Real Estate Week

John H. Martin is an architect, industry leader and mentor.   His involvement with the design direction and intent on projects, his shared stewardship of the firm and his role in mentoring the next generation of industry professionals has garnered John respect and recognition from colleagues and peers.

As a Principal at Elkus Manfredi Architects, John works at the forefront of design for science & technology and higher education projects across the country.  Focused on high performance and sustainable design, his work is informed by his unique combination of technical precision, appreciation of context, and broad understanding of real estate issues. He emphasizes a holistic approach that synthesizes his training in both architecture and engineering.

John builds and facilitates strong design teams with his singular combination of experience, rigor, and approachability, and is committed to the idea that good planning and design can drive innovation and break down barriers to achieve inclusive environments.

John is a guest columnist for Fast Company, CoreNet’s The Leader, Banker & Tradesman and University World News.  He is often invited to moderate and speak at industry conferences on long range planning, sustainable building, interdisciplinary scientific research, and public-private partnerships for higher education institutions.  John received a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Ben Myers serves as Vice President, Sustainability, where he is responsible for sustainability and ESG strategy, implementation, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. He has a genuine passion for sustainable real estate and is committed to disrupting the status quo as an industry leader on climate action, resilience, green building, renewable energy, healthy workspaces, and urban ecosystems. Prior to being appointed to the role in 2015, Mr. Myers held positions in construction management at the Company, as well as green building services at Harvard University. Mr. Myers holds an MA in Urban Environmental Leadership from Lesley University and a BS in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Patrick Lee is one of the founders and owners of Trinity Financial, Inc. and Trinity Management, LLC.  Trinity Financial is a 32-year old development company, and with its management affiliate, Trinity Management, the two Trinity companies have more than 250 employees and central offices in Manhattan and Boston.  The companies’ experience includes work developing more than 9,500 units of housing and 600,000 sf of commercial space, at a cost of over $3 billion.  The two Trinity companies develop and manage affordable and market rate housing communities throughout the Northeast, from Massachusetts to New York.

Prior to co-founding Trinity Financial, Inc. in 1987, Mr. Lee served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Administration and Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Lee was the Secretary’s representative on a number of State boards and agencies including the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, Community Development Finance Corporation, Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency, and the State’s Public Auditorium and Civic Center Grant Program. Mr. Lee has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Government Land Bank, the Roxbury Neighborhood Council, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Boston Center for the Arts, and Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Wellesley College and the Board of Overseers for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.  Mr. Lee holds a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained city planner.

Andy Waxman serves as the regional vice president for real estate development, where he directs real estate development activities in New England for The Community Builders, Inc. He joined TCB in 2018. Waxman has been in the community development field for over 25 years.Prior to working at TCB, Waxman was the director of real estate at the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) for seven years. At DBEDC, Waxman oversaw a team which developed hundreds of units of affordable and mixed income housing, as well as community oriented commercial space. During this time, Waxman led DBEDC’s successful Choice Neighborhood funded Quincy Heights and Pearl Food Production Center developments. The Pearl project resulted in the creation of over 150 jobs, more than half of which have been filled by local residents. These projects were also recognized for their outstanding performance on employing local and minority residents, as well as contracting to minority and women owned businesses.

Waxman also worked for eight years at the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC), first focusing exclusively on commercial redevelopment efforts, and later as the associate director of real estate. Waxman was the project manager for the award-winning redevelopment of the Brewery Small Business Complex, a 160,000 square foot neighborhood center that is home to over 50 small businesses and employs more than 500 individuals. 

Additionally, Waxman worked at the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development, and at a small CDC in Washington DC called Washington Innercity Self Help. (WISH). He has served on the boards of JPNDC and Hyde Jackson Square Main Streets.

Waxman holds a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he won the Outstanding Thesis Award for his work on urban commercial

Colleen O’Connor is currently Senior Vice President, Leasing, East Coast and U.K. markets after serving as Vice President, Leasing, East Coast and U.K. markets. Ms. O’Connor’s expanded role encompasses the management of six million square feet on two continents, and oversight of the leasing team in these markets. Since joining BioMed Realty’s team in 2014, Ms. O’Connor has elevated the company’s profile by establishing trusting relationships in the real estate, venture capital and science communities. Prior to her time at BioMed Realty, Ms. O’Connor worked in finance and accounting roles, most recently at Fidelity Investments in Boston, MA.

Managing Director on the Cambridge team within the Leasing practice at JLL’s Boston office. Molly has over 13 years of experience as a strategic real estate advisor to investors and users within varied industry sectors, with a special focus in the technology and life sciences sectors in the Cambridge, Boston, and Inner Suburban markets.  

Molly joined JLL from Trammell Crow Company, where she worked with tenants and corporate clients in the Greater Boston market and nationwide. Prior to Trammell Crow Company, Molly spent three years working under former Lieutenant Governor Thomas P. O’Neill III at O’Neill and Associates, LLC. She provided community relations services for local and national development firms including community outreach; permitting, zoning and licensing services; and local government relations.  Molly was also recently selected for and is participating in JLL’s National Leadership Council Advisory Board.