Capstone Leadership

Ben joined Capstone in 1998 after graduating from The University of Alabama. Ben served in various roles with the company throughout his career including as a Development Manager and Senior Vice President of the Cottage Division. In those roles, he was responsible for all aspects of development from land acquisition, entitlements, financial modeling through construction and lease up. In July 2010 Ben was promoted to President of Capstone Properties – the management and leasing division for Capstone. In this role, Ben was responsible for all aspects of leasing, operations and management of Capstone’s off-campus student housing portfolio. In January 2012, following the restructuring of The Capstone Companies, Ben Walker became one of the three principals of Capstone Communities, LLC.

Rob began his career with Capstone in 1993. He supervised the accounting department for Capstone Properties before joining the development division of the company in 1995. He was later promoted to Senior VP for Off-Campus Development where he helped to expand Capstone’s student housing program. In 2000, Rob was promoted to President of Capstone Properties. In that position, Rob was responsible for all operations related to Capstone’s off-campus communities. In 2006, Rob was promoted to Chief Operating Officer where he was responsible for such matters as accounting, insurance, finance, treasury functions, asset disposition, and other significant functions. In January 2012, following the restructuring of The Capstone Companies, Rob Howland became one of the three principals of Capstone Communities, LLC.

John is one of the founding members of Capstone, with over 28 years’ experience in student housing development. He began his career at Capstone in residential site acquisitions and transitioned to overall development. In 2000, John focused his efforts on opportunities west of the Rocky Mountains, managing the opening and operations of Capstone’s West Coast regional office in Encinitas, California. In 2004, he moved back to Capstone’s headquarters in Birmingham to lead Capstone’s Off-Campus Development Division. In 2009, he also took over leadership of Cottage Builder’s, Inc. In January 2012, following the restructuring of The Capstone Companies, John Vawter became one of the three principals of Capstone Communities, LLC.

Jeff came to Capstone in August 2000 as Information Technology Director for Capstone Companies. Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois Institute of Technology in Electronic Engineering as well as several respected industry certifications. Jeff has over 20 years of information technology experience and has supported and built networks for many Fortune 500 companies including United Airlines, The Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Shell Oil where he had a 24 hour stay on an oil rig. Jeff is responsible for implementation, installation and support for all technology C3 uses and works with vendors to aide in successful deployment of technology at our developments.

Melanie joined Capstone in June 2005 as Payroll Manager after working several years as a human resources generalist. In 2008, Melanie transitioned to Legal Services Administrator where she remained until 2012 when she became the Compensation & Benefits Administrator for Capstone Collegiate Communities. Melanie is responsible for the administration of all compensation and benefit programs for C3, CBI and Capstone Properties and performs certain corporate and legal administrative duties in support of the principals of C3. Melanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Montevallo and a Certificate of Paralegal Studies from Samford University. Melanie’s hobbies include traveling, spending time with family and reading.

Jen joined Capstone in 2007 after graduating from the University of Missouri with a communications degree. Jen started on the development side of the company and has been in charge of leasing up several of our new development communities each leasing cycle. Since the start of her career she has over seen 22 new start up student communities, totaling over 17,500 beds. With our most recent transition to multi-family housing she is currently involved with all new start up communities. In her most recent role she currently oversees the entire Capstone portfolio from a marketing and leasing stand point for both new and operational communities. On a personal note she is a newlywed and currently enjoys spending time with her husband Temba!

Richard, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania joined Capstone in 2011. He began his career in student housing as a Resident Assistant while attending college and has over 15-years of professional experience in on-campus, third-party, and off-campus communities. His operational and management experience includes various styles of communities to include cottage, traditional three-story walk up, high density communities and mixed use. Richard has served various roles in the student housing industry which include managing the transition from development and start-up of new projects, restructuring and renovating acquired assets, and daily oversight of stabilized assets. Richard earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from California University of PA. Richard is married to Elaine and they have one daughter, Tori.

While a student at California University of Pennsylvania, Steven began his career as a community assistant at a JPI off-campus student housing community named Jefferson at California in 2005. When EdR assumed the management contract for the community, Steven held a number of positions at the community including Residence Life Coordinator and Assistant Manager. While with EdR, Steven also held a Community Manager position in Bloomsburg, PA and was promoted to a Senior Community Manager position in Charlottesville, VA. Steven joined Capstone in 2013 as Property Manager for The Cottages of Boone and moved to the Home Office in 2015. Steven is responsible for the supervision of onsite management staff, operations, and establishing performance goals. Steven earned both his B.A. and M.S. degrees from California University of Pennsylvania. Steven enjoys spending time with his wife Rachel and their two dogs, Gunner and Chloe. Steven is also a devoted fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams.

