The GBX Team is made up of Smart, Driven, and Good people. We operate under the philosophy of guidelines, not rules that establish a collaborative environment to accomplish complex work initiatives and meet company goals. These elements, together with broad-reaching benefits, have resulted in GBX being named by ERC as a four-time NorthCoast 99 recipient that recognizes Northeast Ohio’s top talent employers.
Linda Bishop has more than 25 years of experience in the professional and financial services industry. In her role as Manager of Investor Relations, Linda ensures best-in-class experiences for GBX Group's investor community, including the timely distribution of valuable information, investor inquiries and document review for accuracy and Security and Exchange Commission compliance. She also manages and reports investor feedback to the leadership team.
Before joining GBX Group, Linda was previously Manager of Accounts Receivables & Collections, Executive Associate, and Team Leader at CTPartners, a Forbes Magazine top-10 retained executive search firm for C-level executives. In those positions, she managed client accounts, candidate relationships, and corporate training of the administrative staff.
Linda began her career as a Court Reporter for the United States Army, where she was responsible for word-for-word transcriptions, depositions, administrative hearings, and other legal proceedings.
She earned her education through certification as a Court Reporter from Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and The Academy of Court Reporting in Cleveland, Ohio.
Julie Burklund has led the Business Intelligence and Analytics team with GBX Group since 2018. She provides data analysis and GIS mapping for economic impact consulting projects for Silverlode.
Before joining GBX Group, Julie was a Real Estate Analyst and Assistant Development Manager at First Interstate Properties, a real estate development company, providing data analysis for new construction projects and assisting with the ongoing asset management of several retail properties. Prior to joining First Interstate Properties, Julie was a Research Assistant at the Great Lakes Environment Finance Center at Cleveland State University.
Julie has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Truman State University and a Master of Science in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University. She completed a full stack web development certification at Case Western University in 2017.
Brian Cappelli has significant experience operating diverse real estate portfolios nationwide. As President of Real Estate at GBX Group, Brian is responsible for overseeing the operations of the real estate business, including managing the real estate team, developing, and executing business strategies, overseeing financial performance, and making key decisions regarding the acquisition, development, and management of real estate assets. Brian is the Chair of GBX’s Real Estate Management Committee and a member of its Investment Committee.
Brian is a past Chair of the Building Owner & Managers Association, International (BOMA) Executive Committee. Based in Washington D.C., BOMA is a leading trade association for the commercial real estate industry. He was also honored with the prestigious BOMA Fellows recognition.
Prior to joining GBX Group Brian was Vice President of Operations at Forest City Realty Trust in Cleveland, Ohio where he was responsible for the financial and operational performance of a national portfolio of office, retail, and hospitality assets. He previously served as General Manager at Equity Office Properties Trust, which at the time was one of the nation’s largest real estate investment trusts.
Brian currently serves as board member of Lakewood Community Services Center.
Brian earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University, and the Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation from the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI).
Rick Caton is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in computer science, information technology, and network and system administration. As the Director of Enterprise Solutions at GBX Group, Rick is instrumental in overseeing the design, implementation, configuration, support, and enhancement of company-wide applications and data solutions. His role is pivotal in ensuring system and data security within the organization.
Rick’s extensive career includes significant contributions as an IT Contractor, where he specialized in cybersecurity, OS migration, and the installation and upgrading of servers, firewalls, and switches. Prior to his current role, he served as a Network Administrator at The Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland (CEOGC), where he developed a SharePoint IT Trouble Ticket system and managed projects aimed at modernizing the company’s IT infrastructure.
Rick holds an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science from ECPI College of Technology, with a focus on Network Security. He furthered his education with a Bachelor’s Degree in Network and System Administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a Master of Science in Information Technology from the Florida Institute of Technology
As Senior Real Estate Counsel for GBX Group and a transactional real estate law practitioner, Marianne Cohen prepares and negotiates purchase agreements, reviews due diligence on GBX’s properties, transacts with the title companies, and prepares and coordinates property closing documentation. Specific to the nature of GBX’s work, she negotiates and obtains historic preservation easement agreements with donees.
Over her career, she has represented commercial and developer clients in connection with the acquisition, financing, development, and disposition of various property types, including commercial, retail, multifamily residential and affordable housing. Marianne is experienced in the areas of title underwriting, new construction, and conversion condominium development for commercial and residential condominiums.
Prior to joining GBX Group, Marianne was an attorney at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. She also practiced law in Chicago with DLA Piper (US) LLP, Charity & Associates, P.C., Duane Morris LLP, and Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. During her tenure, she was named Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year by the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc. for her efforts in helping Hurricane Katrina victims establish legal title to their homes by clearing heirship issues and obtaining grants from various governmental entities.
