Senior Leadership

37 years real estate experience

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Bell Partners team. Our vision and culture create a unique environment that attracts talent and inspires the team to deliver outstanding performance. Bell Partners has a tremendous history of demonstrated performance for its investors and is well-positioned to take advantage of market opportunities.”

39 years real estate experience

“With extensive experience in this industry, I know that successful organizations value all of their stakeholders, without exception. Bell reflects this approach in our focus on delivering results to residents, investors, and associates. I am proud to be leading the Operational strategies and tactics, from the community level to the corporate office and beyond, to provide the best living experience for our residents, returns for our investors, and working environment for our associates.”

Ms. Clare, CPM, is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Bell Partners. She joined Bell in 2017 and serves on the Executive and Investment Committees. Ms. Clare oversees the operations of approximately 85,000 apartment homes across the U.S. In addition to all aspects of community management for both Bell-owned and third-party communities, Ms. Clare’s responsibilities include community operations and maintenance, lease-ups and relationships with third party owners. She also oversees Bell’s Customer Experience (Marketing, Corporate Branding and Customer Innovation), Learning and Development, and Client Services business functions Ms. Clare is a recognized leader within the multifamily industry and a sought-after speaker on a variety of topics at national conferences. In 2011, she was named as one of The Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business”. In 2015, she was honored as one of the “10 Most Influential Women in Real Estate” by Multi-Family Executive. She was also honored with the Apartment and Office Building Association’s (AOBA) Sidney Glassman award for her exemplary work and contributions in education, training, management, administration, and legislation. Ms. Clare has served as President of the AOBA, President of The Institute of Real Estate Management’s (IREM) Northern Virginia Chapter, as well as Regional Vice President for IREM’s Region III. She is currently a national faculty member at IREM and serves on the Virginia Tech RPM Advisory Board. In 2017, she was named Chairman of the National Apartment Association (NAA) and was inducted into the NAA Hall of Fame in 2022. Ms. Clare received her degree from the University of Virginia. She has over 35 years’ experience in the multifamily industry, serving as President of Kettler Management, Vice President of Residential Properties for the Mark Winkler Company, and Senior Regional Manager for Charles E. Smith Residential.

20 years real estate experience

“Our goal in accounting and finance is to enhance profitability and protect value by providing timely and accurate financial communications to our customers. It is a privilege to work with a talented team which holds integrity and quality as core values.”

Mr. Tomlinson is Chief Financial Officer of Bell Partners. He joined the company in 2009 as Chief Financial Officer and serves on the Executive and Investment Committees. Mr. Tomlinson leads the accounting, finance, tax, information technology, financial planning, legal/compliance, and risk management teams, and supervises a staff of more than 100 professionals. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Tomlinson was Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Colonial Properties Trust, where he led SEC reporting, accounting policy and research, accounting operations, tax, and internal audit for the public REIT. Prior to his employment at Colonial, Mr. Tomlinson provided audit and business advisory services for more than 10 years with Deloitte and Arthur Andersen. In 2014, Mr. Tomlinson was a recipient of the Triad Business Journal’s “CFO of the Year” award. He received both his Bachelor of Professional Accountancy (BPA) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Mississippi State University and is an Alabama licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

22 years real estate experience

“I am passionate about Bell's daily commitment to improving the lives of the residents we serve in addition to our focus on and dedication to our partners and associates. By honoring these commitments, we are able to add value for our investors and owners.”

Mr. Bell is Vice Chairman of Bell Partners, transitioning from his previous role as Chief Client Services Officer in December 2024. Mr. Bell joined Bell Partners in 2006 and was previously responsible developing new fee-managed business, cultivating the Company’s high net worth client relationships, and also previously oversaw many of Bell’s operating departments, including most recently Marketing, ESG, Procurement, Property Transitions and Utilities. He also served on the Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Prior to joining Bell Partners, he worked as a developer with Wood Partners, a U.S.-based company specializing in multifamily development and construction. He received his MBA from Wake Forest University and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a Certified Property Management (CPM) designation. Mr. Bell currently serves on the board of advisors for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan Flagler Business School, in addition to serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Greensboro Day School.

