Willow Bridge SE Executive Team Meeting

As the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Apartment Association (NAA), I lead the advocacy efforts for the largest and most influential voice for the rental housing sector in the United States. With over a decade of experience in this role, I direct a team of eleven professionals who implement a comprehensive strategy of federal, state and local advocacy, political engagement, tactical communications and value-added public policy research.

I counsel NAA leaders and senior staff as well as affiliates and their members on policy and political matters, manage a $3+ million annual budget and represent the Association on Capitol Hill and in front of Executive Branch agencies. My mission is to advance the interests of the rental housing industry and promote quality housing for all Americans. I have a proven track record of achieving legislative and regulatory wins, building strategic alliances, and delivering impactful messages. I am also a certified critical thinker, decision maker, and problem solver, and I have multiple skills in campaign management, strategic communications, lobbying, and advocacy.

Jeffrey Adler serves as Vice President, Yardi® Matrix (the data division of Yardi Systems), which is a US multifamily (market rate and affordable), student housing, office, medical office, industrial, retail, and self-storage asset information toolset for originating, underwriting, and asset managing commercial real estate investments, used by many of the largest lenders, equity investors, brokers, owners, and management companies.

From 2002-2009, Mr. Adler was Chief Property Operations Officer at AIMCO (NYSE: AIV, S&P 500), leading the revitalization of the operating platform of more than 160,000 multifamily units ($10B Enterprise Market value), where he also co-founded AIMCO’s portfolio investment, asset management and capital markets strategies.

From 2009-2014, Mr. Adler acted as CEO/COO for several sponsor and investor platforms in the US value-add, student, military, senior, single-family, and Canadian rental housing industries.

From 1990 to 2000 Mr. Adler was a Vice President at Progressive Insurance, developing the Progressive consumer brand, establishing the corporate marketing department, and then running the Colorado business unit, growing it profitably from $10MM to $100MM in revenues.

Mr. Adler holds a B.A. in Economics from Yale (Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude), and a M.B.A. in Strategic Planning & Marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (Beta Gamma Sigma, Dean’s List).

Mr. Adler is a Board Member of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), Chairman of the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Multifamily Silver Council, and lecturer at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design Real Estate Executive Education program.

Tunnel to Towers Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller shares how the Foundation formed in loving memory of his little brother, Stephen Siller, a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter who gave his life on 9/11.

Frank recalls the morning of September 11th, he and his brothers were getting ready to play a round of golf. Stephen, a member of FDNY’s Squad 1 in Brooklyn, had just finished a night tour and was on his way home to meet up with his three brothers. Frank recalls seeing the first plane strike the North Tower. Stephen heard on his radio and turned his truck around. He went to his firehouse to grab his gear and headed towards the then Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. When he arrived, the tunnel was closed for security reasons. Stephen strapped on his gear and ran through the tunnel to get to the South Tower, where he met up with the members of Squad 1.

Frank remembers receiving the call when he would learn his brother was among the missing firefighters from Squad 1 and when it was made clear to him that Stephen wouldn’t be returning home. He and his family were overcome with emotion and completely devastated.

A short time later, Frank suggested starting a Foundation to honor what Stephen and others did that day. His family agreed, and that would be the start of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named after what Stephen did that day. Frank reflects on the start of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s 5K Run & Walk NYC and getting the seal of approval from Mayor Rudy Giuliani to honor the heroes of 9/11 in what has become the Foundation’s signature event and one of the top 5K events in the U.S., with over 40,000 people participating year after year.

Since 2,977 people lost their lives on 9/11, many more have died from World Trade Center-related illness and the War on Terror. The Foundation honors Stephen’s legacy of courage every day. It carries on its mission to “do good” and honor America’s greatest heroes and their families with young children.