The Future of Mid-Market

Mr. Yarne manages the project development teams at Build Inc. He brings over 17 years of expertise in entitlements, project management, and public-private partnerships to his management role

In addition to 15 years of experience in real estate development, Mr. Babsin is an attorney and CPA. Mr. Babsin holds a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois, a JD from Harvard Law School, and a Master in City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley.

Leigh Chang focuses on acquisition, financing, development, and dispositions at Group i. Leigh has nearly two decades of real estate and finance experience during which she has acquired, financed and managed approximately $14 billion in transaction value. Prior to joining Group i, Leigh specialized in areas of acquisition, financing and disposition for Veritas Investments, which managed approximately $1 billion in multifamily properties in San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to Veritas, Leigh was an Assistant Portfolio Manager at The Townsend Group for the firm’s $1 billion+ discretionary investment funds, which invested across all property types through co-investments, joint ventures, recapitalizations, and debt investments. Leigh was responsible for underwriting and managing investments across office, retail, hotel and senior living facilities in U.S., China, Brazil and Central & Eastern Europe. Prior to Townsend, Leigh worked at boutique investment bank, Houlihan Lokey, in strategic alternatives, sell-side advisory, corporate valuation, capital restructuring and management buyout. Leigh received an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Economics from Pomona College.

Craig Young is the Founder and Managing Principal of Tidewater Capital. Mr. Young oversees Tidewater's investment, development, asset management, and organizational activities. Over the past two years, Mr. Young has grown the firm's portfolio by investing in entitlement, vertical development, and existing projects across a range of product types including market rate, affordable, and rent-controlled housing, as well as office, retail, and self-storage assets. Mr. Young also spearheaded the development of The Hall, a local food venue that has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Prior to founding Tidewater, Mr. Young managed the office-investing platform for The JBG Companies in Washington, DC. His previous work experience includes roles at the CIM Group in Los Angeles, the Ballast Point Group in Florida, and Deutsche Bank in New York City. Through his career Mr. Young has gained significant real estate investment and development experience across a broad range of geographies and asset classes. Mr. Young is actively involved in various philanthropic efforts aimed at promoting financial literacy, civic education, and entrepreneurial training for youth in under-served local neighborhoods. He is also on the Advisory Board of Urban Solutions, a non-profit focused on supporting small businesses. In 2014, Mr. Young received the Golden Brick Award, a recognition presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding impact in their community. In 2015, Mr. Young was recognized as one of the San Francisco Business Times’ 40 Under 40 honorees.

John Jensen is an office leasing and investment specialist with more than 20 years of commercial real estate experience in San Francisco. John’s expertise has allowed him to represent approximately 10,000,000 square feet of landlord representation projects, amounting to more than 11% of the total office market in San Francisco. In the Mid-Market neighborhood, he has represented more than 1.2 million square feet, and he is the leasing agent for The Hibernia Bank, at One Jones Street. Located in the heart of the Mid-Market neighborhood, One Jones Street has recently undergone construction and renovation and is the ultimate blend of breathtaking historical touches and modern conveniences.

Terence is a seasoned project designer and manager, whose experience encompasses commercial offices, mixed-use developments and health and science facilities. He views design management as integral to the realization of superior architecture. Whether managing complex, fast-track research facilities or guiding the firm’s growth in the North America region, he fosters clear, timely communication to ensure client and internal goals are met. Terence has worked on numerous corporate office and mixed-use projects in Asia as well as research and health care facilities across the United States.

Hans is Senior Vice President – Development with Pacific Eagle and its US Real Estate Fund. He oversees developments from acquisitions to completion. His most recent portfolio of acquisitions and developments include 1545 Pine Street, 555 Howard Street, and 1125 Market Street in San Francisco as well as a condo conversion in Malibu and 8701 Park by Renzo Piano in Miami. For the Pacific Eagle (US) Real Estate Fund, Hans is also involved in all fund-raising efforts with institutional capital providers in China. Pacific Eagle’s parent owns Langham Hotels and Resorts including its three brands, Langham, Eaton and Cordis. Before joining Pacific Eagle, Hans spent 9 years with Jones Lang LaSalle last leading the Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels practice in Beijing. He advised international investment banks and private equity buy-out firms on non-performing loan and real asset portfolio acquisitions; he later followed the rise of Chinese capital in China’s domestic markets restructuring national state-owned enterprises in propco-opco deals and working with developers on urban highest-and-best-use assessments. Hans covered more than 400 projects worth US$12 billion and located in 60 markets across China. His development experience encompasses more than 70 million sf of urban mixed-use, hospitality and residential projects, including 2,200 for-sale units as well as 2,500 rental apartment units.

As Founder and CEO of Synapse Development Group, Justin directs the continued growth and vision of the company, while overseeing all aspects of Synapse’s real estate investments. Prior to co-founding Synapse, Justin served as Assistant Vice President at Lehman Brothers, where he oversaw the work-out and repositioning of a 1,300-unit multi-family portfolio in New York City, as well as the foreclosure and restructuring of a large mixed-use development portfolio totaling 1.4 million square feet of development rights located in New York and Washington, D.C. At Lehman, Justin completed more than $75 million in construction projects, primarily in New York City. Justin began his career in real estate at Clarion Partners (formally ING Clarion), a global real estate investment management firm with $36 billion in assets under management. While at Clarion, Justin served as a Portfolio Analyst and was a member of the Lion Value Fund portfolio management team. Justin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and macroeconomics with honors from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Bernard Baruch College (CUNY).

Mr. Dooling is a shareholder and chairs the RMKB Real Estate/Construction Practice Group. His practice consists of general trial work and outside general counsel work for business entities, individuals and insured’s. His trial practice includes experience in construction and construction defect litigation, professional liability (architects & engineers, attorneys, and real estate and insurance brokers), real estate, commercial disputes and general liability matters in the California State Courts and the Northern District of California. Mr. Dooling also represents and advises privately held and publicly traded companies in the capacity as outside general counsel; which includes the representation of general contractors, sub-contractors, engineering and construction management firms, real estate brokers and developers and a local community bank. The representation includes all aspects of the clients business, including, but not limited to, risk management, contract drafting and review, licensing, employment agreements and handling litigation matters. Mr. Dooling is a native San Franciscan who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco, where he was the recipient of a four-year Harney Foundation Scholarship. While at USF, John earned varsity letters in baseball, golf and crew. Subsequent to his graduation from USF, John obtained a Real Estate Broker’s License and represented sellers and buyers in real estate transactions for Merrill Lynch Real Estate. He also owned and operated a popular sports restaurant and bar in San Francisco from 1990 to 1996. During this time John attended evening law school and earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence and was admitted to practice in 1991. Outside the firm, John lives in Burlingame with his wife Eileen (a Jersey girl), their daughter Elizabeth (Lily), and their dogs, Bogey and Skipper. He is an avid Giants (ex-bat boy) and 49ers' (ex-ball boy) fan and enjoys the occasional round of golf. John previously served as a Director and Officer (Vice President) for The Olympic Club and currently serves as a Director (Vice Chair) for the Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco and The Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos. He is a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and past director of several non-profit organizations; including the Hibernian Newman Club, University of San Francisco Inn of Court, and the San Mateo Legal Aid Society. John also volunteers at St. Anne’s Home in San Francisco and the Maple Street Shelter in Redwood City.