23 years real estate experience

“Bell Partners is an exemplary company with high integrity and passion to be the best apartment investment manager in the US. It is exciting to be a part of a team that is so intensely focused on building a company that delivers exceptional results that will last for multiple generations.”

Mr. Bochilo is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Bell Partners responsible for investment activity covering acquisitions, dispositions, market research and data analytics, and financing activities in all U.S. markets. He has completed over $15 billion in investment volume. Mr. Bochilo joined Bell Partners in 2001 and is based in San Francisco. He serves on the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee, is an active member of NMHC, where he served as Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee, and is an active member at ULI. He holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree in Business and Economics from Greensboro College, where he graduated with honors.

22 years real estate experience

“It is an honor to be a part of such a cohesive and dedicated team that continually strives to exceed the expectations of our residents, partners, and associates.”

Mr. Cannon is a Partner and Chief Investment Management Officer of Bell Partners. In this role, Mr. Cannon is responsible for overseeing the partner solutions, investor relations, portfolio management, asset management, and construction services functions within Bell and is member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Prior to assuming these responsibilities, Mr. Cannon had shared responsibility for all of Bell’s real estate transactions. Prior to joining Bell Partners, he was a Vice President in various real estate groups within Wachovia’s Corporate and Investment Banking Division. Mr. Cannon has both an MBA and BSBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a Michaux Fellow and graduated with honors. He was a founding board member of the NMHC Emerging Leaders program, is a member of ULI, and is a past board member of the UNC Chapel Hill Board of Visitors.

20 Years

Ms. Burke is Senior Vice President, Partner Solutions and joined Bell Partners in 2023. She is responsible for overseeing all capital raising activities, working closely with Bell Partners’ global investor base. Ms. Burke has over 19 years of real estate, investor relations, and capital markets industry experience. Most recently, she was Managing Director, Head of Real Estate Americas, Client Solutions Group for Macquarie Asset Management. Ms. Burke has also held related roles at CenterSquare Investment Management and Blackrock. She holds a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Villanova University and a bachelor’s degree in international business and marketing from George Washington University. Ms. Burke is a Board Member of the Women in Real Estate (“WIRE”) association and a founding member of the Philadelphia chapter, and additionally sits on the Philadelphia CAIA Board.

13 years asset management experience

Mr. Klaber is Senior Vice President of Asset Management and joined Bell Partners in 2011. He is responsible for leading Bell’s asset management platform, providing strategic direction and oversight to a team of asset managers who oversee all Bell Sponsored assets across the country. During his tenure at Bell, Mr. Klaber has been involved in over $4.0 billion of multifamily transaction activity and has led the repositioning of more than 50 communities. Bruce holds a Master of Business Administration from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University, where he graduated cum laude with majors in Finance and Economics. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Klaber served in various investment banking roles at Wells Fargo and Truist Securities.

20 years of real estate experience

Mr. McKee is Senior Vice President, Investments and Finance and joined Bell Partners in 2013. He oversees asset financing activities for the Bell Partners sponsored portfolio and acquisition and disposition activity in Boston, Raleigh, and Charlotte. Mr. McKee has been responsible for transaction activity valued at over $3 billion throughout the United States. Prior to joining Bell, Mr. McKee was Director of Acquisitions for Digital Realty Trust, a publicly traded REIT. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in public policy and economics from Duke University.

19 years real estate and analytics experience

Ms. Parker is Senior Vice President and responsible for the company’s research and data analytics capabilities. She joined Bell Partners in 2022 after nine years with Barings, a global investment manager. Prior to joining Barings in 2013, she spent three years with the Hartford Investment Management Company working on investment risk analytics. Ms. Parker is a frequent contributor to various external research publications. She holds a B.E. in Engineering in Instrumentation Technology from VTU (India) and a Master’s in Business Administration from Ohio State University. In addition, Ms. Parker is a CFA and a CAIA charter holder, and is a Data Scientist graduating with honors from the Masters in Data Science program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

20 years real estate experience

Mr. Ramos is Senior Vice President, Construction Services and joined Bell Partners in 2016. He oversees a team of over 40 associates who are devoted to property due diligence, asset repositioning, on-going capital improvements and casualty-related reconstruction. Mr. Ramos has over 20 years of experience in various construction related capacities including senior living construction, multifamily new construction, multifamily redevelopment and renovation, and commercial office build-out. Prior to joining Bell, Mr. Ramos worked for Lennar, HH Hunt, Contravest, and Lifestyle Communities. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy and a master’s degree in construction management from Western Carolina University. Mr. Ramos also serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves with over 22 years of service.

