Our leaders exhibit both strength & continuity

Mr. Robert is Chairman of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), a nonpartisan national organization of senior executives dedicated to enhancing our national security, using the successful models of the private sector. Over the past 27 years BENS members have brought their expertise to bear to procedures for base closures (BRAC), created a model of public private partnerships to improve disaster relief response, and worked to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Defense (tooth to tail) through modern business practices. BENS is currently working with DoD and the US Congress to identify important steps that can and should be taken to improve DoD’s acquisition programs.

He is also the Chairman of the US-UAE Business Council, a collaboration of leading companies based in the United States and United Arab Emirates, which are committed to expanding bi-lateral commercial opportunities between the two countries. Due to his many and long standing relationships throughout the Middle East and Gulf region Mr. Robert was asked to be the founding Chairman. The Council is at the forefront of the Nuclear 123 Agreement between the US and the UAE and has been instrumental in its progress.

In 2008, Mr. Robert was honored by the EastWest Institute, together with former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Schultz, former Secretary of Defense William Perry, former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, for his leadership of the business community to improve national and international security. Mr. Robert was awarded the first ever Father Flanagan’s Boys Town Spirit of Youth Award and the Peter Flanagan Children First Award. He was named Washingtonian of the Year in 1997.

Mr. Robert’s philanthropic commitments are equally as ambitious. In 1990, he founded and continues to serve as Chairman of Fight For Children, Inc. (FFC), a Washington based philanthropic organization whose mission is to create, promote and invest in K-12 education opportunities that successfully prepare children for college and the workplace, and to provide quality primary health care options for our youth. Since FFC’s inception, it has raised over $310 million through contributions, matching grants and public policy initiatives to support more than 140 organizations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In addition, Joseph Robert is the Chairman of the Washington Scholarship Fund, one of the nation’s largest providers of scholarships to children of low income families in Washington DC. He was Chairman of the successful $300 million Comprehensive Campaign at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, which resulted in the building of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care at the Children’s National Medical Center.

Mr. Robert was awarded Honorary Doctorates from St. John’s College and Mount Saint Mary’s University.

Mr. Robert is a member of the board of the following organizations:

Peterson Institute for International Economics, Atlantic Council of the United States, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the National Geographic Society, the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees.

Mr. Robert is a member of the World Economic Forum, Horatio Alger Association, The Trilateral Commission, World President’s Organization, Chief Executive’s Organization, Council on Foreign Relations, Foreign Policy Association, The Urban Land Institute and The Bretton Woods Committee.

He is a member of the Global Investment Committee. Under his direction, CMBS acquisitions have exceeded $600 million in purchase price. Prior to his current role, Mr. Belcher managed the RTC Asset Management Contracts comprised of assets exceeding $3.5 billion.

Prior to joining J.E. Robert Companies in 1991, Mr. Belcher served as Senior Asset Manager for the Federal Asset Disposition Association (“FADA”), overseeing a non-performing loan portfolio in excess of $800 million. Prior to FADA, Mr. Belcher was a Vice President with InterFirst Bank in Dallas, responsible for a real estate portfolio averaging in excess of $100 million including acquisition and construction loans. In total, Mr. Belcher has more than 22 years of diverse real estate experience including loan workout, real estate management, construction lending and portfolio liquidation.

Mr. Belcher is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a B.B.A. degree in Finance and a B.A. in Economics. Mr. Belcher is a Director for the DeBusk Foundation (a charitable foundation providing grants for elementary educational programs).

Prior to Freddie Mac, Mr. McGillis was the Chief Financial Officer of Starcom Holdings/Constar International from 1999 to 2003. He has also worked in Chief Financial Officer, portfolio management, corporate finance and audit capacities at AEW Capital Management/Copley Real Estate Advisors, Robertson Ceco Corporation and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has over 20 years of diverse experience involving real estate and corporate valuations, acquisitions, sales and financing as well as financial reporting, operations and administration in both public and private companies. Mr. McGillis holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mr. Ward is responsible for all legal matters involving investment structuring, document negotiation and transaction closings and capital raising activities for JER Partners and JER Investors Trust, Inc.

After joining J.E. Robert Companies in 1991, Mr. Ward served as General Counsel for the J.E. Robert Companies/Goldman Sachs venture which acquired $7.4 billion in sellers’ book value in distressed US real estate and loans from the RTC, insurance companies and banks in both sealed bid auctions and privately negotiated transactions from 1991 through 1996. While at J.E. Robert Companies, Mr. Ward has directed the closings for approximately 35 portfolios with over 2,100 assets and participated in the securitization of $568 million of non-performing loans and $270 million of performing loans.

Mr. Ward is a summa cum laude graduate of Villanova University where he obtained a B.S. degree in Accounting. He received a J.D. degree with honors from The National Law Center, George Washington University. Mr. Ward is a member of the Washington, DC Bar Association.

Before joining J.E. Robert Companies, Mr. Krejca was a director in Bank One’s CMBS investment group, involved in all facets of the CMBS investment process, including originating, underwriting, syndicating and managing loan pools. Mr. Krejca has over 9 years experience in subordinate CMBS investments. Mr. Krejca holds a B.S. degree in accounting from DePaul University.