Amanda, a small-town Texas native, joined Capstone in 2012. Beginning her career while still in college, she spent three months as a leasing agent before moving into the Assistant Manager role and never looked back! Amanda has amassed over 10-years of professional experience in both conventional and student housing working in the third-party and merchant-development sectors. She has worked with cottage-style, high density, garden-style, and mixed use communities from development to stabilization, renovations, acquisitions and sales. Amanda graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas where she still lives with her husband, Jay, and their three dogs.

Matt joined Capstone in 2011 as an Assistant Manager for an operational property in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A native of Terry, Mississippi, Matt attended Tulane University of New Orleans for his undergraduate degree where he developed a passion for housing and began his career with Heritage Properties Inc. After leaving Heritage in 2011 to join Capstone, Matt quickly transitioned through several roles in Hattiesburg including Leasing Manger & Property Manager. Following his success with stabilization, operations and leasing of our Hattiesburg property, Matt traveled with Capstone to Raleigh, North Carolina to oversee the operations of our large urban high-rise development. After a successful re-stabilization of our asset in Raleigh, Matt was promoted to Regional Manager in January 2017. He oversees the operations, leasing and marketing efforts for several of capstones operational properties.

Dylan, a University of Texas at Austin graduate, has been in property management since 2017 when he got his start as a Leasing Manager. It didn’t take long for him to climb the ranks and he hasn’t stopped, yet! Dylan joined the Capstone team in June of 2021 as the Property Manager of a brand new, luxury student community in the ultra-competitive UT West Campus market. After a successful opening, he has moved into a Regional Manager position that is based out of Daytona Beach, Florida. When he’s not running incredibly successful properties, he can be found singing and playing the piano (as he has for 23 years), watching something from his collection of over 1200 movies, or most importantly, playing with his 6 year old, silver Labrador, Colt, (who is also the proclaimed favorite nephew of Dylan’s colleague, Amanda S!).

Amanda came to Capstone in January 2008 as a Senior Vice President for the Cottage Division of Capstone Development Corp. Amanda earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration-Finance from Auburn University at Montgomery and two masters degrees in 1998 and 1999 both from Auburn University in Auburn, AL — a Masters in Building Science and a Masters in Community Planning. She now has over 16 years’ experience in land development for both public and private land developers and home builders. Since 2012 Amanda has been an Executive Vice President for C3 continuing her role in development for off-campus new construction projects including both Cottage-style developments and high-density, mixed-use developments. Amanda is responsible for all aspects of the development program from acquisition, pre-development due diligence, design, financial analysis and construction through project delivery and disposition. To date, Amanda’s experience at Capstone includes the delivery of over 2,600 beds totaling $160 million in development costs. She currently has another 3,500 beds and $245 million under development.

Angie joined Capstone in 2012 after more than 16 years in multifamily and student housing development. Prior to joining Capstone, she served in a number of executive level business development and development positions outside Capstone. In her current role as Development Manager, she is responsible for all aspects of development from land acquisition, entitlements and financial modeling through construction and lease up. Angie attended Dartmouth College and holds a B.A degree from Smith College. She also holds a M.S. degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California (USC).

John joined Capstone in 2008 serving as a Senior Vice President in the Cottage Division. Since Capstone Collegiate Communities began in 2012, John has continued his responsibilities for all aspects of development from market identification, site acquisition, and financial modeling, through construction and lease up as Executive Vice President. John earned his bachelor’s degree from Hampton Sydney, his JD from The University of South Carolina School of Law and his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Business at Vanderbilt University. John has over nine years of legal and financial experience both in the public and private sector. He has served as the General Counsel to the U.S. federal agency providing oversight for the reconstruction of Iraq. In private practice, he represented clients in the areas of non-profit law, utilities law, land use and zoning law. John also spent four years on active duty as a U.S. Marine Corps judge advocate and prosecutor.

John has over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial construction and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Construction Management. His responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of preconstruction and construction related activities involving third party general contractors. John works closely with development managers to coordinate a variety of preconstruction activities including acquisition, pre-development due diligence, design, and financial analysis. He is also responsible for managing all construction related activities through project delivery. Since joining Capstone in 2007, John has delivered over 13,250 beds totaling $912 million in development costs. He currently has another 2,000 beds and $225 million under development and construction. Prior to serving in his current position, John was a Project Manager responsible for onsite management, material logistics, quality control, and preconstruction buyout for cottage developments. John attended the University of Alabama and studied Business Administration.

