Senior Leadership

Mr. Bell joined Bell Partners in 2001. As President, he chairs the company’s Executive Committee and is involved in all aspects of the business, with a particular emphasis on transactions, capital and company strategy. Since joining Bell Partners, Mr. Bell has overseen company transactions exceeding $7 billion in value. 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.

Mr. Slater joined Bell Partners in 2008. As COO, he chairs the company’s Management Committee and oversees Bell Partners’ three operating divisions as well as key support groups. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Slater spent more than 13 years with AvalonBay Communities, a leading public apartment REIT and a member of the S&P 500, and Trammell Crow Residential, its predecessor entity. At AvalonBay, Mr. Slater was the Executive Vice President of Property Operations, leading the daily operations of 40,000 apartment units. Prior to joining Trammell Crow Residential, he was a litigation partner with the Smith Moore law firm in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mr. Slater holds a BA, cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Ms. Dunn joined Bell Partners in 2010 as the CIO. She is responsible for guiding the company’s investment strategy, broadening its institutional capital sources, strengthening the investment and portfolio management infrastructure and overseeing the transaction and financing platforms. 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 homes valued at approximately $6.5 billion. Ms. Dunn also helped to raise and oversee AvalonBay’s Valued Added Funds (discretionary institutional investment vehicles), with total equity commitments of $730 million. Ms. Dunn is a Board Member of the National Multi-Housing Council and was Chairperson of its Finance Committee from 2006 to 2010. Ms. Dunn earned her BS from the University of Michigan where she graduated with highest honors.

Mr. Tomlinson joined Bell Partners in 2009 as the CFO. He leads the accounting and risk management departments, and supervises a staff of more than 50 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. He received both his BS (Accounting) and MBA from Mississippi State University, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Ms. Copeland joined Bell Partners in 2006, and leads the firm’s human resources and training groups. Prior to joining the company, she was Vice President - Human Resources at Replacements, Ltd., a North Carolina-based firm with over 750 employees. Earlier in her career, Ms. Copeland led training and quality improvement processes at Flynt Fabrics (1,400 employees) and another textile manufacturing company, Culp, Inc. (2,000 employees). Ms. Copeland has an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and holds her BA in Political Science and French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Mr. Thompson joined Bell Partners in 2012, bringing nearly eighteen years of diversified marketing expertise in the multifamily and consumer packaged-goods industries. His previous experience includes AvalonBay Communities; Iams Petfoods (a subsidiary of P&G) Fruit of the Loom Apparel Company, and Promus Hotel Companies (Parent Corporation for Embassy Suites Hotel, Hampton Inn, and Harrah’s Casinos). Mr. Thompson is responsible for conceptualizing and executing both corporate and property marketing strategies, including oversight of media planning & advertising, public relations & corporate communications, interactive marketing programs, merchandising and other brand guardianship initiatives. He also provides direction for the marketing staff in the day-to-day coordination and execution of marketing programs with the site teams. Mr. Thompson received his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University.

Ms. Ditto joined Bell Partners in 2007, and oversees the property operations team and the daily management of Bell Partners’ portfolio of owned and managed apartment assets, overseeing over 1,500 employees. Prior to joining the company, Ms. Ditto spent 12 years with UDR, a leading public apartment REIT, in a variety of operating roles, culminating as Senior Vice President of Apartment Operations, with oversight of 78,000 apartment units. Earlier in her career, Ms. Ditto held operations and leasing positions with Metropolitan Properties of America and Krupp / Berkshire. Ms. Ditto earned a BS in Business from the University of Maryland.

Mr. Bell joined Bell Partners in 2006 and spent the first two years working with the company’s property management division. Today, Mr. Bell is extensively involved in all aspects of property operations, working alongside Mr. Slater and Ms. Ditto. He also heads the construction services and property management business development departments, and works closely with the company’s current management clients. Prior to joining Bell Partners, Mr. Bell spent over four years with Wood Partners, one of the country’s largest apartment developers. Mr. Bell is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a Certified Property Management (CPM) designation.