H. Meaden
David Meaden serves as Managing Director and oversees Central Texas for Ascension Commercial Real Estate. In addition, he is co-founder and Principal of San Antonio, Texas-based Reata Real Estate Services, L.P. and Reata Property Management. This firm is a full service real estate company offering property management, leasing and development services to third party commercial clients. Prior to founding Reata Real Estate Services, Mr. Meaden served as a Partner in Trammell Crow Company for fourteen years. During his tenure at Crow, Mr. Meaden was a partner in 3,000,000 square feet of real estate development valued at approximately $200,000,000. Moreover, in both 1996 and 1998, Mr. Meaden was named one of the Top Brokers in America by Real Estate Forum Magazine. Before achieving his role as Partner of Trammell Crow Company, Mr. Meaden served as a leasing agent. From 1984-1986, he was ranked as one of Trammell Crow Company’s Top 3 Leasing Agents nationally. Mr. Meaden received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Vanderbilt University in 1980, and his Masters of Business Administration in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin in 1982. Mr. Meaden is a member of the San Antonio Apartment Association, Society of Office and Industrial Realtors. He serves on several ministry boards in SA including Young Life, Border Ministries, and the Gathering of Men.
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Jeff Presnal
Jeff Presnal is a Development Principal with Ascension Commercial Real Estate providing overall management and direction for new development. His primary duties include site location and selection for new projects, oversight of the development team of engineers, architects and other consultants and project team members as well as oversight and management of the construction process for all new projects. He also provides development expertise and new business opportunities to Cypressbrook Company, an affiliated company, as a result of his more than 20 years of real estate experience primarily focused on development. Prior to joining Cypressbrook/Ascension, he owned and managed his own real estate consulting business providing development advice and construction management services to a variety of customers. From 1990 to 2008, Mr. Presnal served in a myriad of development roles managing the development process across much of the U.S and in many product types including land development, multifamily, senior housing and retail projects. He is also a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker. In addition to his real estate career, Mr. Presnal also served on active duty in the United States Army as an aviation officer for 9 years and in the Reserves for 16 years where he commanded several organizations, served in high level staff positions and instructed Rotary Wing flight training and Command and General Staff College. He was mobilized in 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and retired in 2005 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Presnal received his Bachelor of Science in Building Construction in 1980 and his Master of Science in Land Development, both from Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Aggie Band and Ross Volunteers. Mr. Presnal is also the President of Armor of God Military Ministry, a group of volunteers that he co-leads with his wife, that exists to serve the military community in the Houston area. |
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Jodi Matthews
Jodi Matthews is the Controller for Ascension Commercial Real Estate. She oversees cash management, and has extensive experience analyzing and preparing financial statements for over 50 companies. Mrs. Matthews also prepares monthly reports including Consolidated P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Capital Expenditures, Depreciation Schedule, and Budget Comparison. She is responsible for monitoring accounting procedures and she continuously strives toward improving accounting policies, and ensuring accordance to regulations. Mrs. Matthews also reviews and prepares the state and federal income taxes, and is diligent about keeping up with strict deadlines and changes in law for both tax and bookkeeping. Mrs. Matthews obtained her BBA in both Economics and General Business from Oklahoma State University. |
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Steven Ammons
Steven Ammons is the Construction Manager for Ascension Commercial Real Estate. He has over twenty-five years experience in new construction, renovation/redevelopment and estimating and purchasing. Prior to coming to Ascension he was Sr. Director of Construction and Redevelopment with Apartment Investment & Management Company (AIMCO). Other companies he has worked with in the past include Ellen Lighting and Hardware where held the position of Division Manager and Straticon Construction Services where he served as a project manager. |
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Sandra Bryson
Sandra Bryson is Director of Human Resources for Ascension Commercial Real Estate and is a skilled management professional with over 20 years of experience in office administration for multifamily property companies. Her work style is flexible and she is adept at communicating with team members, management, internal departments and vendors to coordinate and mange overall business efforts. Mrs. Bryson achieves multiple, high priority objectives on time and within requirements using her leadership and organizational skills. Mrs. Bryson manages day to day operations, directly utilizing the team. She also assists with IT issues, and has dramatically improved efficiency, decreased expenses and optimized employee performance. |
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Nina Kirtley
Mrs. Kirtley is a Regional Director of Operations for Ascension Commercial Real Estate with more than twenty years experience in the multifamily industry, managing a variety of assets including Class A, B and C communities. Prior to joining Ascension, she worked for American Realty Investors as a Regional Property Supervisor and Regional Marketing Director. She has a wide range of experience in multi-million dollar renovations, value enhancement, stabilization of assets and knowledge in turning around distressed properties. She is thorough in conducting due diligence for prospective acquisitions. She has developed extensive marketing and training strategies, enacts operational expense controls and partners with vendors to promote increase ancillary income programs while decreasing expenses through collaborative negotiations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Houston Apartment Association, holds the designation of Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) and is involved in many programs including the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). |
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Brenda Choate
Brenda Choate is a Regional Director of Operations for Ascension Commercial Real Estate with over twenty years of experience in the multifamily industry. Prior to joining Ascension she served as a Regional Vice President of Senior Living/Tax Credit with Tarantino Properties, Inc. for six years. She also served with Greystone Asset Management for six years and was a member of their Greystone Due Diligence Team. She possesses a skilled background in dealing with the many facets of multifamily property management. She has worked with a diverse client base, including private investors and lending institutions. Her experience also includes conventional, tax credit, senior/assisted and public housing with a special emphasis on corrective management procedures for distressed properties. Additionally, her experience includes management and lease up of Class A, new construction. She creates and implements successful marketing programs with a special focus on marketing tactics for underperforming properties. Additionally, she holds the following designations: CAPS, TCS, COS, HCCP, NCP, HCV. |
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Theresia Harris
Theresia Harris is a Regional Director of Operations for Ascension Commercial Real Estate with over fifteen years of residential property management experience. Before joining the Ascension team she was a Regional Manager for BH Management overseeing a portfolio comprised of almost two thousand units. She also served with Greystar Real Estate Partners at the regional level as well as other property management firms throughout the Houston market. She is knowledgeable in the many aspects of asset management having gained experience while working her way up through the residential industry. |
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Bryan Head
Bryan Head is a Regional Director of Operations for Ascension Commercial Real Estate with 17 years of experience in the multifamily industry. Prior to joining Ascension, Bryan held regional management positions with HM Equity, Harbor Group Management and Alliance Residential Management. In addition to his regional role at Alliance, Bryan also served as a Regional Director of Education, Director of Business Strategy and Development and Vice President of Business Services. In these positions, he assisted in the implementation of multiple software systems including OneSite, OpsTechnology and JDEdwards; worked with suppliers on a national level negotiating rates, contracts and standardization of onsite operations. His training background allows him to provide on the spot training and education when working with his property teams to ensure success. In addition to his Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) designation from the National Apartment Association, he is also a graduate of the Leadership Lyceum programs of the Houston Apartment Association (2009) and the Texas Apartment Association (2013). He currently serves on the HAA Education Conference and Expo Committee, the TAA Education Committee and the TAA Board of Directors. |
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