MALVERN, Pa., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Property Trust (NYSE: LRY) announced the following management appointments:

Joe Trinkle has been promoted to senior vice president and named regional director of the company's newly-aligned Central Region. As regional director, Trinkle will oversee development, leasing, property management, acquisitions and dispositions for Liberty's operations in Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, Houston and Wisconsin. He will maintain his office in Houston.

Trinkle joined Liberty Property Trust in 1996 as the director of development in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania office. In 2000 he was tapped to lead the Michigan team as city manager, moving to Houston in 2006 as city manager when the Michigan portfolio was sold.

Jay Kraft, vice president and city manager of the Richmond, Virginia portfolio, will succeed Trinkle as city manager of the Houston platform. He will be responsible for the leasing, marketing and development of Liberty's portfolio in Houston. Kraft joined the Philadelphia office of Rouse & Associates (Liberty's predecessor) in 1989.

Richmond and Virginia Beach Operations Merge

Liberty also announced that it has merged its Virginia Beach and Richmond operations to create a more unified Virginia platform. Craig Cope, who has served as vice president and city manager for Liberty's Virginia Beach office since 2001, will oversee the combined Virginia platform. He has been with Liberty since 1998.

Market Alignment

In addition to the Central Region noted above, markets have been aligned as follows:

The Virginia Beach/Richmond operation is now aligned under Liberty's South Region, which also includes all Florida markets as well as the Carolinas. Liberty's Northern Virginia portfolio continues to align with the company's Metro Region which also includes Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

The Northeast Region now includes Maryland in addition to the company's Pennsylvania offices (excluding Philadelphia) and Southern New Jersey.

The United Kingdom Region includes Liberty's projects in England, including projects in Kings Hill, Birmingham, Cambridge and Manchester.  

About the Company

Liberty Property Trust (NYSE: LRY) is a leader in commercial real estate, serving customers in the United States and United Kingdom, through the development, acquisition, ownership and management of superior office and industrial properties. Liberty's 80 million square foot portfolio includes more than 700 properties which provide office, distribution and light manufacturing facilities to 2,000 tenants.

SOURCE Liberty Property Trust