The Development Team
LAWRENCE MAZZOTTA
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Mazzotta is the CEO and Chairman of Cornerstone Associates, LLC and is responsible for the general management of the Company. Formerly, Mr. Mazzotta was Senior Associate Director at University of Nebraska Hospitals and Clinics. Mr. Mazzotta has administered the design, development and project management of approximately $600 Million of both new and restorative construction, including residential, commercial and clinical construction.
Mr. Mazzotta has served as a consultant to non-profit charitable organizations involved with the development of tax credit supported projects. He is also a past Chairman and Director of the Eye Bank of Nebraska and has served as a Division Chairman for the United Way of the Midlands campaign. In addition, he has served on the Boards of a variety of state, local and national organizations. Mr. Mazzotta was a Richard King Mellon Fellow at the Maxwell Schools, Syracuse University and was named as an Outstanding Young Man in America.
Mr. Mazzotta has received both a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Urban Planning and a Masters Degree in Public Management from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. He has completed all but his dissertation for a Doctorate in Management and Public Policy at the University of Nebraska.
BOBBI JO LUCAS
Partner and President / Chief Operating Officer of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Partner and President / Chief Operating Officer of Cornerstone Housing Group, LLC
Chief Administrative Officer of Meridian Development, LLC
Ms. Lucas is President and Chief Operating Officer of Cornerstone Associates, LLC and its related companies. Ms. Lucas joined the company in 2001 and has over 35 years of experience in banking, finance, commercial and residential development and has been the lead developer for approximately $300 million of multifamily development.
Ms. Lucas is responsible for new development, financial analysis, underwriting, financing, construction and project specific operations and compliance, upon completion. She oversees company-wide operations, research, marketing and development spanning across the Midwest and mountain states.
JAMES HUGHES
Partner and President / Chief Operating Officer of Meridian Development, LLC
Vice President of Development for Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Mr. Hughes is President and Chief Operating Officer of Meridian Development, our private market development division. He is responsible for leading the company’s day to day operation including sourcing, assembling and executing development opportunities. His expertise centers on contract negotiation, financial modeling and market research. He is also Vice President for Market Development for Cornerstone Associates, LLC. In this capacity Mr. Hughes is responsible for the company’s Private Market development.
Between his experience as an engineer and a developer, Mr. Hughes has managed several large scale projects with an aggregate value totaling over $500 million.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
BRETT BROCKMANN
Vice President / Chief Financial Officer of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Mr. Brockmann is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Cornerstone Associates, LLC and its affiliated companies.
Mr. Brockmann has 10+ years experience in Real Estate related accounting and finance. He has managed assets totaling $260 million as well as provided accounting and financial services for additional assets totaling $375 million.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
BRAD SCHWAB
Vice President of Development and Acquisitions of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Mr. Schwab is Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for Cornerstone Associates, LLC and its related companies.
Mr. Schwab's career is in Land Use, Urban Planning, Economic Development, Zoning and Entitlement, Management of multi-disciplinary projects on behalf of numerous private and public sector clients. He has extensive experience gaining local and government approvals for residential and commercial real estate projects wort over $1 billion.
Mr. Schwab holds a Master of Arts in Geography from the University of Toledo. He is a Veteran of the Persian Gulf War and served in the United States Army from 1989 to 1999.
SHAWN COONEN
Partner and President of Beacon Management, LLC
Director of Asset Management of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Mr. Coonen is President of Beacon Management, an Accredited Management Organization and an affiliate company of Cornerstone Associates, LLC.
Mr. Coonen has 40+ years of experiences, is IREM certified, a CPM, licensed Real Estate Broker and holds an AMO accreditation for Standards of Excellence. He manages a portfolio of multi-family assets in excess of $426 million throughout 9 states.
JILLIAN FLYNN
Director of Affordable Housing Programs of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
As the Director of Affordable Housing Programs, Mrs. Flynn works on Pre-Development activities, for creating multi-family housing. Along with her team of associates, she performs market research, studies demographics, assesses housing needs, prepares and submits applications to the varying state and funding agencies, and secures partnerships with various service providers.
Mrs. Flynn works closely with the State Agencies and has a full understanding of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Programs and the Qualified Allocation Plans in the states in which we develop, as well as other Housing Programs we participate with.
Mrs. Flynn joined the Company in 2016, with previous experience in banking and sales. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Illinois, Springfield.
KRISTY MENKING
Director of Corporate Operations of Cornerstone Associates, LLC
Ms. Menking joined Cornerstone Associates in 2012. As Director of Corporate Operations, Ms. Menking manages all corporate day to day operations, provides company-wide and project-specific research, and is a liaison between the corporate offices and third party affiliates during the construction, final completion and opening/lease up of new developments across the entire portfolio. She also coordinates all public relations functions for and on behalf of the companies.
Ms. Menking brings over a decade of experience in Human Resources, Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising.