Thomas Rowe Joins ECI Group as CFO, Bringing 30 Years of CRE Finance Experience

ATLANTA — ECI Group has appointed Thomas Rowe as Chief Financial Officer, the Atlanta-based multifamily real estate firm announced July 13, 2026. Rowe, a veteran commercial real estate finance executive with more than 30 years of experience spanning real estate development, construction, and public-sector finance, succeeds Ben Engel, who is retiring after a decade guiding ECI Group's financial operations and expansion.

Rowe's Background and Experience

Rowe joins ECI Group after serving more than a decade as Chief Financial Officer at SJC Ventures, one of the nation's largest developers of Whole Foods Market-anchored projects. During his tenure at SJC Ventures, Rowe directed financial strategies for more than $1.4 billion in ground-up development spanning over 3.1 million square feet of retail, multifamily, and mixed-use projects.

Prior to SJC Ventures, Rowe spent five years as Deputy CFO at Invest Atlanta/The Atlanta Development Authority, where he gained experience in public-sector finance and public-private partnerships. He began his career in public accounting after graduating from the University of Richmond and has held various senior finance positions throughout his career.

"Thomas is a proven financial strategist who has helped build one of the most respected development platforms in the Southeast, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the ECI team," said ECI Group CEO Seth Greenberg. "His track record structuring billions of dollars in capital, scaling high-performing finance organizations, and partnering with executive leadership to drive growth makes him the right leader for ECI as we continue to build on our momentum in the multifamily industry."

Rowe echoed that sentiment in a statement. "I have long admired ECI Group's reputation for disciplined growth and its commitment to building high-quality communities throughout the US," he said. "I am excited to join Seth and the entire ECI team and look forward to helping the company strengthen its capital strategy and financing infrastructure as it enters its next chapter of growth."

ECI Group's Capital Platform and Growth Strategy

The appointment comes as ECI Group has been actively scaling its capital platform. In July 2025, ECI Group announced a strategic partnership with ApexOne Investment Partners to launch a $500 million multifamily fund targeting value-add and core-plus apartment communities in growth markets across the U.S. The partnership is designed to leverage ECI's vertically integrated platform — which spans acquisitions, development, construction, and property management — alongside ApexOne Investment Partners' institutional investor relationships and fund management capabilities.

ECI Group has also pursued strategic business combinations aimed at building a fully integrated real asset investment platform capable of handling equity, debt, and operations across multiple property types, with the goal of attracting institutional capital, family offices, and high-net-worth investors seeking long-term exposure to multifamily and related asset classes.

Rowe's experience structuring more than $1.4 billion in ground-up development at SJC Ventures positions him to support the treasury management, fund reporting, investor relations, and risk management demands that accompany a capital program of that scale. His background in grocery-anchored and mixed-use development is also relevant as ECI Group pursues projects in growth markets where multifamily is increasingly integrated with retail components.

Market Context: Finance Leadership in a Complex Capital Environment

The CFO transition at ECI Group comes at a moment when multifamily developers and owners across the U.S. are navigating elevated interest rates, tighter construction lending from banks and regional lenders, and refinancing risk on loans originated during the low-rate era. In that environment, capital stacking strategies — combining senior debt, mezzanine financing, and preferred equity — have become more central to project execution.

Multifamily fundamentals in many U.S. markets, particularly in the Sun Belt and Southeast where ECI Group is active, have remained relatively stable, with Class A and B occupancy generally holding in the mid-90% range in many metros. However, cap rate expansion since 2021 has placed greater emphasis on capital efficiency and cost of funds as key drivers of investment returns. Construction financing has also grown more difficult to secure, with lenders demanding more equity and stronger guarantees.

Rowe's tenure at Invest Atlanta/The Atlanta Development Authority gives him familiarity with tax-exempt bond structures and other public incentive programs that multifamily and mixed-use developers increasingly rely on to make projects financially viable under higher interest rates and construction costs. That experience may prove useful as ECI Group positions itself as a partner for municipalities seeking to expand housing supply.

Leadership Transition at ECI Group

Outgoing CFO Ben Engel spent a decade in the role, overseeing ECI Group's financial operations through a period of significant growth and geographic expansion. Engel's retirement marks a planned leadership transition as the firm moves into what it describes as its next chapter of growth.

ECI Group describes itself as a vertically integrated multifamily real estate firm with capabilities spanning ground-up development, construction, acquisitions, and property management. The firm has focused its activity on Sun Belt and Southeast markets, regions that have seen sustained population growth and renter demand in recent years.

With Rowe now in place as CFO, ECI Group's executive team combines the operational depth of its existing platform with institutional finance experience intended to support programmatic capital raising and complex deal structuring as the firm continues its national expansion.