Senior Management

26 years real estate experience

“Our goal is to build the best apartment company in our markets and exceed client expectations. It's rewarding to work with a team so dedicated to these objectives.”

Mr. Bell joined Bell Partners in 2001. As CEO, he is involved in all aspects of the business, with an emphasis on transactions, capital, and company strategy. Since joining Bell Partners, Mr. Bell has overseen company transactions exceeding $10 billion. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Bell was employed by Lend Lease Real Estate Investments (now Morgan Stanley) pursuing acquisitions and, before that, by Faison & Associates, selling properties on behalf of its institutional clients. Mr. Bell has an MBA (real estate and finance) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS in real estate and finance from the University of Georgia.

33 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.”

Ms. Dunn joined Bell Partners in 2010 as the CIO and became chair of the Executive Committee in 2014. In 2016, she assumed the role of President and oversees all aspects of the company's business, including Investments, Fund Management, Operations, Construction, and Accounting & Finance. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Ms. Dunn was a 20-year veteran with AvalonBay Communities, a leading public apartment REIT and a member of the S&P 500, and Trammell Crow Residential, its predecessor entity. In her role as Managing Director at AvalonBay, she was responsible for the company's national transaction activity, which consisted of roughly 60,000 apartment units valued at approximately $6.5 billion. Ms. Dunn also helped to raise and oversee AvalonBay's discretionary institutional investment vehicles with total equity commitments of $730 million. Ms. Dunn is on the Executive Board of the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and was Chairperson of its Finance Committee from 2006 to 2010. She is Vice Chair of the multifamily council of Urban Land Institute (ULI), a member of Pension Real Estate Association (PREA), and a Board of Director for the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE). Ms. Dunn earned her BS from the University of Michigan, where she graduated with highest honors.

35 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 60,000 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.

16 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 BS (Accounting) and MBA from Mississippi State University and is an Alabama licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

18 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.

19 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 $5 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.

18 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 the Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management at Bell. In this role, Joe is responsible for overseeing the capital raising, investor relations, asset management, construction services, and property tax departments within Bell. Prior to assuming these responsibilities, Mr. Cannon oversaw all of the firm’s acquisitions and dispositions in the eastern US, which exceeded $5 billion. 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.

19 years real estate experience

“It is a privilege to work with a group of outstanding professionals at Bell who take seriously their responsibility to our residents, associates, and investors. We want to be able to provide a high-quality living experience to our residents, a rewarding work environment to our associates, and a strong risk-adjusted return to our investors.”

Mr. Nordholz joined Bell Partners in 2018 and oversees acquisitions, dispositions, and related financing activities for the Southeastern United States. Prior to joining Bell Partners, he was a Principal in the real estate equity group of Ares Management, where he was responsible for all investment activity in the Southeastern US region as well as Ares’s industrial investment platform nationally. Mr. Nordholz has been responsible for transaction activity valued at $3.8 billion throughout the United States. Mr. Nordholz holds an MBA with distinction from the Leonard N Stern School of Business at New York University and a BBA in finance from the University of Georgia.

19 years real estate experience

Mr. Blaylock joined Bell Partners in 2019 and oversees acquisitions, dispositions, and related financing activities in a subset of 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.

20 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.

31 years real estate experience

“I appreciate Bell’s team-oriented culture and drive to create value at every level, which makes it a great place to work. When you really enjoy what you do and the people you work with, it’s easy to be passionate about contributing to Bell’s continued growth and success.”

Mr. Carrington joined Bell Partners in 2017 and serves as Senior Vice President of Asset Management, responsible for leading the national asset management platform and driving property performance to maximize value. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Portfolio Management for Prometheus Real Estate Group, Inc. for six years, where he was responsible for the Operations, Capital/Renovations, Marketing, and Design teams, and maximizing portfolio performance of 18,000 apartments and 800,000 square feet of office/retail. Previously, Mr. Carrington served as Vice President, Investments for AvalonBay Communities, Inc.'s acquisition, disposition, and redevelopment group, where he led the origination, underwriting, and asset management of the company's investments, first in the eastern, and then western United States. Prior to his employment at AvalonBay, Mr. Carrington served as Vice President of Acquisitions & Portfolio Management at Camden Property Trust, where his responsibilities included acquisitions, dispositions, portfolio analysis, and maintaining joint venture relationships. A Certified Property Manager, Certified Commercial Investment Member and participant in the National Multi Housing Council, Mr. Carrington earned his Master of Business Administration from San Francisco State University and his Bachelor of Business Administration from California State University, Chico.

28 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.

13 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.

38 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.

27 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.

25 years real estate experience

“I firmly believe that an organization is only as strong as its leadership. When organizational leaders know and lead their business as if it is their own, great things can happen. When organizational leaders can inspire, engage, and empower their associates at all levels through strong communication of mutual goals, values, and culture, magic happens. I am proud to say, at Bell Partners, leadership consistently does both.”

Mr. Call joined Bell Partners in 2019 and is responsible for guiding the company’s Construction Services Group for both Bell-owned and third-party redevelopments. Prior to joining Bell, Mr. Call had over 24 years of experience in the real estate construction industry, including serving as a Senior Vice President at Bozzuto in Washington, D.C. Mr. Call has also held leadership positions at KWA Construction (consistently ranked as a top general contractor by Multifamily Executive) and LECESSE Construction Services. Mr. Call holds an MBA from Wake Forest University, a Class A General Contractor License, and is LEED Accredited. He is based in Bell’s Dallas, TX office.

16 years real estate experience

Mr. Thornton joined Bell Partners in 2016 and is responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of the company’s technology platforms. His team of technologists is focused on leveraging leading-edge technology to improve the company's overall efficiency, while providing a high-service level to all associates, residents, and investors. Additionally, Mr. Thornton is pivotal in advancing the company's cybersecurity efforts. Prior to joining Bell, Mr. Thornton served in senior technology leadership positions at Colonial Properties Trust and Mid-America Apartments, Inc. Mr. Thornton earned his MBA with a Technology focus from Samford University and his BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Alabama. He also served as an Officer in the United States Army Signal Corp. He has served as an expert panelist at several multifamily and technology conferences and sits on several technology-centric steering committees.

28 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.