Marianne earned her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago and graduated cum laude from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
As Chief Revenue Officer at GBX Group, Taylor Davis is responsible for managing relationships and partnerships across multiple business lines. Taylor holds a deep knowledge of real estate architecture, development, law, and construction, which allows him to navigate the various landscapes of GBX investments across 24 states. In his previous role at GBX, Taylor served as Vice President of Acquisitions, where his team was responsible for the acquisition of more than $600 Million historic preservation properties throughout the United States.
Before joining GBX Group, Taylor served as Chief Development Officer and Partner of Armstrong Hospitality in Florida, a boutique development firm focused on historic adaptive reuse projects involving historic tax incentives. At Sterling Development, a division of the Sterling Companies, in Destin, Florida, Taylor managed various real estate activities, including cost analysis, client relationships, contract negotiations and buyouts, and project management of over $300 million in development. He then served as Director of Marketing and Business Development for Ai Group, an international architecture and interior design firm based in Atlanta.
Taylor is actively involved with the American Cancer Society, serving on both the Ohio / West Virginia / Northern Kentucky Area Board and the Hope Ball Board of Ambassadors. In 2019, he was recognized by GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum as one of “50 Under 40” – an award recognizing the brightest upcoming commercial real estate professionals.
Taylor received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Auburn University.
As Director of Tax and Business Strategy, Jacob Dean is an important part of our team responsible for the organization’s tax policies and objectives. Specifically, Jacob plays a vital role in understanding and guiding business and real estate transactions for GBX Group and its stakeholders in a manner that is tax efficient and compliant.
Before joining GBX Group, Jacob practiced law at Ohio-based firm Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston (CCJ). A member of the firm’s corporate department, he worked with for-profit and nonprofit clients on complex transactional, governance, and regulatory issues – frequently representing clients on matters before the Internal Revenue Service and state agencies. Jacob began his career as a tax attorney at The Procter & Gamble Company and at the U.S. Tax Court in Washington, D.C.
Jacob holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Brigham Young University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and his Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.
Julie has over 25 years of experience in credits and incentives consulting. Prior to joining Silverlode Consulting, Julie was a Senior Tax Manager at Equifax Workforce Solutions where she managed the Tax Research Department and GIS group. Julie has worked with over 100 clients, researching and analyzing their locations to identify statutory and negotiated tax incentive opportunities. She is an expert at incentive analysis, which matches a company’s locations to beneficial tax credits and incentives.
At First Advantage Tax Consulting Services, Julie was the Director in their Tax Credits and Incentives Division, where she led a group of tax consultants who identified and secured statutory and discretionary tax incentives for all 50 states.
Earlier in her career, Julie managed the Cincinnati credits and incentives practice for PwC. At PwC she focused on negotiated incentives and helped clients to obtain lucrative tax credits and incentives for new and expanding corporate facilities.
Julie earned her Bachelor of Arts at University of California, Irvine and her MBA at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Julie is a Certified Public Accountant in Ohio (inactive).
As Marketing and Public Affairs Manager at GBX Group, Cassie Fornick is responsible for marketing-related efforts, public affairs initiatives, and corporate and stakeholder communications. She oversees operations of the department that handles traditional media relations, orchestrates social media strategy, and manages the GBX brand. Her team facilitates the production of investor communications, manages and develops marketing deliverables related to the GBX and Silverlode brands, and maintains company websites.
Cassie joined GBX in 2018 and worked with the business development team before transitioning into roles in marketing and public affairs. Prior to joining GBX, Cassie worked in event planning and sales.
Cassie has a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing with a concentration in event planning from LIM College in New York.
Lance Frew brings a 30-year career in leading and transforming organizations to his position as Chief Operating Officer at GBX Group. He has extensive experience in developing and retaining top talent while implementing processes and technology that maximize growth and profitability.
At GBX, Lance directs the firm’s operations and oversees human resources, information systems, project management and marketing.
Lance was previously President and Chief Financial Officer at Cleveland-based MCPc, Inc., where he led a remarkable team of people that transformed the business from an IT and office supplies company into a leading provider of integrated technology. During his tenure, annual revenue at MCPc doubled to $300 million.
While serving as Managing Partner at Turning Point Partners, Lance directed an $18 million tax-exempt bond financing and a $50 million private placement. As Finance Director at Austin Powder Company, an international industrial explosives manufacturer, he led the firm’s domestic and international financial operations.
Lance is Chairman of DigitalC and OneCommunity, Inc. He previously was a board member of MCPc, Everstream Solutions, Vox Mobile, and MidTown Tech Hive.
