CA Student Living (“CASL”), the vertically integrated student housing investment management company, today announced it has hired Robert Saunders as chief financial officer and promoted Steve Boyack, a three-year veteran of the firm, to chief operating officer. The two will play a pivotal role in driving CASL’s growth, innovation and strategy over the coming years.
“I’m excited to be joining the team at such an impactful moment for both the firm and the industry as a whole,” said Robert Saunders. “With strong macro tailwinds in the sector coupled with CA’s preeminent reputation, investor appetite is robust and opportunities are ample. CA Student Living is well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and continue on its impressive growth trajectory. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to deliver value for our capital partners and residents.”
Saunders brings more than twenty years of real estate finance and investment management experience to CASL. Prior to joining the firm, Rob was President of Kaufman Jacobs, a multi-strategy real estate investment manager, where he served as the firm’s managing principal, overseeing all aspects of the firm’s operations, including capital sourcing, acquisitions, development, and financial reporting. Rob has also held senior leadership roles in both public and private real estate companies and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degrees in finance and German from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Over the past six months, CASL has successfully executed on more than $1 billion of transactions including the acquisition of multiple operating assets and construction starts on seven new development projects. The student housing pioneer plans to continue scaling its development and investment management platforms by adding 6 – 8 new developments and 6 – 8 acquisitions to its portfolio annually, as well as expanding its portfolio of third party managed assets.
“CASL’s transformation over the past fifteen years is truly remarkable,” said Steve Boyack. “While we have made significant strides in bolstering our global operating platform, you can never rest on your laurels. The opportunity for innovation and advancement in the student housing space is undeniable and I’m honored to be in a position to guide and fuel that change. With a clear vision and focused strategy in place, we will concentrate on evolving our operational infrastructure, cultivating talent, fostering experiences and differentiating our products and services by pre-empting the preferences and priorities of our future residents.”
Since joining the firm in 2018, Boyack has made significant contributions to the expansion and diversification of CA Ventures’ property management platform, globally. Leveraging more than twenty five years of experience in the real estate sector, Steve has been the strategic, driving force behind the launch of the firm’s European student operating platform (Novel Student), global sustainability initiative, wellness program and innovation department. He has built a team of top industry experts to support the expansion of the platforms for years to come. As a member of several industry advisory boards and associations, Steve is a recognized subject matter expert and thought leader, with particular focus on integrated property technology.
