In 1953, Norman Bernstein set out to create a real estate management company rooted in integrity and guided by a deep respect for people—residents, partners, and employees alike. Seventy-three years later, that vision still defines us. Our core values—teamwork, service excellence, outstanding results, continuous improvement, and doing what’s right—aren’t just words. They shape how we work, lead, and celebrate one another.

The Norman Bernstein Employee of the Year Award of Excellence is one of the most meaningful honors we bestow at our annual Holiday Awards Event.

This past year, we were thrilled to celebrate Senior Property Manager Len Johnson as the recipient of the 2025 Norman Bernstein Award of Excellence.

Len’s journey with BMC began in March 2015 as a Leasing Consultant. Through hard work, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Len steadily advanced through the company, and now oversees five assets totaling 382 units.

Over the past decade, Len has earned a reputation as one of BMC’s most dependable and respected leaders. His professionalism, integrity, and ability to lead with calm confidence are second to none. Whether he’s mentoring colleagues, overseeing property operations, or helping implement new system updates, Len consistently goes above and beyond. His thoughtful leadership ensures smooth operations, strong teams, and satisfied residents—every single day.

Len’s secret? Empowering others. He leads by example, supports his team wholeheartedly, and always gives credit where it’s due. Even amid challenges, his steady demeanor and proactive mindset inspire confidence and collaboration.

Len’s hard work exemplifies everything the Norman Bernstein Award of Excellence stands for and honors the enduring legacy of our founder, who believed that putting people first is always the right choice.

Congratulations to Len Johnson, our 2025 Norman Bernstein Award of Excellence recipient, and thank you to all the BMC team members whose daily commitment, integrity, and teamwork make this company thrive.

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As General Counsel, Aaron Herman will lead BMC’s legal, regulatory, and risk management functions, bringing extensive experience advising corporate leadership on complex business and real estate matters. He joins BMC from JBG SMITH Properties, where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel overseeing legal efforts related to the public company operations, corporate governance, real property transactions, and joint ventures. Aaron holds a J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School and a B.A. in American Studies, Summa Cum Laude, from Fordham University.

As Senior Vice President of Accounting and Finance, Bo Sauter will oversee all accounting and financial reporting functions for BMC and its affiliates. He brings nearly two decades of experience in real estate accounting, finance, and treasury management, having most recently served as Senior Vice President of Accounting at Rappaport. His background also includes leadership roles at CRC Companies, Washington Gas, and public accounting firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and Clifton Gunderson. Bo earned his Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics and a Certificate in Pre-Professional Accounting Studies from the University of Maryland.

“We are thrilled to welcome Aaron and Bo to the BMC executive leadership team,” said Ed Chaglassian, CEO and President of Bernstein Management Corporation. “Their deep expertise and proven leadership will play an important role in advancing our company’s financial and legal operations as we continue to deliver outstanding performance and value across our portfolio.”

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Located in the Wesley Heights/Foxhall neighborhood at 3301 New Mexico Avenue NW, Foxhall Square is a 140,000-square-foot office, medical, and retail property that has been a consistent top performer since its construction in 1972 and acquisition by Bernstein Management Corporation in 1997. 

Foxhall Square stood out across every evaluation category in 2025 including occupancy, year-over-year operational improvement, and management impact through successful execution of building improvements, tenant relocations, and expansions. 

Beyond the numbers, the management team achieved several major milestones, completing a multi-year garage rehabilitation, executing high-profile tenant buildouts, upgrading the energy management system, and enhancing the building’s exterior. 

Thanks to these outstanding efforts and exceptional financial performance, Foxhall Square truly earned its 2025 Commercial Building of the Year title.  

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Bernstein Management Corporation (BMC) is pleased to announce that Kew Gardens Apartments in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. has been named the company’s 2025 Residential Building of the Year. This annual award recognizes exemplary operational performance, resident satisfaction, and commitment to excellence in property management across BMC’s multifamily portfolio.

