The management team that makes up Cornerstone Development is a group of seasoned multifamily professionals.  Each person brings their individual area of expertise and breadth of experience to HUD multifamily processing and management.

While some developers and apartment owners are finding renewed interest in the benefits of HUD insured mortgages, our team has been working with HUD and HUD approved lenders for years.  And though some developers find the process daunting, our seasoned team has systems and processes in place that streamline each phase to meet the standards and requirements to qualify for a HUD insured loan. 

Our team has handled new construction, acquisition and refinancing through HUD and HUD approved lenders.  We have managed thousands of apartment units over the last two decades either through new construction or project acquisition.  We understand the rigorous standards that also bring the many advantages of a HUD loan.  This is the core of our business.

Our Management Company
It had become apparent that our properties should be managed by an entity separate from our development company, so CS Management was formed.   The principals in this company are the same experienced team at Cornerstone Development. 

CS Management handles payroll, benefits and management issues for all of our properties.  It is the organizational hub that the paperwork flows through to keep payables current and receivables on track.  Training and operational issues are all facilitated through CS Management.

GARY BROOKS - President and CEO

Gary Brooks has been in the commercial real estate market for over 20 years.  In 1996, Gary and partner Mark Beffort formed Beffort Brooks Property Company. They partnered with the national firm of Grubb & Ellis in 1998. The firm was on the “Metro 50” list of the fastest growing companies in Oklahoma City for three years, ranking 9th in 2000. As CEO of the company, Mr. Brooks led the firm’s growth and ultimate merger with Harrison Levy Company. Gary’s emphasis moved into apartments and student housing in 1999. He has direct experience in all areas of the multi-housing industry including acquisition, disposition, development, consultation, and property management.

Gary has successfully built a management team of seasoned multifamily industry veterans with extensive HUD/FHA experience.  Having previously worked for the Henderson’s Legacy Communities, Mary Gron, Mike Piland, Kathy Bridges and Connie Thomas have joined CS Management.   Evangela Postman became part of this team in fall of 2009 when Cornerstone purchased the 1,013 unit apartment portfolio of SIA Properties.  This team is poised to take a project from the earliest stages to full completion and management, meeting HUD standards and requirements throughout the process.

Today, Gary serves as President and COO for Cornerstone Development. He also serves as the primary real estate and student housing consultant to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. As project manager for UCO, he has overseen the design and construction of a $20 million dollar on-campus development.  Gary, along with Barry Dodson of Cornerstone, handles land acquisitions, commercial land development, business development and other areas outside of the multifamily market.

MARY GRON – Executive Vice President for CS Management
Mary Gron has over 29 years in apartment management experience.  In her varied career, Mary has developed expertise that encompasses the repositioning of distressed properties in the marketplace to managing the operations of Class ‘A’ luxury apartment communities.  She oversees all on-site operations, supervises personnel hiring and training, develops and maintains policies and procedures, is responsible for marketing and advertising programs, and coordinates the Accounting and the Management Divisions.   During her tenure with Legacy Communities, she was responsible for the operations of four luxury apartment communities in the Oklahoma City metro area.  Every property in the Legacy Portfolio under her supervision improved its net operating income by $40,000-$50,000 per month.  Among other commercial properties, Mary is currently managing 1,013 units in the Section 223(f) program as well as the 264 units coming to completion in Lawton, OK under the 221(d)4 program.

Mary began her career in multi-family management in 1980, managing a large apartment community in Midwest City. She joined Trison Properties, Inc., in 1989 and became Property Supervisor of over 1,500 apartment units in five states. She developed her expertise in repositioning distressed properties in the marketplace, with a focus on challenged properties owned by Fannie Mae. She went on to become the Asset Manager of all Fannie Mae-owned apartment properties in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri, and supervised the rehabilitation and preparation for sale of these projects. During this time, she also managed other apartment communities, senior living facilities, and retail shopping centers for various owners in the United States and Europe, and by the early 1990’s she became Director of Apartment Management for Trison.

In 1997, Mary left Trison Properties to relocate to Atlanta with her husband. There she became Property Manager for Metzger & Company, Inc., a multi-family development and rehabilitation company with properties in Georgia, Indiana and Virginia. She opened two new luxury apartment communities in Georgia and Virginia and developed operating policies and procedures for the company.  Mary left Atlanta in 2003 and returned to Trison Properties as the Executive Vice President and Managing Director.

Mary graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. She has been a board member of the Apartment Association of Central Oklahoma and has served as Vice President of the Accredited Resident Managers of the Oklahoma City Chapter of IREM.

MIKE PILAND, Director of Construction

Mike Piland has almost 30 years of industry experience in developing commercial properties and multifamily projects.  His last twelve years have been focused on the planning, design and development of luxury apartment communities insured by HUD.  One of Mike’s many strengths is value engineering each project to allow for the maximum use of every dollar.  His knowledge of every trade’s work and the quality demanded by the market has made him invaluable at every step of a project.  Mike is an expert at designing and constructing properties in a way that minimizes future capital needs and on-going maintenance costs.

