Joel brings seventeen years of real estate expertise to Samuels & Associates. Since 1998 Joel has been a principal of the company with primary responsibility for overseeing acquisition and development activities. Under his direction, Samuels & Associates has successfully completed the development of several million square feet of property. He has been the point person on numerous land and shopping center acquisitions, including the successful acquisition, redevelopment and sale of a shopping center portfolio containing almost three million square feet of retail space in twenty shopping centers throughout the northeast. Prior to Samuels & Associates, Joel served as Director of Latin American Development for New England Development, evaluating and negotiating regional development opportunities in South America. Prior to New England Development, Joel practiced law as a Partner at Goulston & Storrs, one of the largest real estate practices in the northeast. During the course of his legal career, he represented a wide range of interests in the real estate business, including regional and national development firms, national retailers and financial institutions. Joel is a member of the Massachusetts and Florida Bar Associations, the International Council of Shopping Centers, and is actively involved in a number of Boston area community service organizations. He serves as a member of the development advisory committee of Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, a non-profit community development corporation. Joel is an honors graduate of University of Florida and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Peter Sougarides is Executive Vice President of Development for Samuels & Associates. Since joining Samuels & Associates in 2000, Peter has been responsible for overseeing the development of major urban mixed-use projects in the Boston area. Successfully completed projects include the Fenway Triangle Trilogy, a project consisting of over 400 luxury apartments, retail shops and an underground garage and the development of 1330 Boylston, another mixed-use project consisting of 200 luxury apartments, retail shops and a state-of–art medical facility for Fenway Health, a non-profit health center. Most recently, Peter has been working on the planning and development efforts for new and innovative mixed-use projects in the Boston area. Peter has spent almost twenty years working in the real estate development industry with particular expertise in overseeing and managing large-scale development projects. Prior to joining Samuels & Associates, he was a Vice President at Cabot, Cabot & Forbes.

Roger joined Samuels & Associates in 1995 from The Codman Company, one of the oldest real estate firms in New England. As Vice President and Controller of Property Management at The Codman Company, Roger oversaw financial and management aspects of the firm for both residential and commercial properties. Through dealings with real estate owners, developers, corporations, residential associations and REITS, Roger brings a broad understanding and knowledge of the financial aspect of property acquisition, development and management to Samuels & Associates. Prior to The Codman Company, Roger was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for John Hancock Realty Services. In this capacity he was responsible for portfolio and asset management of six commercial real estate investment entities with assets of over $200 million. Roger was directly involved in negotiating acquisitions, dispositions, debt restructurings and the creation and implementation of a strategic plan involving the servicing of over $4 billion in commercial loans. Roger spent fifteen years with John Hancock Life Insurance Company, serving most recently as Vice President and Controller of the then newly created realty division. Roger holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Boston College.

Tom joined Samuels & Associates in 2005 from Goulston & Storrs where he spent thirty years practicing real estate law for one of the largest real estate practices in the Northeast. As a Director at Goulston & Storrs, Tom's transaction oriented practice spanned the shopping center and retail industry, multifaceted commercial real estate joint ventures for all asset classes, cross-border transactions, a myriad of project debt and equity financings, and national and international commercial leasing. Tom was counsel to Samuels & Associates and Edens and Avant in the acquisition, redevelopment and disposition of the Konover Portfolio of thirty-six shopping centers. He represented Fenway Ventures in the acquisition, development and financing (debt and equity) of the $200,000,000 Fenway Triangle Trilogy mixed-use development adjacent to Fenway Park in Boston. He was also lead counsel to Samuels & Associates in the development, financing and operation of South Bay Center in Boston. In addition to his work with Samuels & Associates while at Goulston & Storrs, Tom was counsel to New England Development and Affiliates in the $1.725 billion portfolio sale of fourteen regional malls and the related management company to Simon Property Group. Primary areas of focus for Tom have been retail and shopping center industry representation, multifaceted commercial real estate joint ventures, project finance (debt and equity), national and international commercial leasing and inbound foreign investment in U.S. real estate. In 2004 and 2005 he was recognized as an “American Leading Business Lawyer” by Chambers & Partners. Tom is currently Co-Chairman of the law conference program committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers and is on the board of directors for Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation. Tom is a graduate of Yale University and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

