Steven D. Bell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Bell founded Steven D. Bell & Company (now known as Bell Partners Inc.) in 1976 with eight properties and 21 employees.   He brings to the company a wealth of real estate ability, knowledge and experience.  As CEO, he chairs the company’s Investment Committee, and is active in all aspects of the Company as he cultivates and maintains relationships with investors, interacts with the Bell leadership team and visits properties and associates in the field.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Bell worked in mortgage banking and commercial real estate brokerage.  Mr. Bell graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He is active in a number of philanthropic, civic and other boards and organizations. 

Jonathan D. Bell, President

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.

Robert H. Slater, Chief Operating Officer

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, including Human Resources, Information Services, Marketing, Purchasing, and Utilities Management. 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.

Lili F. Dunn, Chief Investment Officer

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.  In her role as Managing Director at AvalonBay, she was responsible for the company’s national transaction activity, which consisted of approximately 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 bachelor degree from the University of Michigan where she graduated with highest honors. 

John E. Tomlinson, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Tomlinson joined Bell Partners in 2009. 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). 

Dhrubo T. Sircar, Chief Information Officer

Mr. Sircar joined Bell Partners in 2009. He chairs the company’s Information Technology Steering Committee and leads information services.  He is responsible for strategizing, building and maintaining the future of Bell’s information technology infrastructure both in the corporate office and the field. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Sircar was the Chief Information Officer for UDR, a leading public apartment REIT, where he headed its eBusiness initiative. Before UDR, Mr. Sircar worked for Wachovia / First Union for 12 years where he was responsible for the technology integration associated with 26 mergers.  Earlier in his career, he worked for Royal Insurance and Burroughs Corporation.  Mr. Sircar has a MS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS from the University of Delhi.

Mary W. Copeland, Senior Vice President, Human Resources

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 and is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Erin O. Ditto, Senior Vice President, Multifamily Operations

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 B.S. (Business) from the University of Maryland. 

E. Durant Bell, Principal, Operations

Mr. Bell joined Bell Partners in 2006 and spent the first two years working with the company’s three property management divisions. Today, Mr. Bell’s primary focus lies in company operations, business development and third-party clients. He also works closely with Mr. Sircar in strategizing and executing information services initiatives. 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.

Jay Couch, Senior Vice President of Commercial Properties and Risk Management 

Jay Couch joined Bell Partners in July of 2004 and has thirty-four years of commercial real estate experience. His experience includes retail and office leasing, development, construction, property management, marketing and due diligence analysis of properties throughout the southeastern United States. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Couch was the National Director of Property Management and a Principal of Divaris Real Estate, a southeastern third party real estate firm. He was responsible for a portfolio in excess of 21 million square feet, serviced by a staff of 130. Mr. Couch earned his designation as a Certified Property Manager from the Institute of Real Estate Management in 1974.

Jeff Sylvester, President - Bell Senior Living

Jeff Sylvester joined Bell Senior Living as Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2008 and was promoted to President in 2010.  Mr. Sylvester has over 18 years of operational and sales leadership in the senior living industry.  Prior to joining the company, Mr. Sylvester was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA,LLC), a Florida based Senior Living company that specializes in acquisition turn-around and new community development. Mr. Sylvester received a BA from California State University at Long Beach.