Robert Person joins firm in newly created position as head of market-rate acquisitions
Evergreen Real Estate Group, a leader in the development, construction and management of both affordable and market-rate multifamily properties, today announced Robert Person has joined the company as head of market-rate acquisitions.
In his newly created position, Person will focus on diversifying Evergreen’s portfolio to include more market-rate housing while securing additional capital sources that enhance the firm’s ability to acquire, develop and preserve affordable housing on a greater scale nationally. As part of its expansion, Evergreen plans to pursue both affordable and market-rate deals in new markets, with a focus on the Midwest and Sunbelt.
“Affordable housing is and always will be the foundation of what we do at Evergreen Real Estate Group, but with demand for apartments on the rise across income levels, we saw an opportunity build on our successful model while adhering to the same values, standards and best practices that have made us a trusted housing provider and partner to the communities in which we operate,” said Steve Rappin, CEO of Evergreen Real Estate Group. “With his 15 years of experience in real estate investment and capital markets, Robert will be integral to Evergreen’s next chapter of growth.”
Prior to joining Evergreen, Person worked for Strategic Properties of North America, where he was most recently head of acquisitions, after serving as director of capital markets from 2018 to 2020. In these roles, he focused on market-rate apartments and condo deconversions and, in the last four years, oversaw the acquisition of over 2,100 units of market-rate housing.
Since 2015, and separate from his roles at Evergreen and Strategic Properties of North America, Person has worked alongside developer Bob Dunn and his firm, Landmark Development, and Gerald Fogelson and his firm, Fogelson Properties, in planning One Central, a 35-acre mixed-use megaproject in downtown Chicago that would be built above the Metra rail lines just west of Soldier Field. Once completed, the multibillion-dollar development is predicted to create tens of thousands of new jobs.
Earlier in his career, Person worked as a special situations analyst and, later, as vice president for DAC Financial Management (China) Ltd. in Hong Kong, where he bought distressed debt and non-performing loans and earned experience on the acquisitions side. He began his career as a trader at the Chicago Board of Trade.
“Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of being involved in some of the largest real estate transactions and planned developments in Chicago – all made possible through a diverse mix of capital sources,” said Person. “I look forward to pairing that experience with Evergreen’s mission-driven investment philosophy, leveraging my longstanding relationships with debt and equity providers to help the firm expand its affordable, market-rate and mixed-income holdings in both new and existing markets.”
Person holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Butler University’s Lacy School of Business. During his time at Butler, he attended Beijing Foreign Studies University, Language Exchange, where he studied Mandarin. He also completed graduate studies in accounting at Northwestern University within the CPA certification program, with a focus on forensic accounting.
About Evergreen Real Estate Group:
Founded in 1999, Chicago-based Evergreen Real Estate Group is a fully integrated multifamily company that develops, acquires and manages affordable and market-rate multifamily apartments for both seniors and families across 10 states. Evergreen specializes in thoughtful, creative residential development solutions. From adaptive reuse of historic buildings to new development in cities and towns facing a shortage of affordable housing, Evergreen is led by a passionate, cross-disciplinary team of developers, architects, urban planners and attorneys who have come together to create high-quality apartment communities, often in collaboration with local municipalities and financial partners who share its vision of investing not just in real estate, but also the people who call our communities home. Evergreen currently owns and manages more than 10,000 units of multifamily housing. For more information on the company, visit www.evergreenreg.com.
