Minneapolis
Current Responsibilities
Janelle MacLean leads the growth and development of United Properties’ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, collaborating closely with business leaders to identify, measure, and enhance ESG practices, risks, and opportunities within the organization. She works in close partnership with executive and functional leaders to craft and implement the company’s comprehensive ESG strategy.
Janelle chairs United Propertiesâ ESG Advisory Group and UNITED Together, the companyâs DEI Committee. She also leads six working groups focused on ESG.
Past Experience
Janelle joined United Properties in 2018 as a Senior Investment Analyst, bringing over a decade of commercial real estate experience. In this role, she conducted investment analyses and collaborated closely with asset management teams for both the Operating and Development portfolios.
Previously, she served as an Asset Manager at CSM and Welltower, where she managed a medical office portfolio valued at $750 million and made strategic decisions in Joint Venture partnerships. Janelle also has extensive experience in Property Management and Operations.
Professional and Community Involvement
Janelle is a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry. She actively contributes to various organizations and initiatives focused on driving positive change such as the Real Estate Racial Justice Committee, Racial Equity in Real Estate Stakeholders, Downtown Minneapolis DEI Executive Round Table, and the Commercial Real Estate Diversity Collaborative (CREDC).
Additionally, Janelle serves on the board for ROHO Collective and is a member of the planning committee for the annual Avant Garden event, working in collaboration with the Walker Art Center.
Education
Janelle earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and her Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of St. Thomas. She also holds the professional designation of Real Property Administrator (RPA) from the Building Owners and Managers Institute.
Current Responsibilities
As the Vice President of Capital Markets, Judy is responsible for raising third-party equity and mezzanine debt for United Propertiesâ new developments, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and fund structures. She initiates equity solicitations, coordinates all due diligence requests from prospective third-party capital partners, and ensures timely closings. In addition, Judy is responsible for monitoring equity capital markets, maintaining strong contacts, and managing capital relationships.
Past Experience
Judy joined United Properties in 2023 with over 20 years of experience in the banking and non-profit finance industry with a passion for providing capital to developers and small businesses around the country. She most recently served as Senior Vice President of Small Business Lending at Community Reinvestment Fund, USA, where she led a team of SBA experts and was responsible for pipeline management, department planning, budget management, talent development, customer relations, and vendor relationships.
Professional and Community Involvement
Judy is currently an active member of the finance committee with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) and the City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT). She is a current board member of the Social Impact Hub Minneapolis-St. Paul. She most recently served on the ULI Management Committee and grew the ULI NEXT Chapter as co-chair. Judy is a past recipient of a Top Woman in Finance through Minnesota Finance & Commerce.
Education
Judy obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and her Master of Business Administration from Bethel University.
Current Responsibilities
In his role as Executive Vice President of Commercial Development, Phil is responsible for pursuing development opportunities in all product types, helping United Properties grow and succeed in new areas, and preparing the next generation of development leaders.
Past Experience
Phil joined United Properties in 2023. He spent the last 13 years at Opus as a senior vice president and general manager, leading and managing the Minneapolis and Des Moines development offices.
Before joining Opus, Phil had a distinguished seven-year stint with the U.S. Army.
Education
Phil is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holder of a masterâs degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas.
Current Responsibilities
As Asset Manager, Jacqui is responsible for overseeing operations of a select 1.2M SF medical, office, and industrial portfolio in the Twin Cities. She is responsible for third-party property management and leasing teams, and capital improvement facilitation. She manages tenant relations, budgeting, and financial analysis and assists in the disposition of strategic assets.
Past Experience
Jacqui joined United Properties in May 2022. She has 14 years of real estate experience, with six years in affordable housing and the subsequent eight years in commercial real estate. Prior to joining United Properties, Jacqui served as an Asset Manager for the Corporate Real Estate Group at U.S. Bank. She also held Investment Analyst roles for CSM Corporation and Provident Real Estate Ventures.
Professional and Community Involvement
Jacqui is an active member of NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association and a former member of Urban Land Institute and the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers.
Education
Jacqui earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance with a concentration in Real Estate from the University of San Diego and her Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree with a concentration in Affordable Housing from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
Current Responsibilities
Chris Pohlad serves as Chief of Staff, a key member of the Strategic Leadership Team and Executive Leadership Council. He is also responsible for oversight of the Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis asset and all hotel operations.
