Proterra Investment Partners to launch real estate investment strategy with accomplished industry veteran
MINNEAPOLIS, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Proterra Investment Partners LP ("Proterra") today announced that Mark O. Decker, Jr. will be joining the firm to lead Proterra Real Estate Partners, a newly formed partnership to invest in real estate opportunities. Mr. Decker is joining Proterra after stepping down as CEO of Centerspace (NYSE:CSR), where he substantially repositioned the company from a diversified real estate company to a focused owner operator of apartments over the last six years.
Mr. Decker has over 25 years of experience in real estate and capital markets. He was named Chief Executive Officer of Centerspace in April of 2017 after joining in August 2016 as President and Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Decker led the reconstitution of the executive team, board of directors, balance sheet and portfolio, including a renaming of the Company.
In addition to vastly improving the Company's earnings quality and financial flexibility, Mr. Decker and his team built an outstanding culture of performance that was recognized as a Top Workplace by the Star Tribune, the Honor Roll for Women in Leadership by the Twin Cities Business Journal, and in 2022 received the National Apartment Association's Inaugural Award for the Leading Organization in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to joining Centerspace, Mr. Decker spent his career as an investment banker serving the needs of real estate owner-operators, real estate services companies, lodging, and private equity. In his last role, Mr. Decker was Group Head for US Real Estate Investment Banking for BMO Capital Markets. During Mr. Decker's banking career he built several successful practices and worked on over 300 capital markets and advisory transactions valued at over $93 billion.
"We are thrilled to have Mark join Proterra. His considerable experience, knowledge, and network will be incredibly valuable to our team as we navigate the launch of a real estate investment strategy that leverages the substantial success we have had investing in both private credit and real assets," said Proterra Managing Partner Rich Gammill.
Mr. Decker commented, "I am excited to join such an outstanding firm. This is a great time to launch a real estate investment strategy given the dislocations that are occurring across the broader real estate debt and equity markets. I feel my background is tailor made for the moment. I've known and respected Rich for many years and I'm excited to be part of driving the business forward."
About Proterra: Proterra Investment Partners is an alternative investment manager focused on private capital investments in both companies and real assets across the food value chain with over $4 billion in assets under management. Proterra has offices in Minneapolis, London, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sydney.
Contact Mark Decker with questions:
+1 612 225 2586
SOURCE Proterra Investment Partners
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