Lance received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Case Western Reserve University, and his Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
For more than a decade, Amy has demonstrated her skill at leading and working with a team of Project Managers to complete technical real estate investment projects for GBX. Her active involvement has streamlined the overall project management process permitting the team to expand its supporting role within GBX’s expanding commercial real estate operations.
Before joining GBX, Amy enjoyed an 18-year career with KeyBank, a leading regional financial services institution. There she helped shape the organization’s retail banking, operations, and customer service business offerings.
Amy received her MBA from Baldwin Wallace University. Over the years she has been involved with community organizations, like United Way of Lake County and Western Reserve Junior Services League both in Northeast Ohio.
Sarah Giegold is a Senior Tax Consultant with over 17 years of experience in Tax Consulting. At Silverlode, Sarah is responsible for assisting clients to obtain lucrative Federal and State Tax Credits and Incentives.
Sarah was a Senior Quality Program Manager at Equifax Workforce Solutions for six years. Sarah worked with large clients to maximize their WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit) opportunities. Sarah’s previous role at Equifax was an Account Manager providing resources to deliver robust HR solutions including onboarding, employment verification, and I-9. At CliftonLarsonAllen, Sarah handled sales and use taxes for reverse audits and assisted large clients with sales tax refunds. After graduating from college, Sarah worked as a Tax Incentive Specialist at First Advantage.
Sarah has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue University and was a member of the Purdue Accounting Association.
As a certified public accountant and an attorney with more than 35 years of experience in tax consulting and compliance, Rich Greco is uniquely qualified as Senior Managing Director of Tax Strategy at GBX Group. Rich focuses on acquisition and disposition structuring of the company’s real estate investments. He is also responsible for ensuring compliance with all aspects of the tax law.
Over the course of his career, Rich has specialized in tax planning and in designing acquisition and divestiture structures for transactions ranging from $3 million to in excess of $7 billion for both public and private corporations, private equity funds, and partnerships.
Prior to joining GBX Group, Rich was a tax partner with Ernst & Young, a leading professional services and public accounting firm.
Rich earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Franklin & Marshall College and his JD magna cum laude from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University.
Zachary Guren manages GBX Group’s real estate development team, which oversees projects representing approximately one-third of the assets acquired annually. Representing GBX’s interests, Zach and his team work with development partners to ensure that they have all the information and GBX support necessary to complete each project and may participate in a variety of ways from periodic check-ins to full co-development.
Prior to joining GBX, Zach served as development manager for First Interstate Properties and gained valuable experience in the development process by participating in the management of several projects. Zach’s involvement with successful projects includes the opening of a 135-key Hyatt Place hotel along with its 200-space structured parking garage, and the 276-unit luxury apartment building, One University Circle – the first high-rise multifamily project in Cleveland in 40 years.
Locally, Zach serves as a director for the Hershey Foundation, a foundation dedicated to providing Northeast Ohio children from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds with opportunities for personal growth and development. He also is a board member for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy which has preserved over 70,000 acres of natural areas, agricultural land, coastal land, and urban spaces in Northeast Ohio and the surrounding region.
Zach received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Economics at University of Michigan, and earned his graduate degrees, including Master of City Planning and Master of Environmental Studies, from University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, he has been a LEED accredited professional since 2010.
As a member of the Real Estate Team at GBX Group, Gar provides market analysis, underwriting, and asset management. He assists in identifying markets and properties for investment, and in the underwriting and valuation of potential ventures.
Prior to joining GBX, Gar served as Director of Research & Marketing at Newmark Knight Frank, a leading commercial real estate advisory firm, where he provided long term real estate planning services including valuation and land use planning. He oversaw the research, marketing and consulting departments of the firm’s Cleveland and Columbus offices. With support from his team, Gar provided clients detailed market data, financial analysis, mapping, and graphic deliverables.
Gar is an active industry and community leader with membership in the Cleveland Commercial Real Estate Young Professionals Group. He is also a member of the Design Review Committee of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission’s Franklin-West Clinton Historic District.
A graduate of Denison University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, Gar received his Master’s Degree in urban planning, design and development from Cleveland State University.
For over 15 years, Allison has identified and maximized tax incentive opportunities and managed compliance for location based incentives, training grants, and other statutory and negotiated incentives for corporate clients.
Before joining Silverlode, Allison was a Senior Tax Manager at Equifax Workforce Solutions. She led the Location Based Incentives team and was responsible for identifying and growing credit opportunities and delivering credit calculations. Prior to joining Equifax, Allison was a Tax Manager at First Advantage where she managed a client base with location based incentives projects and worked closely with developers to enhance automated credit calculation procedures.
Allison earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue University. Allison has completed Six Sigma Green Belt training and various related tax incentive efficiency projects.
