the Team behind Varcity
Varcity unites a powerhouse team of real estate, operations, design, and construction partners around one purpose: reinventing what it means to live on a university campus. We're building a residential concept that brings lifelong learning, active living, premium experiences, and genuine campus connection together under one roof.
This team wasn't assembled overnight. It's decades of proven results, brought together by people who've spent their careers building places where communities thrive.
Who We Are
Great ideas don't happen in a boardroom; they happen on the ground. Varcity's model was forged through years of research and dozens of visits to college communities across the country, studying what actually makes campus life meaningful. The result is a bold new blueprint that puts residents at the center of it all: connected, engaged, and always growing.
Varcity's vision comes to life through two exceptional partners: Carter and Western States. Carter brings an innovative, people-first approach to development, with a track record of projects built around one core belief: great places create thriving communities. Western States brings decades of hands-on operating expertise across senior living, hospitality, and multifamily communities, turning buildings into places people genuinely want to call home: inclusive, dynamic, and alive.
Together, Carter and Western States amplify Varcity's mission, ensuring every resident feels a real sense of belonging, connection, and opportunity from day one.
our Board
Guiding our vision is a group of dedicated leaders who believe in what we are building together.
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Les Strech
Founding Principal & Board Member
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Michael Minutelli
Principal & Board Member
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Bonneau Ansley
Principal & Board Member
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Don Harvey
Principal & Board Member
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Scott Taylor
Principal & Board Member
Development Team
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John Mears
Development Principal
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Jack Murphy
Chief Investment Officer
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Patti Neal
Executive Vice President
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T.J. Laco
Director of Development
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Will Meshad
Senior Development Associate
Operations Team
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Paul Fairholm
Chief Executive Officer
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Chad Griffiths
Chief Financial Officer
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Jennifer Knecht
Chief Revenue Officer
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Cole Smith
Chief Development Officer
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David Webster, Jr.
Chief Operating Officer
Together, we are building more than a community. We are building a place where the next chapter feels alive with possibility.