Davis has devoted his entire career to student housing beginning on the management side of Capstone in 2007. Having worked on both the operational and development sides of the real estate business, Davis brings practical on-the-ground experience to his role as Vice President of Development. His responsibilities include identifying suitable investment opportunities for Capstone and assisting with the development process beginning with pre-development due diligence, investment analysis, pro forma modeling and continuing management through the design and construction phases until the project is turned over to the operations team. Davis received his B.S. Degree in Marketing from the University of Alabama and holds his Certified Commercial Invest Member Designation (CCIM). Davis also serves as the qualifying broker for Capstone Collegiate Communities and is currently involved in several student housing development projects. In his free time, Davis enjoys playing golf, hunting, fishing, cooking, scuba diving and spending time with family and friends. Davis and his wife Eliza have two beautiful daughters Beatty and Frances.

Jim joined Capstone after 15 years in the banking industry. Prior to Capstone, he was Vice President of National Bank of Commerce’s Private Banking group where he worked closely with Capstone’s Principals. Capstone’s enthusiasm and passion appealed to Jim, and in 2016 he joined the Capstone team. Jim is a graduate of the Turner College of Business at Columbus State University and Samford University’s Community Banking School. He serves on the Junior Board of Visitors for the UAB School of Nursing and the Board for Alabama Forever. Jim enjoys spending time with his wife, their three children, and friends.

Alex joined Capstone in 2018 to lead the financial modeling and analysis of all development and strategic business opportunities. He is also responsible for the preparation of debt and equity packages as well as facilitating the closings of all construction and refinancing loans and the final disposition of assets. Alex received a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree and a BSBA in Accountancy, both from Auburn University. Before joining Capstone, Alex worked in strategic consulting with CBRE Global Workplace Solutions and asset management & underwriting with Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW), where he was integrally involved in the closing of over $570 million of sale-leaseback, debt, lease, construction, and sale agreements. Licensed as a CPA, Alex began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He and his wife, Jordan, have three beautiful daughters and are active members of Cahaba Park Church.

Parker graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in 2013 and from there went to college at Auburn University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance May of 2017. He began working at Capstone as an intern during his senior year at Auburn for 7 months and began working full-time as a Financial Analyst for C3 in July 2017 after he graduated. Parker assists with the financial modeling of potential student housing, senior housing, and conventional acquisition/rehab projects as well as coordinating between our various financial institutions as well as equity partners regarding upcoming, current, and past projects. He also conducts a large amount of market research and analyzes data on numerous potential markets to determine strength and activity for our Development Managers. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Alex, his family and friends as well as playing golf and traveling as much as possible.

Daniel grew up In Charlotte, NC and graduated from South Mecklenburg High School in 2011. Daniel attended Auburn University and during his Senior year he started working for Capstone as an Intern on the Development side of the company. After graduating from Auburn University in December of 2015, he transitioned to the Management side of Capstone, working in various markets across the country. Daniel saw each aspect of the property management side including, marketing, accounting and overseeing a community. After becoming familiar with the property management side Daniel transitioned to Development in November of 2019 where he works to identify suitable sites for potential projects on a Conventional and Student Housing basis. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, friends and two dogs (Peanut and Buddy), at Lake Martin in Alabama.

Andrew joined Capstone Communities in May of 2021 after graduating from Samford University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics. In his role, Andrew assists the development team in identifying suitable sites for development through market research and financial analysis, as well as supporting the Development Managers throughout the development phases. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Patrick joined the CBI team February of 2020 as an Associate within the Warranty & Quality Assurance Department. In his role, Patrick oversees and assists with the building turnover process from construction to management. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Edward a native of Birmingham, AL joined Capstone in 2022 as a Senior Financial Analyst. In this role Edward will assist in the financial modeling of potential student and conventional projects as well as coordination between our various financial institutions and equity partners on all projects. Prior to joining Capstone Edward spent 4 years with a company focusing on the acquisition of existing value-add apartment communities and assisted in various transactions totaling $250 million in value and 2000+ units. Edward attended the University of Alabama where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance in May 2017. Outside of the office Edward enjoys playing tennis, spending time at the beach, and cheering for the University of Alabama.