With an eye toward creating community centers, transit oriented development and mixed-use projects, developer Steve Samuels has actively reshaped several neighborhood in greater Boston during his career. As founder and Chairman of Samuels & Associates, Steve has built a team of professionals committed to strong principles of place-making, community engagement and successful street-level experiences in their development projects. His focus on creating developments that enhance local neighborhoods and communities has led to a reputation as a fair partner with residents, community groups, and businesses in communities where Samuels & Associates projects are located. Steve is integrally involved in reshaping Fenway’s two main corridors – Boylston Street and Brookline Avenue – to create a center to anchor this already vibrant residential neighborhood. Residential projects at Fenway Triangle Trilogy and 1330 Boylston have enhanced the community with the addition of a mix of ground floor retail and dining options. The upcoming Boylston West project will incorporate anchor retail, additional residential units and new commercial office space. Pairing new development with its successful management of neighboring Landmark Center, Steve and his team are poised to assure the continued success of Fenway as a residential neighborhood and growing opportunity for innovative, entrepreneurial firms interested in locating in a dynamic urban environment. Applying similar principles of place-making, Steve led a team in redeveloping the Hingham Shipyard, a transit-oriented, mixed use site on Boston’s South Shore. Working collaboratively with the town of Hingham and the MBTA, Steve was able to create a new vision for this prime waterfront site, which now includes a thriving shopping center, publicly accessible outdoor spaces, a cinema and multiple restaurants. The site has been commented for its commitment to principles of transit oriented development. One of the first in the country to return new development to the urban core, Steve pioneered Boston's retail renaissance with Dorchester's massive South Bay Center and Roxbury's The Mecca at Grove Hall. Developed in 1991, the $65 million 440,000-square-foot South Bay Center was hailed as one of Boston's first urban retail developments in over twenty years and inspired a flurry of other retail developments in the city. The Grove Hall Redevelopment Project, undertaken in 1997 at the request of Mayor Thomas Menino, was a pro bono project motivated by the desire to resuscitate a stagnant retail area that had been neglected for decades. The development is currently one of the most vibrant retail centers in Boston. Steve currently serves on the board of directors for both the Boston Police Athletic League, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to the positive development of Boston's youth, and Mayor Menino's Boston Main Streets Foundation, a program focused on the aesthetic and commercial revitalization of the city's historic neighborhoods. He also is on the board of Emerson College and the Children’s Hospital Trust, serving on their real estate committee. Steve holds a bachelor's degree in real estate & finance from Ohio State University and is the third generation in a family of shopping center developers.

Leslie Cohen, Senior Vice President of Development, brings over 15 years of real estate development experience to Samuels and Associates. Since joining Samuels & Associates in 2001, Leslie has been responsible for overseeing the development of company's suburban retail and mixed use projects in the New England markets. Leslie also leads mixed use urban projects including the development of several of company’s Fenway assets as well as the new Barry’s Corner Project in Allston, MA. Successfully completed projects include the redevelopment of a 19 -property shopping center portfolio in the New England market, a number of single anchor large box developments in the New England market, and the development of The Launch at Hingham Shipyard, a 400,000sf mixed use development consisting of retail, office, restaurants and entertainment uses and luxury for-sale condominiums. Leslie has expertise in a variety of product types including retail, office, rental apartments and for-sale condominiums. Prior to joining Samuels & Associates, Leslie was a Project Manager with Staples, Inc. overseeing new store development. Leslie is a Cum Laude graduate of Tufts University with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering and a graduate of Babson College with a Masters in Business Administration.