Senior Management

35 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 providing superior returns for its investors and is well-positioned to take advantage of market opportunities.”

37 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, oversees the operations of over ~70,000 apartment units across the nation. She is responsible for all aspects of community management for both third-party and Bell-owned communities. This oversight includes community operations and maintenance, lease-ups, relationships with third-party owners, marketing, and brand management. 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. Ms. Clare received her degree from the University of Virginia. She has 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.

18 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 joined Bell Partners in 2009 as the CFO. He serves on the Executive and Investment Committees. Mr. Tomlinson also leads the accounting, information technology, financial planning, business intelligence, and risk management teams, and supervises a staff of more than 75 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 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).

20 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 joined Bell Partners in 2006. As Executive Vice President, Mr. Bell is responsible for developing new fee-managed business, as well as cultivating High Net Worth client relationships for the company. He also serves on the Executive Committee. During his tenure with Bell Partners, Mr. Bell was previously responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of key Operations departments, including Construction Services, Information Technology, Marketing, Purchasing, Risk Management, and Utilities. Prior to joining Bell Partners, he worked as a developer with Wood Partners, one of the country's largest multifamily developers. 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 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Next Generation Strategy Committee, on the Search Ministries Board, and is a Board of Trustees member for Greensboro Day School.

21 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 joined Bell Partners in 2001 and is based in the San Francisco office. He is responsible for investment activity covering acquisitions, dispositions, and financing activities in all US markets. Nickolay has been involved in transactions valued in excess of $15 billion. He is an active member of NMHC, where he served as Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee. 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 and serves on the Board of Trustees.

20 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 Executive Vice President, Investment Management at Bell. In this role, Mr. Cannon is responsible for overseeing the capital raising, investor relations, portfolio management, asset management, and construction services groups within Bell and is member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Prior to assuming these responsibilities, Mr. Cannon oversaw all of the firm’s acquisitions and dispositions in the eastern U.S. 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.

21 years real estate experience

Mr. Blaylock joined Bell Partners in 2019 and oversees acquisitions, dispositions, and related financing activities in the Central and Western Bell Target Markets. Prior to joining Bell, John was a Principal with the Easton Group, a private real estate operator with investments in Texas. Prior to the Easton Group, he was a Senior Acquisition Officer with Invesco Real Estate for 18 years, where he was responsible for investment activity throughout the eastern US region. Mr. Blaylock has been responsible for transaction activity valued at $6 billion throughout the United States. Mr. Blaylock holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas and a BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

15 years real estate experience

Rachel Rosenthal is Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and joined Bell in December 2021. She brings 15 years of experience in real estate private capital formation and investor relations. Ms. Rosenthal has held roles on both the third-party capital placement and advisory side, most recently with Sera Global. In addition, she has worked closely with real estate managers across strategies and risk-return profiles and has focused extensively on building out ESG strategies for real estate investment managers. Rachel holds a Bachelors Degree in International Studies with a Minor in French from the University of California, Irvine.

22 years real estate experience

“I am thrilled to work with and learn from a team whose dynamic growth is built on a 40+ year solid foundation of experience and success. I love what I do!”

Ms. Ray joined Bell Partners in 2007 and serves as the Senior Vice President of Financial Services. Ms. Ray is responsible for investor reporting, fund accounting & finance, operations and construction accounting, investor relations, and tax. She also serves on the Bell 401k Committee. Ms. Ray holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Masters of Accounting from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and also is a North Carolina licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Real Estate Broker. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Ms. Ray consulted for privately-held companies, managed the financial arm of a regional staffing company, and owned a residential real estate development and management company. She started her career at Ernst and Young.

30 years real estate experience

“I am proud of the commitment to our Core Values we display in serving our residents, in delivering exceptional performance to our owners, and in working with our team of outstanding associates.”

Ms. Stanton joined Bell Partners in 2008 and serves as a Senior Vice President of Operations. She is currently responsible for the daily operations and management of properties in the Southeast US. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Ms. Stanton spent 11 years at UDR, a leading public apartment REIT. At UDR, as an Area Director and Officer, she was responsible for the daily operations of apartment communities in the Midwest and North Carolina markets. Earlier in her career, she held various management positions with Insignia Management Group and Centrum Management, LLC, overseeing apartment communities in the Southeastern and Midwest markets. Ms. Stanton earned a BS degree in Business and Economics from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia.

15 years real estate experience

“I’m proud to be part of an organization which not only leads the industry in Operations expertise, but one that values our people and our culture. Bell provides open doors and open minds, and our Core Values help elevate us versus the competition.”

Ms. Marshburn-Smith joined Bell Partners in 2008 and serves as a Senior Vice President of Operations. 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, a leading public apartment REIT. At UDR, as an Area Director, she was responsible for daily operations of apartment communities, mainly in North Carolina markets. Mrs. Marshburn-Smith earned a BA degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

40 years real estate experience

Mrs. Moore joined Bell Partners in 2008 and serves as a Senior Vice President of Operations. She is currently responsible for the daily operations and management of Bell’s Fund, Joint Venture, and Fee apartment communities in the Southwest and West including Texas, Colorado, California, and Washington state. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mrs. Moore spent 16 years at UDR, a leading public apartment REIT. At UDR as an Area Manager, she was responsible for the daily operations of apartment communities in Texas, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Mrs. Moore received her BA degree in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

29 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 joined Bell Partners in 2010 and serves as a Senior Vice President of Corporate Services. Ms. Shaffrey oversees the Marketing, Ancillary Services, Operations Initiatives and Transitions departments and also oversees the annual property budgeting process. Ms. Shaffrey works closely with all departments to ensure key objectives are initiated 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. She began her career in property management with Merryland & Investment Co. out of Augusta, GA.

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

30 years experience

Mr. Lenser joined Bell Partners in 2019 and oversees the legal, risk management, compliance, and contract administration functions for the Company. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Lenser spent 6 years as Associate General Counsel, Legal and Risk Management at LANXESS Solutions US 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.

21 years of experience

Mr. McCann joined Bell Partners in 2021 as the Senior Vice President Information Technology, responsible for the company’s overall information technology strategy, leveraging business intelligence, and aligning technology investments with the business. Most recently, Art served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Highwoods Properties for 20 years.  Professional affiliations include board member for the Society for Information Management, past president for the Oracle Real Estate Application user group, past board member for Quest International, and a founding member of the Real Estate Cyber Consortium. Mr. McCann holds a Bachelor of Science from Elon University and a Master of Business Administration Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.