For more than 20 years, Maureen Hourihan has directed high-performing teams of expert credit and incentives professionals and provided business growth opportunities to hundreds of corporate clients. She identifies opportunities for growth and development through establishing strategic process improvements, evaluating performance, and managing projects across business. She has worked with clients to design and implement tax credit and incentive strategies, performed comprehensive tax credit reviews, as well as the negotiation of economic development incentives.
Prior to leading Silverlode Consulting’s Location Based Incentives team, Maureen was the Director of Business Incentives for Equifax Workforce Solutions. Maureen led the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Client Support and Location Based Incentives team. Earlier in her career, Maureen held several other Equifax leadership positions in credit and incentives delivery and compliance and tax research. Maureen began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where she managed the National Incentive Compliance Practice.
Maureen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Information Systems from Ursuline College. She is a member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation.
Kathy is an Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable Specialist with over 35 years of experience in accounting. Kathy processes all incoming invoices for payment and also invoices and manages the collection efforts for Silverlode.
Kathy has held several positions in her career, increasing in scope and responsibilities. Prior to working at GBX, Kathy worked at Providence Healthcare Management and AIY Properties, Inc.
Kathy is working on completing her Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Cuyahoga Community College.
As Director of Tax Controversy at GBX Group, Katherine is responsible for managing the firm’s federal tax audits, appeals, and litigation. Katherine is well-versed in tax controversy matters and works to ensure that GBX’s tax transactions are fully compliant with all federal tax laws.
Prior to joining GBX, Katherine practiced as a Tax Controversy and Litigation Associate at Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, where she represented clients in audits and administrative appeals before the Internal Revenue Service and in litigation before the United States Tax Court. Katherine also previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph W. Nega of the U.S. Tax Court, where she drafted opinions, orders, and decisions and conducted legal research on a wide variety of tax matters.
Katherine co-authored the Tax Notes article “Eroding Conservation, Preserving Abuse – A Flawed IRS Strategy”, which Tax Notes recognized as one of the 10 best federal tax articles of 2020.
Katherine earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University and her Juris Doctor from The University of Virginia School of Law where she concentrated in tax law.
Sharon brings over 20 years of real estate experience to her role as the Vice President of Process Improvement & Internal Audit. Sharon is responsible for assessing and enhancing business performance for GBX Group and minimizing risk with the goal of building a culture of continuous process improvement. Sharon also manages GBX's property and corporate insurance program, binding over $1 million in coverage annually.
Prior to joining GBX, Sharon managed the development of over $145 million in multifamily projects in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas working for both for-profit and non-profit development companies. Early in her career, Sharon worked as an Acquisitions Officer at Fairfield Residential securing $126 million in tax exempt bond allocations in 4 states to fund multifamily acquisitions and grow the company's footprint.
Sharon is a trained urban planner and has her LEED AP. She is an active member of the Urban Land Institute’s Cleveland Chapter and is the former Co-Chair of its Program Committee.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Miami University, a Master of Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University.
As Chief Financial Officer at GBX Group, Kevin Martin manages the financial performance and compliance of the company and its real estate investments. He is responsible for overseeing all aspects of financial reporting processes to ensure accuracy, compliance with regulations, and timely dissemination of financial information. This includes managing the preparation of financial statements, tax compliance, implementing internal controls, and analyzing financial data to provide insights for strategic decision-making.
Kevin has over 25 years of experience in diverse areas of company operations, financial management, and reporting, which has helped him to achieve operational efficiencies, execute a hands-on and team driven management style, and foster open communication and trust among colleagues and external constituencies.
Before joining GBX, Kevin served as Chief Financial Officer at several companies executing aggressive growth strategies through acquisitions in Industrial Distribution and Transportation Logistics companies. Additionally, he spent 18 years at S.G. Morris Company as Treasurer and CFO managing its employee ownership and guiding its transition to a subsidiary of a publicly held company.
Previously, Kevin served as Finance Council Co-Chair of Saint Paschal Baylon Parish and President of the Athletic Boosters of Beaumont School.
Kevin is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy. He is the holder of an inactive Certified Public Accountant License in Ohio.
Dennis McAndrew is the Founder and President of Silverlode Consulting, which was acquired by GBX Group in 2018. Dennis also serves as the President of Consulting Services at GBX Group.
Dennis has over 20 years of experience advising private and public-sector organizations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in the areas of corporate site selection, feasibility analysis, economic incentives, public finance, economic impact modeling, and economic development strategy. Dennis provides support to businesses, developers, economic development organizations, and governmental entities involved in large-scale economic development projects.
Prior to founding Silverlode Consulting in 2002, Dennis was the Lake Erie Area Director of Site Selection & Incentives Services for EY. He also served as a Senior Manager in the Location and Incentives Advisory Services Group of PwC where Dennis began his career.
