2024 Summer Issue of Urban Land - 25

INSIDE THE ULI FOUNDATION
Tom Toomey to Lead ULI Foundation
as New Chair
RON NYREN
Thomas W. Toomey, chairman and
chief executive officer of UDR Inc.,
will become the new chair of the
ULI Foundation on July 1, 2024. A
longtime ULI member and chair of
the ULI Global Board of Directors
from 2017 to 2019, Toomey brings
extensive leadership experience and
a deep commitment to philanthropic
support for ULI's mission.
Toomey's involvement with ULI
spans three decades. In 1996, Jeff
Stack, founding partner of Sares
Regis Group, invited him to present a
redevelopment project Toomey was
working on to Stack's product council
at a ULI meeting. " What engaged
me was all of the amazing people in
the room who were luminaries of the
real estate industry, listening to my
pitch, " Toomey says. " They were willing
to share their wisdom and teach
me how to improve. That inspired
me a great deal. " He credits as mentors
James Klingbeil, the late Bob
Larson, Preston Butcher, and the late
Gerald Hines for their help in guiding
his career.
Toomey soon became an active
ULI member, serving on the Multifamily
Council and the global board
before becoming global chair. He
helped lead ULI's strategic plan in
2019 and co-chaired the ULI Foundation's
Our Cities, Our Future capital
campaign with Doug Abbey from
2019 to 2022, helping raise some
$85 million toward its $100 million
goal.
" I am excited for the Foundation's
next phase of growth under
Tom's leadership, " says ULI Foundation
President Janice Periquet. " His
strong reputation in both ULI and
the philanthropic community, coupled
with his passion for our organization,
will be invaluable as we strive
to expand our impact. "
Giving back has been a cornerThomas
W. Toomey
stone of Toomey's life and career. He
is a member of the ULI Foundation's
Marcus Vitruvius Society for donors
giving $5 million or more, as well
as the James J. Curtis Society for
Planned Giving. " It's like considering
a real estate deal-you have to
think, where's the greatest return? "
he says. " I can't think how you could
have more impact on changing cities
across the globe for the betterment
of all than by giving to the ULI
Foundation. "
Toomey's philanthropic leadership
extends to his alma mater, as well. " I
received my undergraduate degree
and my accounting degree from
Oregon State University, and I came
away with a very high affinity for
professors in the program, " he says.
He served on the university foundation
board for 13 years, chaired it for
two, and led the fundraising campaign
for four. He has also donated
funds for scholarships and building
projects at the university.
As incoming ULI Foundation chair,
Toomey is focused on fostering the
growth of ULI's philanthropic spirit
and increasing the impact of its initiatives
worldwide. He and the ULI
Foundation board are committed to
ensuring members have opportunities
to contribute their time and
talent to create great cities around
the globe. " I am excited to collaborate
with our members to drive
meaningful change, " Toomey said.
" I also look forward to working with
the next ULI Global CEO to expand
the leadership and success of ULI's
education and thought leadership
offerings, as well as Advisory Services
panels, as these efforts have
an enduring impact on our members
and the cities they build. "
Toomey adds that he is grateful
to his capital campaign co-chair
Doug Abbey, outgoing ULI Foundation
Chair Faron Hill, and the ULI
Foundation board. " I look forward to
working with the board to help ULI's
philanthropic spirit shine even more, "
he says. " There's so much opportunity
to build on our successes in
creating better communities worldwide. "
UL
RON NYREN is a freelance architecture and real
estate writer based in the San Francisco Bay area.
SUMMER 202 4
URBAN LAND
25
ULI FOUNDATION
2024 Summer Issue of Urban Land

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