We are fortunate to have some of the industry’s most talented and experienced professionals charting our course and overseeing our operations.
Chief Executive Officer
In 1994, Rod bought a property in Hollywood, CA, and began the journey of Steadfast Companies. Under his guidance, the company’s vision, goals, and values were created and continue to be upheld. Over the years, Rod has been involved in the purchasing, development, and management of more than $7 billion of real estate. Investing in key relationships and opportunities, Rod grew Steadfast into a vertically integrated commercial real estate company that spans across the United States, Mexico, and Nepal.
Prior to Steadfast, Rod was the president of Cove Properties for 17 years. In this commercial real estate firm that dealt with property management, construction, and development, he developed and/or purchased and renovated more than 7 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail buildings.
Today, Rod serves on the board of directors for several nonprofits focused on ministering to youth, families, and marriage.
Rod graduated from the University of Southern California with an undergraduate degree with an emphasis in Accounting and Finance. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, diving, and traveling.
President
Ella Shaw Neyland serves as the president and an affiliated director of Steadfast Apartment REIT. Ms. Neyland has considerable experience in real estate investment, development and finance. From 2001 to 2004, Ms. Neyland served as Executive VP, Treasurer and Investor Relations Officer of United Dominion Realty Trust (UDR), where she was responsible for capital market transactions, banking relationships and presentations to investors and Wall Street analysts. Ms. Neyland also was a voting member of UDR’s Investment Committee, which oversaw the repositioning of more than $3 billion of investments. Prior to 2001, Ms. Neyland served as the CFO at Sunrise Housing, a privately owned apartment development company, and as the Senior VP of Finance and the VP of Troubled Debt Restructures/Finance for the Lincoln Property Company, a commercial real estate development and management firm. In addition to her extensive real estate background, Ms. Neyland has held executive positions in the banking industry, including CIBC, BancOne and Frost Bank. Ms. Neyland received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.
Director
Ana Marie del Rio serves as a Director of Steadfast Apartment REIT, Inc. Ms. del Rio served as Secretary and Compliance Officer of Steadfast Apartment REIT, Inc. from September 2013 to August 2020. Ms. del Rio is the Chief Legal Officer for Steadfast Companies and oversees legal, risk and compliance matters. She also works closely with Steadfast Management Company, Inc. and its management of Steadfast Companies’ multifamily residential communities. Prior to joining Steadfast Companies in 2003, Ms. del Rio was a partner in the public finance group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, from September 1993 to April 2003, representing both issuers and underwriters in financing single-family and multifamily housing projects and other types of public-private and redevelopment projects. From 1979 to 1993, Ms. del Rio co-owned and operated a campaign consulting and research company specializing in local campaigns and ballot measures. Ms. del Rio received a juris doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1993; and earned a M.P.A. in Public Administration and B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California. She is a lecturer at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law and serves on the Board of Directors of Project Access, a nonprofit organization servicing low income communities.
Independent Director
G. Brian Christie serves as one of the independent directors for Steadfast Apartment REIT. Mr. Christie has practiced as an attorney in the real estate, corporate and banking fields since 1979. Mr. Christie currently serves as a principal of Christie Law Firm, a position he has held since 2005. From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Christie served as Chief Executive Officer of Liti Holographics, Inc., a 3-D optical technology company. From 1992 to 1997, Mr. Christie served as a Director, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of ARV Assisted Living, Inc., or ARV, a company that acquired, developed and operated multifamily apartments, senior apartments and assisted-living apartments. While at ARV, Mr. Christie was actively involved in the acquisition, development and operation of multifamily and assisted living apartment complexes and played an integral role in the listing of ARV on NASDAQ. Prior to joining ARV, Mr. Christie was a partner at the law firm of Good, Wildman, Hegness and Walley. Mr. Christie received a Bachelor of Arts from Calvary Bible College, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas Law School. Mr. Christie is a member of the State Bar of California, the State Bar of Virginia, the State Bar of Texas (inactive), and the American Bar Association. Mr. Christie is NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) Directorship Certified™ pursuant to completing the NACD Directorship Certification® program which equips directors to effectively contribute in the boardroom.
Independent Director
Thomas H. Purcell serves as one of the independent directors for Steadfast Apartment REIT. Mr. Purcell has been actively involved in the real estate development business for 45 years. Since September 2009, Mr. Purcell has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Curci Companies, a family real estate investment company that owns and manages real estate throughout the western United States. Before that, Mr. Purcell was Co-Founder and President of Spring Creek Investors, LLC, a private equity capital business focused on real estate development. Mr. Purcell also served as President of Diversified Shopping Centers, where he developed and managed neighborhood and community shopping centers. From 1977 to 1996, Mr. Purcell co-founder served as president of a shopping center development business that developed and renovated over 4 million square feet of retail shopping centers. Since 2007, Mr. Purcell has been Vice Chairman and board member of Bixby Land Company, a private industrial REIT, where he also chairs the investment committee and is a member of the compensation committee. Mr. Purcell is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, or ICSC. He was Western Division Vice President of ICSC and served on the organization’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. He also was a trustee of the ICSC Educational Foundation. Mr. Purcell formerly served as a board member of the California Business Properties Association and as an advisory board member of Buchanan Street Partners and Western National Realty Fund. Mr. Purcell received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Southern California.
Independent Director
Kerry D. Vandell serves as one of the independent directors for Steadfast Apartment REIT, having also served as an independent director for Steadfast Income REIT from 2012 to 2015. In 2016, Dr. Vandell was appointed as an independent member of the board of directors of the PREDEX Fund, a mutual fund invested in privately offered, non-traded, perpetual-life institutional real estate funds, and in 2018 he joined the Board of Jamboree Housing Corporation, one of the largest affordable housing developers in California. Past board memberships include firms representing the commercial banking, shopping center, and multifamily sectors. Dr. Vandell is currently principal of KDV Associates, an economic consulting firm focusing on economic and financial issues affecting the real estate markets, which he founded in 1982. In 2017 he stepped down from an active academic career that included most recently founding faculty director of the real estate program and center at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California Irvine (2006-2017); faculty chair and director of the real estate program and center at the University of Wisconsin Madison (1989-2006); and professor and chair of the real estate program at SMU in Dallas (1976-1989). His research and consulting have concentrated in the areas of real estate investment, urban/real estate/environmental economics, mortgage finance, housing economics and policy, and valuation of complex real estate interests. He has written or co-authored more than 70 papers on these topics which have appeared in numerous academic and professional journals and monographs. Additionally, he has presented at conferences and seminars in Asia, Europe and throughout the United States. Dr. Vandell has served as an NAIOP Distinguished Academic Fellow, a member of the Urban Land Institute, a Fellow and member of the faculty of the Homer Hoyt Advanced Studies Institute, and a past president of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association
Independent Director
Mr. Brines serves as an independent director of Steadfast Apartment REIT, a position he has held since March 2020. Mr. Brines also served as an independent director of Steadfast Income REIT, a position he held from October 2012 through the completion of the merger with Steadfast Apartment REIT. Mr. Brines served as an independent director of Steadfast Apartment REIT III from December 2015 through the completion of the merger with Steadfast Apartment REIT. Mr. Brines served as an independent trustee of the Stira Alcentra Global Credit Fund from December 2016 until its sale in May 2019. Mr. Brines is presently the Chief of Investment Strategy for Arnel & Affiliates where he oversees the management of the assets of a private family with significant and diversified holdings. Mr. Brines served as the Chief Investment Officer for the CitizenTrust Wealth Management and Trust division of Citizens Business Bank, from 2012 to 2016. In September 2008 Mr. Brines founded Montelena Asset Management, a California-based registered investment advisory firm, and served as its Chief Investment Officer. From June 2010 to July 2012, Mr. Brines served as a portfolio manager for Andell Holdings, a private family office with significant and diversified holdings. From May 2001 to September 2008, Mr. Brines served as a Senior Vice President and senior portfolio manager with Provident Investment Counsel in Pasadena, managing its Small Cap Growth Fund with $1.6 billion in assets under management. Mr. Brines was with Roger Engemann & Associate in Pasadena from September 1994 to March 2001 where he served as both an analyst and portfolio manager for their mid-cap mutual fund and large-cap Private Client business as the firm grew from $3 billion to over $19 billion in assets under management. Mr. Brines earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University. Mr. Brines also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the Global Capital Market Allocation Committee for the Milken Institute. Mr. Brines is involved in various community activities including serving on the investment committee of City of Hope.
Independent Director
Mr. Bowie serves as an independent director of Steadfast Apartment REIT, a position he has held since March 2020. Mr. Bowie previously served as an independent director of Steadfast Apartment REIT III, Inc. from January 2016 through the completion of the merger with Steadfast Apartment REIT. Mr. Bowie currently is a partner with Pacific Development Group, a position he has held since 1987, specializing in the development and management of neighborhood and community shopping centers throughout California, with a primary responsibility in the development of new projects. From 1979 to 1987, Mr. Bowie served as president of Bowie Development Company, Inc., a California corporation. Mr. Bowie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. Mr. Bowie is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and a licensed real estate broker in California, and serves on multiple boards, including the Northrise University Initiative 501(c)(3) and the Northrise University Board of Trustees.