He has been published in The Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, Site Selection Magazine and a number of other publications. Dennis is a frequent commentator on economic development and site selection in the media, and is a regular speaker and instructor on the topics of site selection, incentives, and economic development to professional groups across the country.
A certified public accountant, Dennis is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC).
Dennis earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from John Carroll University.
Michelle Moll has been an integral part of Silverlode for over a decade. Michelle is an IMPLAN Certified Economist and spearheads Silverlode's modeling for economic impact and other analyses for corporate and public sector clients. Michelle also works with corporate clients to negotiate, procure, and manage compliance for economic incentives.
Prior to joining Silverlode, Michelle was a financial analyst with Netrex, which spun off of the Progressive Diversified Business Group, a subsidiary of The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies. Michelle was responsible for product pricing and conducting cost analysis for the leasing agents of large automobile makers. Earlier in her career, Michelle worked as a Senior Auditor for PwC and conducted audits for large real estate and manufacturing companies.
Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Miami University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).
Kelly Moody has been a consultant with Silverlode Consulting since 2012. She manages client relationships and projects for Silverlode’s economic impact consulting services and a variety of other service lines. Kelly is also involved with new business development efforts and communications across service lines.
Before joining Silverlode, Kelly was a Manager of Consulting at Allegro Realty Advisors, Ltd., a corporate real estate services firm. She spent five years providing real estate advisory services to corporations, municipalities, and not-for-profit clients. Prior to joining Allegro, Kelly served as a Manager at Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO), a regional economic development organization in Northeast Ohio.
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Richmond. She sits on the board of directors for Open Doors Academy and is a member of Cleveland Bridge Builders Class of 2008.
Michael Moses has over three decades of experience in the real estate, finance, and investment banking fields. As Executive Managing Director of Business Development at GBX Group, Michael plays a lead role in capital raising efforts with an emphasis on historic real estate, state and federal tax credits, and JV equity. Since 2017, on behalf of GBX, Michael has raised nearly $300 million in real estate capital from 480 high-income investors.
Michael also assists the Acquisitions group with identifying real estate acquisition targets, provides substantial support to the company’s communications and investor reporting and servicing efforts, and contributes to the tax credit work performed by the Silverlode consulting group.
Since the 1980s, Michael’s expertise in real estate and finance has resulted in raising and investing over $4 billion in equity in 500+ properties representing over 66,000 apartments and millions of SF of commercial real estate.
Prior to joining GBX Group, Michael served as Chief Investment Officer at The NRP Group, a Top-5 national multifamily developer, where he led capital raising efforts generating $1.1 billion for 100+ multifamily properties valued at over $3 billion.
While serving as Senior Vice President at Credit Suisse REFS, Michael originated and deployed over $300 million in equity. As Director of Acquisitions at GMAC Capital Corp., he closed 170+ transactions representing investments valued over $800 million. Michael was a founder of KeyBank’s Key Global Capital where, as Managing Director, he originated, structured, and closed over $525 million in investments into over 140 projects.
Michael is a guest lecturer for the Farmer School of Business at Miami University and Boler College of Business at John Carroll University and a former lecturer at the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University and Ashland University Dauch College of Business. He has previously served honorably as a Multifamily Policy Advisor for the White House.
Michael earned his BS in accounting from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University with an MBA degree in international finance from the Boler School of Business at John Carroll University.
Michael’s philanthropic involvement via the Moses Philanthropic Fund includes support through boards and committees for Jewish Community Housing, Cleveland Clinic Art Foundation, University Hospital Art Galleries, and the Playhouse Square Foundation.
Rebecca Neumann is an Associate Consultant at Silverlode. Rebecca augments the economic impact, economic incentives, and economic development teams through research and analysis, project management, and client engagement. Rebecca is also training to be an IMPLAN Certified Economist and assists with modeling for economic impact and other analyses for corporate and public sector clients.
Prior to joining Silverlode, Rebecca worked in the tax department of a large health system. Rebecca graduated Summa cum laude from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She majored in Economics with a minor in Finance. She also earned an Associate of Arts from Lorain County Community College.
As Senior Development Associate, Rachael Price is responsible for the overall management of assigned real estate development projects and internal development processes. Acting as an owner representative, she is responsible for direct correspondence and interaction with external development partners during all phases of the project from concept through construction and final handoff to property operators and GBX’s asset management team.
Prior, Rachael served as a Project Manager and was responsible for the overall project management of assigned tax asset and real estate investment projects. Additionally, she served as the Project Manager for the company’s 50,000 square foot headquarter development project at the Empire Improvement Building located in downtown Cleveland’s Superior Arts District. Rachael managed a team of historic consultants, architects, engineers, contractors, and various vendors on a day-to-day basis that led to a successful opening in the spring of 2018. The headquarters received eleven design and construction awards, including AIA Ohio’s Architectural Design Award.