Past Experience
Chris joined United Properties in 2017 and since has worked as an Asset Manager, led marketing and rebranding efforts for Amira, the company’s senior living brand, and played a role in the establishment of the Four Seasons Hotel in Minneapolis, the first five-star luxury hotel in the state. Prior to that, he was at Northmarq for 6 years as an analyst and loan originator in Boston and Seattle.
Professional and Community Involvement
He serves as a trustee on the board of the University of Puget Sound, his alma mater.
Education
Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Politics & Government with a concentration in International Relations from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.
Current Responsibilities
Cavonte manages the entire lifecycle of a project, from the initial pursuit stage to the vertical construction and commissioning phases. He collaborates with the development team and external design teams, consultants, and general contractors to ensure that project budgets, schedules, and risks are effectively managed throughout the development and construction process.
Past Experience
In 2022, Cavonte joined United Properties, bringing with him extensive experience in the commercial and renewable sector from his prior work at Mortenson. He specialized in Preconstruction Design, Engineering, and Project Management for both solar and renewable energy projects and commercial ventures.
Professional and Community Involvement
Cavonte is passionate about working and giving back to his community in North Minneapolis. He served as the Community Construction Manager for the ‘Rebuild Restore Reimagine’ fund disbursement project in North Minneapolis. Furthermore, he is a member of the Destination Northside Committee’s Steering Committee and the Phillips Foundation’s Real Estate Advisory and Safety Committee.
Education
Cavonte earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota.
Current Responsibilities
As Executive Vice President of Amira Senior Living, Karla is responsible for United Propertiesâ senior living business line. She oversees both new development, acquisitions, management of the company’s portfolio of senior living investment assets, and the Amira brand. She drives the overall strategy for the business line and facilitates securing capital to execute the same, with the fundamental goal of creating and investing in high-quality senior living communities. She leads a team of eight with members in Minneapolis and Denver who implement and support the company’s senior living strategic initiatives.
Karla is also a member of United Properties’ Strategic Leadership Team which establishes the company’s overall strategic plan and oversees the organization’s broader operational initiatives.
Past Experience
Karla held the position of partner and vice president at Capital Real Estate Inc. for more than 10 years, during which she gained a deep understanding of the development process and built strong relationships with lenders and equity partners. In 2022, she joined United Properties as vice president of capital markets, where she was responsible for securing equity for speculative and build-to-suit developments for the company’s commercial and senior development pipeline, structuring joint ventures, and managing the due diligence process for equity partners to ensure timely closings.
Professional and Community Involvement
Karla is an active member of American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and National Investment Center (NIC).
Education
Karla earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business.
Current Responsibilities
In his role as Director of Development Accounting, James oversees the development accounting team, organizes audits and tax returns for joint ventures, and creates quarterly projections and yearly budgets for development projects.
Past Experience
In June 2019, James joined United Properties as a Senior Manager of Development Accounting. Prior to that, he had been a Senior Reporting Consultant at Dominium, working with CPA firms on annual property and cost certification audits and reconciling tax adjustments for development entities. Before that, he had held the role of Real Estate Accounting Manager at CBRE, managing a team of Real Estate accountants to deliver property level accounting and reporting services to multiple clients.
Education
James attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Math from Bethel University.
Current Responsibilities
Brian is responsible for raising third-party equity and debt for United Propertiesâ new developments, acquisitions, recapitalizations and fund structures. He leads all communications with equity partners during project execution and stabilization, ensuring best-in-class reporting and compliance with investor requirements. In addition, Brian oversees all partner communications and project financial modeling.
Past Experience
Brian joined United Properties in 2020 as a Senior Investment Analyst, focusing primarily on development underwriting of commercial assets in Minneapolis, Denver and Austin. Prior to joining United Properties, Brian held financing positions at CSM Corporation. He started his career in corporate finance with Thomson Reuters.
Professional and Community Involvement
He is a current member of the Minnesota Commercial Association of Real Estate/Realtors (MNCAR) and NAIOP. Brian also spends his time volunteering with various Twin Cities organizations including the Ronald McDonald House Charities and Habitat for Humanity.
Education
Brian earned his Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.