Shep began his career with Capstone’s in-house construction division, CBI Construction Services, in 2006. As President, Shep works with all departments of the company to develop and implement objectives, manage the resources and overall operations of CBI while demonstrating leadership in safety and best practices. In Shep’s previous roles within CBI’s Project Management team, he oversaw project budgets, the analysis and selection of project suppliers and subcontractors, the execution of subcontracts and the administration of project schedules. Shep graduated from the University of Alabama in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and from Samford University in 2011 with a Master of Business Administration. In addition to spending time with his wife and three daughters, Shep enjoys University of Alabama athletics and playing the guitar.

In May 2007, Roger joined CBI Construction Services as Sr. Project Manager to lead the construction teams, maintain production systems and provide oversight to the construction process. He has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry including the delivery of commercial, multifamily and student housing projects. After 14 years with CBI and currently serving as Executive Vice President of Field Operations, Roger has delivered over $900 million in dollar volume. Roger received his undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of Alabama and continued post graduate studies at Auburn University’s School of Architecture and Building Science. In his free time, Roger enjoys time building his cabin in the middle of nowhere, north Alabama. Favorite Quote: Psalm 91.

Jimmy joined the CBI team in November of 2021. In his role as Vice President of Operations, Jimmy is responsible for CBI’s corporate operations and strategies. Jimmy earned his Bachelor of Building Science degree from Auburn University. While at Auburn, Jimmy worked as a football manager for the Auburn Tigers from 1985-1988. Prior to joining CBI, Jimmy has been involved with a variety of construction projects which include healthcare, student housing, multi-family, athletic and commercial owners. In his free time, Jimmy enjoys spending time with his children, anything outdoors, and hunting.

Randy Davis joined CBI Construction Services in 2006. He coordinates with consulting engineers from civil through completion on each of C3’s cottage developments. Randy has over 40 years of experience in the construction field. In his free time, Randy enjoys cooking, much to the delight of his fellow colleagues, and especially enjoys BBQ cook-offs.

Steve joined CBI Construction Services in 2016 and is from Chandler Arizona. Steve has 20 plus years in residential and commercial construction and has overseen all aspects and phases of construction. Steve has held many positions over the years from Superintendent, purchasing, warranty manager, as well as a licensed residential and commercial plumbing contractor. Steve enjoys spending time with his family, the outdoors and coaching youth and H.S football.

Brian joined the CBI team in April of 2020. Throughout his nearly 40 year career in the construction industry, Brian has worked in multiple sectors of commercial and multifamily construction. In his role as Director of Field Operations, Brian is responsible for the management and direction of CBI’s field teams to ensure the construction of a quality product in accordance with project schedules and budgets while complying with CBI’s safety standards and exceeding owner expectations. When not building, Brian loves to spend time with his kids, grandkids, hunting, fishing or in the garden.

Throughout his 25 year career in the construction industry, Mark has built custom homes, developed subdivisions and served as VP of Operations for a large site work contractor that specialized in streetscapes and municipal projects. Mark also spent 12 years in fire service where he was a Line Captain and Captain of special operations. Mark’s construction knowledge, combined with his rescue background and passion for safety and leadership, has provided an excellent foundation for his work as CBI’s Director of Safety. In this role, Mark is responsible for facilitating a safe work environment for our employees and trade partners by establishing a “safety first” culture that starts at the pre-planning phase of construction and is maintained until project completion.

Clay joined Capstone in 2014 serving as a Senior Project Manager with the in-house construction division, CBI Construction Services. Clay provides project management and estimating expertise throughout the design, construction and delivery process for Capstone’s cottage projects. Clay earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Auburn University and his MBA from the Brock School of Business at Samford University. Clay is a licensed Professional Engineer and LEED Accredited Professional with over 12 years of civil design, construction estimating and construction management experience. In addition to spending time with his wife and three daughters, Clay enjoys cooking, traveling, reading and playing soccer.

Murray joined Capstone in 2019 serving as a Senior Project Manager with the in-house construction division, CBI Construction Services. In his role as Project Director, Murray provides project management and estimating expertise through the design, construction, and delivery process for Capstone’s projects. Murray earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Auburn University and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Prior to joining CBI Murray spent 18 years in estimating, construction, and on-site management of projects throughout the country. In his spare time Murray enjoys Auburn athletics, playing golf, and spending time at the ballpark watching his two sons play baseball.