Rachael is a member of Urban Land Institute. She served as Cleveland District Council’s Young Leaders Group Co-Chair 2022 - 2024. Rachael is currently the America’s Young Leaders Group Networks Subcommittee Co-Chair.
Rachael graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In May of 2018, she received a Certificate in Urban Real Estate Development and Finance, taking first place at the Real Estate Development Finance Competition at Cleveland State University (CSU). Rachael earned a Masters of Urban Planning and Development in May 2020. At graduation, she was awarded the Wallace G. Teare Prize, which is presented to a graduate student pursuing a career in urban planning and exemplifies the professional ideals of Mr. Teare, a life-long advocate for quality housing for low-income and elderly people.
Jeff Prioreschi brings to GBX Group extensive experience in real estate financing, development and construction. As Director of Acquisitions for the Southeast Region, Jeff works with the Vice President of Acquisitions and the acquisitions team on sourcing and coordinating documentation and preparing initial analyses for proposed real estate properties in the southeast. He advises the President of Development and Vice President of Asset Management on construction items and build-out work, and evaluates capital expenditures. In addition, Jeff interacts with architects to apply value engineering techniques in the design of GBX projects.
A former client and partner of GBX, Jeff originated and developed over $50 million for multifamily assets as well as several commercial assets in partnership with the firm while serving as President of Monarch Capital Ventures, Inc. (MCV) in Columbia, South Carolina. MCV is an advisory firm providing consulting services ranging from private equity to real estate development, investment and financing.
Jeff currently serves on the board for City Center Partnerships. He previously served as an executive committee member on the board of Columbia’s City Center Partnership, which manages the Downtown Improvement District.
Jeff attended Old Dominion University where he studied real estate finance.
Sarah Risher is a Senior Consultant with over twenty years of experience advising clients to identify incentives and credit opportunities, structure and negotiate tax and business incentive packages, and identify alternative methods to obtain federal, state, and local fiscal benefits. Sarah is committed to maximizing value for her clients and implementing new credit and incentive strategies nationwide.
Prior to joining Silverlode Consulting, Sarah was a Manager at EY’s Business Incentives Group. She also worked in the Credits and Incentives Group at PwC. Her experience includes working with public sector organizations and companies from a number of industries including food processing, auto manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, and financial services.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Logistics from John Carroll University.
As a principal and member of the executive team, Antonin Robert leads GBX Group’s community relations. Focusing on federal, state and local programs that are indispensable to the company’s real estate investments, Antonin works with the preservation community, development partners and other stakeholders to ensure continued support for the preservation and rehabilitation space. Antonin developed and led GBX’s real estate data and analysis team, which focuses on capturing industry financials and economic trends to support the company’s investments. Demonstrating the economic impact of GBX’s projects has proven critical to the company’s advocacy initiatives. Building on the community support around the country helps the company identify investments and growth opportunities.
Antonin has over 25 years of experience in executive, finance, operations and marketing management. His fluency in five languages has helped his career in a number of international positions which include executive positions with Citibank in Germany, Spain, Mexico and the United States. He has successfully developed and grown professional services businesses in the area of electronic commerce and digital media including executive positions with USWeb/CKS, a Silicon Valley based firm. His experience includes time in the manufacturing industry where he was involved in transitioning operations to China in order to meet pricing and operational demands in the automotive industry.
A frequent speaker at industry events on topics related to historic preservation and its impact on economic development, Antonin serves on various boards related to community development, business improvement districts, and historic preservation. He works closely with numerous historic preservation advocacy groups around the country.
Antonin received his Bachelor of Science in International Business and Marketing from the American University. He completed his post graduate studies at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he earned his Master in International Management with a concentration in international finance.
Awards & Recognitions
Campus District 2017 Leadership Award
Superior Arts Special Improvement District Steering Committee
As Chief Real Estate & Investment Officer at GBX Group, Craig Schultz leads the planning and implementation of the firm’s and its funds’ real estate investment strategies including the allocation of capital, capital sourcing, joint venture relations, portfolio management, fund management, reporting and investor relations. Craig’s role focuses on strategizing and executing investment opportunities to maximize returns and support growth initiatives of GBX. Prior to being promoted to Chief Real Estate & Investment Officer, Craig held the position of Chief Financial Officer for GBX.
Before joining GBX, Craig served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Finance & Tax at DDR, a real estate investment trust company, where he directed the long-term strategic financial model used to analyze the company’s operational and capital markets’ initiatives. Additionally, he was responsible for the overall management of the tax function, including strategic structural tax planning, implementing business initiatives, tax accounting and reporting, tax compliance, as well as human resources.
