According to Corvias Group, a privately-owned, vertically-integrated real estate solutions group, Charlie Smith has been hired as executive vice president of construction where he will oversee all aspects of design and development.
In this position, Smith is responsible for developing and executing the strategic and financial goals for Corvias' construction department, as well as long-term planning for the delivery, quality and safety of all Corvias Military Living and Corvias Campus Living construction projects.
He will report to Michael De La Rosa, chief operating officer for Corvias.
"Corvias has great reputation and an exciting entrepreneurial culture that leads them to new and innovative projects," said Smith. "They understand the challenges that their partners face and how to create solutions for the long term. I look forward to being a part of this team that is doing something different in the industry and also pursuing a wonderful mission to serve our nation's military and students."
Smith brings over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate and construction to Corvias. Most recently, he spent nearly six years as executive vice president of portfolio operations and lodging at Lend Lease in Nashville, Tenn. While at Lend Lease, Smith oversaw projects that were a part of the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program. He was responsible for the transactions and financing for all of the phases of the program, as well as overseeing the development, construction, asset management and property management. The work included significant renovations and upgrades to existing buildings as well as the construction of new hotels across the Army's entire portfolio. This includes the development and construction of a new Candlewood Suites hotel on Fort Riley, one of the installations where Corvias manages housing. His work resulted in the addition of more than 11,600 hotel rooms on 41 military installations throughout the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
"As we continue to pursue new partnerships for which we can provide innovative housing solutions, Charlie is going to be a valuable addition to the Corvias team," said Michael De La Rosa, chief operating officer of Corvias Group. "His work in the PAL program aligns with our commitment to put our residents first and we will benefit from his first-hand experience at Fort Riley. He has the skill set to grow the development activities for both our student and military housing companies, and design long-term construction and maintenance strategies for our partners."