The Michaels Organization, a national leader in residential real estate, with full service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and investment, has named two new Regional Vice Presidents for its affordable development team. Both are the results of internal promotions.
Ryan Zent has been promoted from Vice President to Regional Vice President and will now oversee all affordable development activity in the Southwest region. Christopher Earley, also formerly a VP, will oversee affordable development as Regional Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic.
“Both of these teammates have exhibited tremendous leadership, maturity and growth. The regions that Ryan and Chris manage are poised for continued growth and success in both the short and long terms,” said Ken Crawford, Executive Vice President of Development and co-lead of Michaels Affordable Development.
Based in Washington D.C, Chris will now oversee the acquisition, planning, development, and development financing of affordable housing properties in the Mid-Atlantic region which consists of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Ryan, who is based in Denver, will continue to oversee projects across the Southwest including those in Colorado, Arizona, Texas.
Chris brings over 25 years of finance and affordable housing experience to his new role, with in-depth knowledge of project underwriting, financing and development. He joined Michaels in January 2018 after five years at Capital One Bank, where he served as a Senior Manager in the bank’s Community Finance group, focusing on underwriting LIHTC and tax-exempt bond-financed transactions. Prior to that, Chris spent nine years serving in various roles with the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, last serving as Chief Program Officer for the agency. Chris holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Real Estate from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Morehouse College.
Ryan joined The Michaels Organization in 2016 with more than 12 years of experience in real estate finance, development, and market analysis. Since joining Michaels, Ryan opened and firmly established the Michaels Development office in Denver generating pipeline and multiple additions to the portfolio that have included Michaels’ first development project in Colorado, a complex transaction incorporating the conversion of over 238 market rate units into affordable housing targeting low and moderate-income households in the challenging housing market of Boulder, Colorado. He also served as lead developer on Michaels’ first workforce housing development in San Marcos, Texas.
Prior to joining Michaels, Ryan was a Development Manager with Lendlease Americas, a large-scale property and infrastructure company that offers services in development, investment management, project management, and construction, and asset and property management. Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Colorado.
Published Oct. 28, 2021