Prior to DDR, Craig worked for 10 years as a Senior Tax Manager at Deloitte & Touche, a multinational accounting and professional services company. At Deloitte, he specialized in partnership taxation, with an emphasis on complex real estate tax matters.
A certified public accountant, Craig is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of CPAs.
Craig serves on the boards of The Gathering Place and the Westshore Montessori School. He formerly served as the treasurer of both organizations.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Craig holds a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Akron.
Gordon Short has over 20 years of public accounting experience in tax compliance, planning, research, and merger and acquisition diligence, as well as estate and tax planning for high net-worth individuals and businesses. As Managing Director of Business Development, Gordon develops and manages the GBX Group’s relationships with CPA and Financial advisory firms. In addition, he supports the government advocacy group in building relationships with local, state, and federal officials.
Gordon was formerly Tax Director at Thornhill Financial. He previously served as Chief Investment Officer for the State of Ohio in the Office of the State Treasurer. In addition, his work experience includes Ernst & Young, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ciuni & Panichi, Inc., and SS&G Financial Services.
Gordon currently serves as a councilman for the City of Strongsville, Ohio, where he chairs the Economic Development Committee and co-chairs the Finance Committee. Additionally, he is a board member of the Southwest General Health System, Strongsville Education Foundation where he serves on the Finance Committee, and is a member of the Small Business Council of America.
A licensed CPA and attorney in the State of Ohio, Gordon received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Accounting from John Carroll University, and his JD from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University.
As the Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of GBX Group, Drew Sparacia provides strategic guidance and ensures that the company applies the highest levels of financial, tax, legal, and real estate expertise throughout the company.
Since its founding in 2001, the company has grown significantly by maximizing market opportunities and by incorporating federal, state and local tax and other incentives into the acquisition and revitalization of historic properties in urban markets. GBX Group raises capital for these projects, which transform neighborhoods, stimulate economic growth, and preserve the cultural and historic fabric of the community while earning investors strong after-tax returns.
Under Drew’s leadership, GBX Group has become a leading real estate investment and management company with 202 real estate investments in 24 states. With more than 28 years of experience in integrating tax incentives into “everyday” business transactions, Drew is responsible for the company’s product development and innovation to achieve the legislative intents of those incentive programs. He has a deep technical expertise and market perspective to align the interests of clients, investors and legislative authorities to ensure a seamless and successful execution of investment strategies.
He began his career with the Cleveland tax consulting group of Ernst & Young LLP. Following, Drew was named Director of Finance at STERIS Corporation, a leading provider of medical products and services, at a time when the company was growing rapidly, both domestically and internationally. Drew’s work with STERIS’ acquisitions focused on leveraging tax and other incentives into the legal and business structures of the new companies.
Drew received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Ohio Wesleyan University, and his JD/MBA from Case Western Reserve University with concentrations in tax and finance.
David Swentor is a seasoned veteran in real estate development and investment experience. GBX provides upside opportunity to our partners and developer groups. As Managing Director of Partner Development, David is responsible for building relationships and communicating these opportunities to our external partnership and developer relations. He is also key to aligning strategic relationships that further support GBX initiatives. In addition, he is instrumental in establishing deal term structure for our partnerships.
Before joining GBX Group, David was President at Encore Lodging, a hotel investment group that pursues acquisition and redevelopment opportunities in the southeastern U.S. At Encore, he managed all financial deal structures, partnerships, and deal flow. Additionally, David was responsible for construction supervision, and after-development management of all assets.
David has also served as Senior Partner at Premiere Development Group, a commercial development organization focusing on office, multifamily, and hospitality assets. During his tenure there, he and the company were honored by Hilton Hotels International with the 2013 and 2018 Developer of the Year award for Outstanding Achievement. Both awards recognized the development of the Hampton Inn located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and The Foundry Hotel Asheville, a Curio Collection by Hilton property in North Carolina.
Earlier, David was Vice President of the Southeast Region at US Personnel, a professional employer organization performing payroll for nearly 785 companies nationwide and recording sales of over $200 million annually. David was also Corporate Controller at Fairmont Companies in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of a portfolio sector containing 23 companies with 1,450 employees. He began his career as Assistant Budget Director of the multi-campus University of South Carolina system and was their liaison to the South Carolina Budget and Control Board for all fiduciary indebtedness matters.
Professionally, he is an Advisory Committee Member of The Stitch, an initiative developed by Central Atlanta Progress, and serves on an advisory board at the University of South Carolina. David previously served on the boards of the Small Business Administration’s Community Development Center, Charleston Communities in Schools, and Charleston Charitable Society.