Dane joined the CBI Team in June of 2022. In his role as Operations Manager, Dane is responsible for managing the corporate operations and strategies of CBI with a focus on process improvement, operational strategies, technology and innovation. Dane earned his Bachelor of Building Science degree from Auburn University and has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. Prior to joining CBI, Dane led the construction technology department at a large general contracting firm and has 10+ years in project management overseeing a variety of construction projects including federal, student housing, athletic facilities and commercial for a variety of diverse clients. In his free time, Dane enjoys spending time with his daughter, doing anything outdoors, playing golf, spending time at the lake and working on renovations.

Graham joined CBI Construction Services in 2018 as a Preconstruction Manager. In this role, Graham works throughout all phases of a project’s lifecycle providing project cost estimating and preconstruction services to CBI and clients. Prior to joining CBI, Graham spent 10 years in preconstruction and on-site project management for projects located throughout the southeast. He obtained both his bachelor’s degree in Finance and Masters in Building Construction from Auburn University. Graham previously worked with CBI on the company’s first project, Creekside of Auburn, throughout the summer of 2007 as an on-site intern while completing his graduate studies.

Duncan joined CBI Construction Services in March 2019 as a Preconstruction Manager. He prepares detailed estimates and constructibility analysis through the conceptual, schematic, design development and construction phases of a project. Prior to joining Capstone, Duncan spent 4 years working in both project management and preconstruction roles for a large general contractor in Atlanta, GA. Duncan received a B.A. in Psychology from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2011 and a Masters in Building Construction from Auburn University in 2014. Duncan is LEED GA accredited and an Alabama Real Estate Licensee. In addition to spending time with his wife and daughter, Duncan enjoys hunting, fishing and exploring new places.

Ashley began her career at Capstone as part-time help in Accounting while going to school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After obtaining her BS in Accounting in May 2008, she became a Staff Accountant while earning her Master’s in Business Administration. After earning her CPA certificate in 2015, she transitioned into her current role as a Senior Accountant. Her responsibilities at Capstone include cash management, preparation of monthly financial statements for sites under management, and facilitating construction draw requests. Ashley is married and has a yorkie puppy named Gabby, whom is incredibly spoiled, and a cat named Jumper, who we think is jealous of Gabby.

Kelli joined Cottage Builders in November 2005 as Office Manager and currently serves as Construction Administrator and Accounts Payable Manager for the Construction Division. Kelli assists the Construction Division by setting up vendor/sub accounts, verifying correct insurance coverage and is responsible for processing pay apps and invoices in a timely manner. In 2013, Kelli’s role expanded to include management of C3 site payables. In this role, Kelli oversees the process of correct and timely payment entry, which in turn helps onsite management focus on the quality of living for the residents. In 2000, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Montevallo. She is originally from Tuscaloosa but has been in Birmingham since 2001. In her spare time Kelli enjoys hanging out with family and friends and spending time with her dog Bentley.

Erin works extensively with corporate and site management staff training and supporting the residential accounting software. She is very familiar with Capstone’s corporate policies and procedures, having been with the company since she was hired as Assistant Manager at our Baton Rouge, Louisiana student community. In the corporate office, Erin’s primary responsibility is to make sure accounting applications and policies are cohesive among all locations. Erin’s hobbies include traveling, reading and photography. Education – University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Kelly Jones began working for Capstone in 1999 as a student worker at our property in Norman, Oklahoma while finishing up her final years at the University of Oklahoma. In 2004 she moved to the home office in Birmingham. She has worn many hats with Capstone from leasing as a student worker to assisting management at a property to accounts payable and receivable to software support. Currently Kelly is focusing on back end software functionality and support for the sites as well as the accounting department. Kelly enjoys photography, the outdoors, playing with her dog Earl and watching tv/movies.

Susanne joined Capstone in September of 2000 as Accounts Receivable Processor. She was promoted shortly thereafter to her current position as Accounts Receivable Supervisor. Susanne brings twenty years of experience in Office Operations. She works with the accounting staff and local management teams, to ensure all Resident Financial data is processed in a timely fashion and accurate. Susanne is also one of the main contacts to provide requested information for internal and external financial auditing controls, for Off Campus locations. Susanne is married, has two daughters and one grandson. She enjoys the piano, bowling and spending time with her family.

Bio coming soon

Laurel Burns joined the Capstone Accounting team in 2000 with 15 years of construction/cost accounting experience. Since becoming part of the team, Laurel has worked with development accounting, Cottage Builders accounting, and management accounting. Currently, Laurel works with the accounting team in various capacities. In her spare time, Laurel enjoys relaxing at home with her husband and 2 English Bulldogs – Lil Ben and Georgia Rose.