17 years real estate experience

“I'm proud to be part of an organization with demonstrated Operations performance that values our people and our culture. Bell provides open doors and open minds, and our Core Values help elevate us versus the competition.”

Mrs. Marshburn-Smith is Senior Vice President of Operations and Joined Bell Partners in 2008. She is currently responsible for the daily operations and management of apartment communities in the Northeast region and portions of North Carolina. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mrs. Marshburn-Smith spent 10 years at UDR, an S&P 500 multifamily REIT. At UDR as an Area Director, she was responsible for daily operations of apartment communities, mainly in North Carolina markets.

32 years Human Resource experience

“Bell Partners has a culture of caring, learning and results that could not be achieved without our dedicated associates. I am proud to work for a company that exemplifies our values and provides opportunities for associates to expand, develop and grow.”

Ms. Gibbons is Senior Vice President for Human Resources and joined Bell Partners in 2019. She has been a senior advisor, strategic business partner, and principal architect of the Company’s human capital strategy. Her team is focused on identifying and developing talent as well as enhancing organizational culture, associate engagement, and employee relations. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Ms. Gibbons worked for Engineered Controls International, LLC as the VP, Global Human Resources for five years. She has over 25 years of Human Resources experience within various industries and best practices. Ms. Gibbons holds a BA from Spring Arbor University in Human Resources Management and has a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

32 years of experience

Mr. Lenser is Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer and joined Bell Partners in 2019. He oversees the legal, risk management, compliance, and contract administration functions for the Company. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Lenser spent six years as Associate General Counsel, Legal and Risk Management at LANXESS Solutions U.S. Inc., a specialty chemical company. Before LANXESS, Mr. Lenser was a partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, an international law firm, where he represented clients in various commercial disputes. He also previously was a partner at Howrey LLP, an international law firm specializing in antitrust, litigation, and intellectual property. Mr. Lenser holds a J.D. degree with honors from the University of Texas School of Law and a BA degree in History from the College of William & Mary. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

23 years of experience

Art McCann is Senior Vice President of Information Technology and joined Bell Partners in 2021. With over three decades of experience, Mr. McCann plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the Firm's IT strategy which includes aligning data analytics for enhanced decision-making and implementing strategic technology investments to drive operational excellence. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. McCann spent 20 years at Highwoods Properties, a publicly traded office REIT, where he served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He actively contributes to the technology industry, having served on the board of the Society for Information Management and as past President of the Oracle Real Estate Application user group. Mr. McCann also held a previous board membership with Quest International and has provided valuable insights to numerous technology companies by serving on customer advisory boards. Notably, he was a founding member of the Real Estate Cyber Consortium. Mr. McCann's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree from Elon University and a Master of Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

31 years real estate experience

“Our people make the difference. Our determination to outperform the expectations of residents, partners, and each other makes Bell a special place to work!”

Ms. Shaffrey is Senior Vice President of Corporate Services and joined Bell Partners in 2010. She supervises Bell’s Operations Initiatives and Transitions departments, Learning and Development, and Client Services. Ms. Shaffrey works closely with all departments and Bell’s senior leaders to ensure key objectives are initiated, implemented and communicated in the most effective manner. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Ms. Shaffrey served as head of operations for Sunvest Communities and Montecito Investment Co. Previously, Ms. Shaffrey owned and operated a consulting firm for multifamily organizations serving clients such as Camden Property Trust and Equity Residential. She began her career in property management with Merryland & Investment Co. based in Augusta, GA.