Relationships Matter.
We take pride in hiring the best talent to provide exceptional service. Meet the professionals you will be collaborating with at ATCO.
Damon Hemmerdinger,
Co-President
Damon runs the companies' acquisitions and capital raising programs and oversees its accounting department. Damon and his team raised and invested capital as the General Partner in the last seven ACCRE deals. Damon has completed two award-winning brownfield cleanups and is in the middle of a third. Damon was the sole representative of the development community on the NYS Brownfield Advisory Panel, the State’s official policy-making body, until it disbanded. Damon is currently an advisory member of the Board of Directors of Hard Hat Hub, Inc., and is past Chair of the New York Government Relations Committee for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Damon is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and ICSC’s Open Air Committee. Previously, Damon was the Development Director for The Shops at Atlas Park, a 400,000, 12-acre mixed-use development in Queens, NY, and the Director of Real Estate Development for the New London (CT) Development Corporation. Damon’s public sector experience includes work for the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, the Clinton White House Chief of Staff’s Office, and the U.S. DOD. Damon also served as Board Chair of AmericaSpeaks, a national non-profit deliberative democracy organization, for seven years. Damon is a graduate of the Yale Law School and Williams College, and is a member of the bar in New York and Connecticut.
Damon@atco.us
Kate Hemmerdinger Goodman,
Co-President
Kate oversees the Human Resources Department, the Residential Management Division, Essential Design + Build and both the Commercial and Residential Brokerage divisions. She is also responsible for spearheading many of the company’s large projects. As the asset manager for ATCO’s legacy portfolio, Kate handles the negotiation of leases, consults and oversees design implementation in the start up and renovation stages of managed properties, and related functions. Kate also plays an integral role in assessing and developing new lines of business to better serve ATCO’s clients. Previously, Kate worked for a major public relations firm and in the documentary department of CBS News, Inc. Kate maintains a leadership role in a number of important community and charitable organizations. Kate currently sits on the boards of KiDS of NYU Langone Medical Center and Summer on The Hill. Some of her other activities have included serving as a Board Member for Children for Children, as a committee member of the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and as a co-chair of Brown University’s Manhattan Alumnae Interview Process. Kate is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and a graduate of Brown University.
KHG@atco.us
Paola Shaddow,
General Counsel and Director of Leasing
As General Counsel, Paola represents ATCO and all of its entities in various matters, including leases, landlord/tenant matters, insurance, certiorari protests, human resources, and numerous other compliance matters. Paola is also Director of Leasing, and in that capacity she manages ATCO Brokerage Services commercial brokers. Prior to joining ATCO in 2005, she served as Director of Leasing for Trinity Real Estate in lower Manhattan and as a Lease Director with Footlocker, Inc. Paola earned her B.A. and J.D. from Fordham University.
Paola@atco.us
Avi Itzikowitz,
Director of Operations
Avi joined ATCO Properties & Management as Director of Operations in 2003 and is responsible for the day to day operations of ATCO’s entire property portfolio (both in the New York Metropolitan area as well as the properties in other markets). Avi has over 20 years of experience in property management and his current responsibilities include lease administration, contract negotiation, team building/mentorship, tenant improvement/construction, formation of operating and capital budgets and project management. Prior to joining ATCO, Avi was employed by Vornado Realty Trust where he oversaw and managed all facets of a total renovation of landmarked 1.2 million sqft. commercial office building as well as implementing a new building security system and elevator modernization at a property situated above Penn Station. In addition to his work at ATCO, Avi’s affiliations include the Real Estate Board of New York, Management Division, Board of Directors, Secretary/Board of Directors, New York Energy Consumers Council, Local 32BJ Thomas Shortman School, Member of the Advisory Board, Board of Governors, Diabetes Research Institute Empire Ball, Board of Governors, The Torch Foundation, Chair, Kids for Kids Committee for St. Jude’s.
Avi@atco.us
Rich Hiler,
President, Essential Design + Build
Rich has worked for Essential Design + Build (“ED+B”) and has been a member of the ATCO Organization since 1999. Rich’s commercial and residential interior work spans projects both large scale and intimate from warehouse-to-office conversions, corporate interiors and elaborately designed residential homes. Rich holds a B.S. in Construction Management from Roger Williams University, and is an active fundraiser for several charities throughout the NYC community. Passionate about interior design and sustainability, Rich is a LEED Accredited Professional, a NYC Home Improvement Salesperson and a Certified Passive House Tradesperson.
RHiler@essentialdesignbuild.com
Ryan Huber,
Managing Director, Investments
Ryan began his career in the real estate transaction advisory practice of Ernst & Young. Prior to joining ATCO, Ryan was the Senior Analyst at Wells Hill Partners, a boutique investment banking and advisory group, where he advised clients on restructuring assignments and developed transactional strategies designed to preserve tax efficiency and maximize residual value. Ryan joined ATCO in 2013 and was instrumental in each of the investments made by ATCO’s City Center Sponsor Equity Fund. Ryan is responsible for sourcing, underwriting, and closing new acquisitions, as well as for strategic capital markets decisions in the New York City portfolio. Ryan is a graduate of Fordham University, where he studied Finance and Mathematics, and New York University, where he earned a Masters Degree in Real Estate Finance
RHuber@atco.us
JOÃO CASIMIRO,
Senior Vice President, Investments
João Casimiro serves as Senior Vice President for ATCO and Chief Finance Officer for Camp North End, where he plays a key role in portfolio and asset management, finance, investments, and capital markets initiatives. João has over fifteen years of real estate experience in investment, development, construction, and asset management in Europe and the USA. Prior to joining ATCO, João served as Head of Acquisitions and Development at TRX Investments in Miami, where he led the acquisition and development processes for the firm. Previously, João worked as a consultant for several private equity companies in Los Angeles and, before that, he managed numerous development and construction projects in Portugal. João has an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management with concentrations in Finance and Real Estate, and a Licenciatura (M.S. equivalent) in Civil Engineering from Instítuto Superior Técnico with a focus on Construction. João speaks English, Portuguese and Spanish. joao@atco.us
Tommy Mann,
Vice President of Development
Tommy Mann is Development Director for Camp North End and the VP of Development for ATCO, focused on all ongoing redevelopment efforts for Camp North End including leasing, design, and construction. Prior to joining ATCO, Tommy developed urban infill mixed-use projects in Washington DC. He was Director of Development at Kettler, Federal Realty Investment Trust, and Crosland working in retail and mixed-use projects.
Tommy holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
tommy@camp.nc
Merav Shalhon,
President, Essential New York
With more than 20 years of experience in both residential and commercial real estate, Merav has proven accomplishments in customer service, program planning, market research, strategic alliances and partnerships. She specializes in the leasing and sales of luxury Manhattan cooperatives, condominiums and townhouses. She handles all aspects of leasing, sales and marketing efforts for Essential’s 206,000 square-foot real estate portfolio, which includes marquee midtown Manhattan addresses such as 40 Central Park South and 41 West 58th Street. Prior to joining Essential New York, Merav served as the in-house leasing agent for Herald Towers at 50 West 34th Street, where she handled all aspects of leasing, negotiating and marketing for the luxury rental community. There, she initiated a broker outreach program, which resulted in a 50% increase in applications. She has also served as a leasing agent for Citi Habitats and Douglas Elliman. A member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Merav is a graduate of Queens College and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Mshalon@essentialnewyork.com