Charles M. Lewis, Esq. Joins Conifer Vice President, NJ Development Div. More Spotlight Community 200 East Avenue nestled in the heart of downtown Rochester. Visit Today New Properties Conifer Village at Cambridge Cambridge, MD Seneca Place Apartments Honeoye Falls, NY Conifer Village at Ithaca Ithaca, NY Linden Lake Apartments Lindenwold, NJ Pinehurst, A Conifer Community East Patchogue, NY Conifer Village at Middletown Atlantic Highlands, NJ Renovations Underway Courtyard at James Syracuse, NY Peppertree Apartments Coxsackie, NY

Our Team: Leadership | Team Members

Conifer is committed to quality in its company by hiring professionals with a depth of experience in affordable housing. The development of each project is directed by a highly skilled team which guides it from concept through completion. A truly unique characteristic of Conifer is its diverse staff base. For instance, it has on staff its own General Counsel, Controller, Professional Engineer, Risk Manager and Property Management Executive. Each of these individuals possesses significant experience in his/her respective fields. If an issue or opportunity arises, Conifer can respond immediately because of this extraordinary staffing strength.

Prior to joining Conifer, Ms. Jennings was an Assistant Counsel to Home Properties, L.P. Ms. Jennings was also a principal of Hessel & Aluise, P.C., in Washington, D.C. During her six years there, Ms. Jennings represented developers, nonprofit organizations and lenders in FHA, FNMA and conventional financing transactions. She also advised clients on issues regarding property management, mark to market, other HUD subsidy programs, and state agency regulation of affordable housing.

Ms. Jennings began her career as a staff attorney with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more than three years at HUD, she was Program Counsel for the LIHPRHA Preservation Program and also addressed issues pertaining to transfers of physical assets, property disposition, Section 8 assistance, and mortgage insurance claims.

Ms. Jennings received her B.S. Degree in Public Policy Analysis from Cornell University in 1987 and earned her J.D., with a concentration in State and Local Government Law, from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1990. Ms. Jennings is a member of the New York State and District of Columbia bars. She is the Federal Assistance Programs Chair for the ABA’s Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. Ms. Jennings has spoken frequently before the ABA on affordable housing issues. She has also written articles appearing in the ABA Journal on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. Ms. Jennings is a member of the United Way of Greater Rochester’s Building Communities Impact Team and a member of the Board of Directors of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County.

Mr. LeChase joined Conifer in 2001 as the Senior Vice President of Construction. Previously, for eighteen years, he was President of Nathaniel Development, a full service multi-family and single-family homebuilder.

A professional engineer, Mr. LeChase received his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University. He began his career in 1965 at Eastman Kodak Company as a Structural Engineer. He later joined LeChase Construction, Inc. in Rochester, New York where he was Vice President until 1975. Thereafter, he owned and operated his own construction company until co-founding Nathaniel Development in 1983.

Mr. LeChase brings over 35 years of experience in the multi-family construction industry with a significant concentration in affordable housing.

Michael Knapp has been Controller of Conifer Realty, LLC since January 1, 2001. Prior to that, he was Assistant Controller for Home Properties of New York, Inc. from 1997 to 2000. Prior to joining Home Properties, he worked for Coopers & Lybrand, LLP where he received his license as a Certified Public Accountant. During his three years there, he focused primarily in the real estate industry.

Mr. Knapp received a B.A. Degree in Mathematics from Potsdam College in 1987. In 1994, he received an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester. He also served four years in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Knapp is a member of the Institute of Management Accountants and a member of the Finance Committee for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester.

About Conifer: History | Vision | Our Team | Experience