His responsibilities included coordination with various general contractors, HUD inspectors and authorities, municipal utility representatives as well as numerous other administrative contacts. He has specific expertise in the processes and procedures to keep HUD projects compliant and on schedule.  Mike spent the last twelve years as Construction Manager overseeing the development and construction of 1,325 HUD insured multifamily units in Oklahoma City, Midwest City and Edmond.

In addition to the large, multifamily developments, Mr. Piland has provided management and oversight to residential developments and commercial construction projects such as retail shops and commercial office space. Earlier in his career, he was involved with manufacturing production and human resources positions to oversee safety coordination and compliance with State and Federal employment regulations.

After receiving a BS in Construction Management and Environmental Design from the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Piland held the position of Field Engineer and Chief Quality Control Manager for a government contractor at Dyess Air Force Base.

KATHY BRIDGES, Director of Project Administration

Kathy comes to Cornerstone with over 20 years of management, communications and project coordination experience. For the past several years she has focused on 221(d)4 and 223(f) multifamily projects ranging from $16 million – $33 million.  From the initial contract for a land parcel or property, she works with lenders, owners, attorneys and others to compile and prepare the paperwork from pre-application through final loan closing.  She has facilitated communications with various city officials and entities, the Environmental Protection Agency, Urban Renewal authorities and other agencies as required to comply with Lender and Government guidelines prior to and throughout the construction or acquisition process.

Kathy manages all insurance for Cornerstone’s projects and properties while concentrating on the details required in all areas, both internal and external, to keep large scale projects on track. She accomplishes this by focusing on the administration of the application process, construction details, budgets and operating draws, cost certifications and lender compliance through permanent loan closing and management.

Other responsibilities include project administration for commercial and retail properties developed and managed by Cornerstone.  Prior to joining Cornerstone, Kathy gained project management experience in the technology industry and was also employed in banking and financial industry related companies. She attended Memphis State University.

EVANGELA POSTMAN – Director of Apartment Operations

With over 20 years experience in the apartment industry, Evangela’s experience ranges from new construction and rehab to luxury and conventional communities.  She supervises the management and daily operations of CS Management’s apartment communities.  Other duties are creating, implementing and overseeing preventive maintenance for all properties managed, working closely with property managers, owners and tenants to make sure peak operating efficiencies are being achieved, tenant satisfaction is being maintained, preventive maintenance programs are being implemented, and compliance with all local state and federal requirements are met.

Evangela’s responsibilities include oversight of the operations within multifamily.  She is accountable for marketing, leasing, auditing, and budgeting for CS Management.  For the past 14 years she supervised affordable housing credits and related compliance functions in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Kansas. Her previous work history includes SIA Management based in Houston, Texas and Century Pacific Management in Los Angeles California.

With impressive people skills and a common sense approach to her many tasks overseen, Evangela spends the majority of her time on property working with staff and residents.  Her understanding of the complexities and nuances of multifamily management from the ground up is invaluable to the CS Management team.

BARRY DODSON – Director of Business Development

Barry Dodson joined Cornerstone with a unique work history as a practicing minister. This on-the-job training, accumulated over a decade, has equipped him to be an effective communicator with a solid work ethic and exceptional ability to work well with diverse groups. It is his commitment to people that has made the shift from pulpit to property management a smooth transition. In fact, his interest in both fields is long-standing. In college Barry interned with Jim Campbell and Associates, one of the largest property management companies in Stillwater, OK. Through ministry, he built several churches in West Africa and India.

As liaison to our lenders, city officials, property owners and brokers, Barry has the necessary skills and knowledge to help package and prepare acquisitions as well as development projects of all kinds. His primary responsibilities include developing strategic plans and initiatives to attract new businesses to local areas. He also oversees office and retail property ventures and sourcing new prospects.

At Cornerstone, Barry sees his mission as improving quality of life one neighborhood at a time through housing or commercial development.

CONNIE THOMAS – Accounting Manager
Connie’s duties include the coordination of every property’s accounting.  While the apartment projects overseen by CS Management have software for processing security deposits and operational costs, Connie verifies that all payables and receivables that come through our management company are properly handled.  Other duties include payroll administration, overseeing real estate and income tax processing and appeals, and general accounting responsibility. 

Having extensive experience as the administrator of large property management companies, Connie has a patient understanding of the importance of keeping property books separate, up to date and balanced.  She has been through numerous HUD cost certifications and is mindful of the needs of our CPAs as they require information to complete their reports and financials.  This is no small task given the diversity of properties managed by CS Management. 

Connie is integral in the processing of our construction loan draws, as well as oversight and management of the various bank accounts required for each property.  She also acts as the point of contact and liaison for the investors in our developments.

Prior to coming to Cornerstone, Connie was with Trison Properties, where she directed the overall office operations, including equipment, storage, and data management issues, and acted as executive assistant to the owners of the company.