EDENS Makes Key Appointments In Columbia, South Carolina Headquarters

COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EDENS, one of the nation's leading private owners, operators and developers of retail real estate, announced two pivotal promotions in the company's South Carolina headquarters office this week. Chief Accounting Officer Chris Kopecky was named managing director, and Seth Black was made vice president of portfolio management.

"EDENS' roots are in Columbia, which is why our leadership positions there are so important to EDENS' growth and overall strategy," said EDENS President and Chief Investment Officer Jodie W. McLean.  "I have worked with Chris and Seth for a number of years and I know their valuable contributions will continue to lead our company on the right path."

Chris Kopecky was named managing director in addition to his role as chief accounting officer. He is responsible for overseeing the company's property, construction and development, corporate, and tax accounting functions, including technical accounting issues, budgeting and re-forecasting, internal and external financial reporting, as well as the internal control environment. A Certified Public Accountant with nearly 20 years of industry experience, Kopecky was previously a senior manager with Ernst & Young LLP in Dallas, Texas, where he served publicly registered and privately held real estate and financial services clients within the Assurance & Advisory Business Services group.

Kopecky is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), National Association of Real Estate Companies (NAREC) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for EdVenture Children's Museum in Columbia, SC. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and has completed real estate executive management coursework at Harvard University.

Seth Black is EDENS' new vice president of portfolio management, responsible for the company's quarterly valuation, analytical investment management, equity sourcing, and debt placements. As a Certified Public Accountant with a decade of experience, Seth led the implementation of Argus Enterprise, the company's first fully integrated budgeting and valuation engine.

Prior to joining EDENS in 2007, Seth was an associate with Grant Thornton LLP, serving real estate clients from a tax advisory role. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting from Presbyterian College and a Master of Accounting degree from the Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina.

EDENS owns and operates 18 properties in the Southeast region and four in Columbia, including Trenholm Plaza and Cross Hill Market.

ABOUT EDENS: EDENS develops, owns and operates community-oriented shopping centers in primary markets across the East Coast. Focusing on innovative development and redevelopment together with key acquisitions in urban areas, the company has built an institutional-quality portfolio of 100 retail centers. EDENS has regional headquarters in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami and Columbia, SC. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, please visit www.edens.com.

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SOURCE EDENS