Management Team

C. Dennis Knight
Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Knight is involved in all strategic and major operating decisions for Communities Southwest. He has been active in real estate investment and development for 34 years, initially in western Canada and for the last 28 years in Arizona and southern California. Mr. Knight's investments and developments have been primarily in residential planned communities but he has also developed shopping centers, office buildings, golf courses and apartments. Mr. Knight has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and is a Chartered Accountant. He served for six years on the Board of Directors of Crown Life Insurance Company and has been active in both industry and community organizations throughout his career. Mr. Knight has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arizona Science Center and All Saints Episcopal Day School and is currently a trustee of the Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation, the Arizona Science Center, the Contemporary Forum of the Phoenix Art Museum and the Canada Arizona Business Council and is a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Brian D. Hegardt
President

Mr. Hegardt is responsible for the acquisition and disposition of Communities Southwest's properties and serves as a member of the company's Executive Committee. Prior to joining Communities Southwest, Mr. Hegardt served as Associate General Counsel for Del Webb Corporation. Mr. Hegardt received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Santa Clara University and his Juris Doctor (Cum Laude) from the University of San Diego. He is a member of both the Arizona and California Bar Associations and the Urban Land Institute.

John F. Suriano
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Suriano is responsible for project financing, financial analysis and financial reporting for Communities Southwest and serves as a member of the company's Executive Committee. Mr. Suriano previously served as Director of Financial Reporting for SunCor Development Company, a developer of residential, commercial and industrial projects, and was also a Senior Accountant with Deloitte & Touche, specializing in real estate development clients. Mr. Suriano received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Arizona State University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Jami L. Schulman
Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Schulman is responsible for the entitlement, planning, and marketing of Communities Southwest's projects and serves as a member of the company's Executive Committee. Ms. Schulman is also responsible for managing the company's legal issues. Before joining Communities Southwest, Ms. Schulman served as Area Counsel for Pulte Homes and Corporate Counsel for Del Webb Corporation. In her previous positions, Ms. Schulman worked on all aspects of large scale master-planned communities and has specialized expertise in land use, natural resource and water issues. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington University and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas. She is a member of the Arizona Bar Association and the Urban Land Institute.

Michael J. Kern
Vice President, Operations

Mr. Kern is responsible for various aspects of land acquisition, entitlement, development, marketing and sales. Mr. Kern is currently responsible for the management of the following projects: Cooley Station in Gilbert, Avian Meadows and Avian Trails in Chandler, Circle Cross Ranch and Magic Ranch in Pinal County, Glennwilde Groves in Maricopa, and The Meadows in Peoria. Over the past eight years, Mr. Kern has entitled and marketed several other Communities Southwest projects totaling thousands of individual lots. Mr. Kern graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Design from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Arizona State University . Mr. Kern is active in the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and the Urban Land Institute.

Luka Vignjevic
Vice President, Finance

Mr. Vignjevic is responsible for budgeting, cash management, financial reporting, and acquisition analysis for Communities Southwest's Arizona and California divisions. He began his career in real estate development as a Financial Analyst with Alterra Healthcare, a builder and operator of assisted living residences. Later he served as an Accounting Manager for Phoenix Restaurant Group, Inc., an owner and operator of 190 full service restaurants, and Senior Financial Analyst for CSK Auto, Corporation, an auto parts retailer with 1,100 stores. Mr. Vignjevic graduated from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.