Note: The next session of REIT School is scheduled for December 2009. The material below is from the December 2008 session.

To receive information on the December 2009 session as it becomes available, click here.

PHILIP CHARLS

CEO, European Public Real Estate Association

After graduating from the University of Leiden in 1974, Philip practiced law for three years in The Hague. He joined the Nationale Nederlanden, life insurance division of ING, in 1977 where he was engaged in various management positions. In 1991 he was appointed Senior Vice-President of Life of Georgia in Atlanta (USA). Life of Georgia was ING's major life operation in the USA at the same time. In 1993 Philip joined RVS Insurance (ING Group) in Belgium as CEO. In 2001 he was appointed General Manager of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce for Belgium and Luxembourg, where he successfully implemented a turnaround based on an e-commerce business strategy and creation of business partnerships. On September 1, 2007 Philip Charls was appointed CEO of EPRA.

LARRY FINGER

President, Strategic Advisory, Inc.

Larry Finger provides strategic advisory services to public companies seeking improved valuations. Mr. Finger retired as EVP, CFO and Treasurer of Federal Realty Investment Trust in March 2008.

During his tenure at Federal Realty, Larry Finger was responsible for Federal Realty's strategic and financial planning along with oversight of the Trust's financial reporting, capital markets and investor relations functions. Mr. Finger also served as a member of the Trust's Investment Committee.

Mr. Finger previously served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for Washington Real Estate Trust, a diversified REIT in the Washington, DC area. During his eight years of service at Washington REIT, Mr. Finger was responsible for capital markets, financial reporting and investor relations.

Previously, Mr. Finger was employed for 13 years with Savage/ Fogarty Companies, Inc., a Washington, DC area development and property management company, in various positions including chief operating officer.

Mr. Finger earned a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. In addition, Mr. Finger received his Certified Public Accountant designation in 1976, and was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar Association in 1981.

CHRISTOPHER J. HARTUNG

Managing Director, Eastdil Secured

Chris is a Managing Director Co-head of Eastdil Secured’s Real Estate Investment Banking activities.  He is responsible for directing the firm’s real estate investment banking activities, including equity and debt issuance, corporate advisory, and mergers & acquisitions. Over the course of his career, Chris has been involved in the issuance of over $20 billion in debt and equity transactions for public and private real estate companies.  Chris originally joined Wells Fargo (Eastdil Secured’s parent company) to launch the firm’s Real Estate Equity Research Group, covering publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Real Estate Operating Companies (REOCs).  Prior to Wells Fargo, Chris was a Managing Director at WR Hambrecht + Co serving in a similar capacity. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Applied Economics. 

TARA INNES

Vice President, AIG Global Investment Group
Tara Innes joined AIG Global Investment Group in 2006 as a Vice President covering REITs, gaming, and lodging companies. Prior to joining AIGGIG, Ms. Innes spent three years at Fitch Ratings, where she was a Managing Director, leading the real estate company rating effort. Ms. Innes's work at Fitch Ratings was preceded by 15 years at MetLife where she was a Director on the Fixed Income Research Team responsible for coverage of REITs, Homebuilders, Lodging Companies, and Movie Theatre Exhibitors.

Ms. Innes began her investment career at Merrill Lynch Hubbard as an Analyst in the real estate acquisitions and investor relations areas. Ms. Innes is a Board Member and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City. Ms. Innes received a B.A. in Political Science and History from Boston College.

GLENN MUELLER

Professor, Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management

University of Denver / Real Estate Investment Strategist, Dividend Capital Group

Dr. Mueller is teaching and doing research in real estate market cycles, investments and real estate capital markets.  This academic program started in 1938 and is one of the oldest in the country.  It is also one of the largest in the country with over 550 undergraduate and graduate students.  It offers both undergraduate (BS) and graduate (MS & MBA) degrees in business, as well as executive and distance learning programs. Dr. Mueller has 33 years of real estate industry experience, including 24 years of research.  Dr. Mueller received the Graaskamp Award for Research Leadership from the American Real Estate Society in 2004 and the Graaskamp Award for Research Excellence from the Pension Real Estate Association in 2001. He is currently the co-editor of the Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management. He has written 70 articles that have appeared in top academic and industry publications.  Prior to CSU and Dividend Capital Mueller was a professor at CSU, Johns Hopkins University and has held top research positions at Legg Mason, Price Waterhouse, ABKB/LaSalle Investment Management, and Prudential Real Estate Investors.  He was also a developer/builder in New England.   Mueller holds a B.S.B.A. from the University of Denver, an MBA from Babson College, and a Ph.D. in Real Estate from Georgia State University.

THOMAS L. REGNELL

Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Washington Real Estate Investment Trust

Mr. Thomas L. Regnell joined the Trust in January 1995 as Vice President, Acquisitions. Mr. Regnell was named Managing Director, Acquisitions in 2001 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Acquisitions in October 2007. From 1992 through 1994, Mr. Regnell served as an Investment (Acquisitions) Officer with Federal Realty Investment Trust. Previously, Mr. Regnell was a Vice President with Spaulding & Slye Company, a real estate development, brokerage and management company. Mr. Regnell received a BA from George Washington University and a MBA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Mr. Regnell is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) and serves as a director and executive committee member of the Northern Virginia NAIOP. He also is an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Real Estate Development, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

KUNAL SHAH

Associate Director, UBS Investment Bank

Mr. Shah is an Associate Director in the Real Estate, Lodging & Leisure group at UBS Investment Bank. In this role, he is responsible for client coverage support and deal execution responsibilities for public REITs, commercial mortgage REITs, private real estate companies, and real estate private equity firms. While at UBS, Mr. Shah has worked on several transactions involving M&A advisory, raising equity and debt and recently private equity fundraisings. Prior to joining UBS in 2006, Mr. Shah worked in the investment banking group at Lazard.

JAMES M. TAYLOR

Head of Real Estate Investment Banking, Wachovia Securities, Inc.

Promoted to Head of Real Estate Investment Banking in 2007, Mr. Taylor joined Wachovia’s Real Estate Corporate Finance Group in 1998. Over the years, Mr. Taylor has completed public debt and equity offerings, M&A transactions, asset and portfolio sales, private equity placements, mortgage financings and bank loans for numerous real estate clients.

Prior to joining Wachovia, Mr. Taylor practiced corporate and securities law with Hunton & Williams, where he represented both issuers and underwriters in public and private equity offerings, debt offerings and M&A transactions, with a focus on equity REITs. Previously, Mr. Taylor worked as a senior accountant for Price Waterhouse in Washington, DC.

Mr. Taylor received his B.S. in Commerce and a law degree from the University of Virginia.