David is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. He also studied international trade at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
Seth Unger leads GBX Group’s government relations, public affairs, and coalition initiatives. This includes relationship building with government officials and policymakers, key media outlets, and stakeholder groups. Additionally, Seth identifies thought leadership opportunities for GBX’s experts in the areas of tax, historic preservation, economic impact, and community development. He oversees efforts to build strategic partnerships with local, state and federal audiences.
Prior to joining GBX, Seth was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he worked to promote Administration priorities including the successful passage and implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. During his tenure, he served as the chief spokesperson for Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
Before Seth’s time at Treasury, he was the battleground state communications director for the 2016 Trump campaign in Ohio. Seth also worked as Senior Policy Advisor for Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and as a spokesperson for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Administration. His career includes a combined 20 years in government, media, and politics including 15 years of service at the state and federal level.
As Chief Technology Officer at GBX Group, Brian Walmsley brings over 30 years of experience in IT strategy and executive management. Brian’s primary responsibilities include managing corporate enterprise platforms and planning strategic long-term technology needs. He and his team developed and implemented an online guided interview system to streamline the Subscription Document process for investors.
Brian began his career with Davies Can Company, a $100 million Division of Van Dorn Company. He managed all aspects of their Information Technologies Department including application development, infrastructure and data center operations. His responsibilities included IT strategy, staff management, and budgeting. Prior, Brian held several positions within OfficeMax Inc. – an $8+ billion office supply retailer. He served as Director of eCommerce Systems and was instrumental in the development, launch and operations of OfficeMax.com where he directed the site to over $500 million annually. In addition, he held the position of Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture and managed the merger between OfficeMax retail and Boise Office Products – a Chicago-based contract stationer. Brian led security reviews of both corporate and store systems, and has worked closely with the FBI and Secret Service on security-related matters.
Brian earned an AS in Computer Science and Accounting from the Institute of Computer Management.
As a Tax Data Analyst at Silverlode, Nathan supports the Location Based Incentives team by conducting tax research, performing credit calculations, and creating web content to optimize tax credit and incentive strategies.
Prior to joining Silverlode, Nathan worked in the financial department at 3B Supply where he analyzed customer service data and presented process improvements to enhance effectiveness.
Nathan graduated from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He double majored in Finance and Political Economics.
Nathan is also a volunteer with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program and he provides free tax preparation services to community members.
Jean Williams has worked at GBX Group for more than 19 years. Currently, she serves as Senior Executive Assistant, providing support to the company’s President, Silverlode Consulting’s President, and other senior management. Jean was also instrumental in helping to develop the investor relations platform for GBX ensuring that investors receive an exceptional experience. She has over 40 years of corporate administrative experience including both leadership and supervisory roles.
As the first associate to join GBX, Jean’s rich knowledge extends her service as a role model and culture-driver for the company. She is also a mentor for other members of the administrative team.
Earlier in her career, Jean worked for Ernst & Young LLP as Executive Secretary to several partners, including providing support to the Managing Partner in the Tax Department. Jean also worked abroad for a non-government/missions organization in Albania and was the in-country president with Hope for the World. For close to a decade, she provided support and counseling to Albanian orphans looking to lead more purposeful lives.
Catherine Zelenkofske joined GBX Group as Director of People Operations in 2018. In her role, Catherine drives GBX Group’s culture initiatives and leads in the recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, professional development and engagement of employees. She takes a strategic approach to the function traditionally known as Human Resources, focusing on being both a business partner and employee advocate.
Catherine began her career at WegoWise, a leading provider of cloud-based utility analytics software based in Boston, MA. She held positions in client services and program management before moving into her role as Director of People Operations – an entirely new function for the company. Catherine implemented processes for hiring, onboarding, and training, as well as regular employee feedback and various workplace policies, including parental leave. During her tenure with WegoWise, Catherine was featured in the Wall Street Journal for her ability to take on a “stretch” role and for accepting the challenge of pivoting to a new career path.
Catherine is actively involved in PEO, a philanthropic organization that provides educational opportunities for women students worldwide.
Catherine received her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-CP).
As GBX Group’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Cary Zimmerman provides legal counsel and strategic direction to the company on a variety of legal considerations arising from company operations. These include transactional, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, securities, employment, intellectual property, dispute resolution, commercial contract and risk management matters. Prior to her promotion, Cary was Assistant General Counsel for GBX.
Cary joined GBX after practicing law at several law firms, where she supported companies at all growth stages and provided counsel on real estate investment fund structure, operations and compliance. Earlier in her career, Cary was Senior Counsel for Progressive Insurance, where she advised executives on securities and corporate governance matters and supported numerous business units with transactional and regulatory needs.
A graduate of Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a French minor, Cary received both her Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Management – Finance from Case Western Reserve University.