Throughout 2025, the Kew Gardens team demonstrated exceptional dedication to quality and efficiency. The property maintained an impressive 95% average occupancy rate while completing several major enhancements, including a comprehensive courtyard renovation managed in-house. These improvements reflect BMC’s ongoing investment in creating comfortable, well-maintained residential environments for its residents.

In addition to operational achievements, Kew Gardens received outstanding resident feedback, earning a 4.6 Google rating and an average Satisfacts score of 4.49—a testament to the team’s continued focus on providing excellent service and an exceptional living experience.

BMC congratulates the entire Kew Gardens team for their hard work and dedication, and extends appreciation to the residents who contribute to the community’s ongoing success.

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The company honored 35 team members celebrating tenures of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years, underscoring the deep experience and loyalty that support BMC’s long-term success. Additional achievement awards were given, including eight People First Awards, Residential Building of the Year (Kew Gardens) and Commercial Building of the Year (Foxhall Square).

The program concluded with the Norman Bernstein Employee of the Year Award of Excellence, presented to Len Johnson, Senior Property Manager on the Residential team. Len was recognized for his steady leadership over a decade at BMC, overseeing multiple assets, mentoring team members, supporting systems initiatives and consistently modeling the integrity, teamwork and service excellence that reflect the legacy of BMC’s founder, Norman Bernstein.

Congratulations to all award recipients, and thank you for your ongoing efforts! BMC is a company that cares deeply about each person who works for and with us. Learn more about working with Bernstein and view our current job openings at bmcproperties.com/careers.

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• Beniam Hailemariam, Maintenance Technician, Highview and Castle Manor, Service Technician of the Year – Vintage Property
• Bernard Adade, Senior Leasing Associate, Valo, First Place – Leasing Professional, Washington DC
• Miguel Sorto, Assistant Service Manager, The Melwood, Assistant Service Manager of the Year – Multiple Properties
• Roberto Garcia, Maintenance Supervisor, The Argonne, Special Recognition – Service Manager of the Year (0-3 Employees), Vintage Property
• Stephen Lewis, Leasing Associate, Idaho Terrace, Second Place – Leasing Professional, Washington DC
• The Marketing Team – Emily Mooney, Geneva Flemons and Chelsea Johnson – was recognized with the Marketing and Advertising Excellence Award for their Influencer Campaign – Stabilized Community (Valo) led by Geneva Flemons, Portfolio Marketing Manager.

Congratulations to all of our award recipients and nominees for their remarkable accomplishments. Your recognition by PMA truly reflects the high standards of striving for outstanding results and providing uncommon customer service that define our organization.

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Bernstein Management Corporation (BMC), a regional leader in real estate management and investment, announced today a significant leadership transition and the formation of the first Advisory Board for BMC’s investment affiliate, BDC Properties LLC (BDCP), effective November 17.

After more than three decades as President and then Chief Executive Officer of BMC, Josh Bernstein will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the BDCP Advisory Board, while Robert Sandler, currently President of BMC, will transition to the role of Vice Chairman of the BDCP Advisory Board. Ed Chaglassian, currently President of BDCP’s manager, Bernstein Development Corporation (BDC), and Executive Vice President of BMC, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and President of both BDC and BMC. Rebecca Snyder, BMC’s recently appointed Chief Operating Officer, will oversee the company’s multifamily and commercial portfolio operations.

This transition marks only the second major leadership change since the company’s founding in 1953 by Norman Bernstein. The first took place in 1993, when Norman Bernstein retired from the company – then called Norman Bernstein Management – and named his son Josh Bernstein President.

“BMC’s success over the past 72 years has been built on the vision, values, integrity and long-term perspective established by Norman Bernstein and upheld by Josh Bernstein and Robert Sandler,” said incoming CEO and President Ed Chaglassian. “I am humbled by the opportunity to lead this next chapter of our evolution as we continue to strengthen our portfolio, invest in our people and serve the communities that make the Washington metropolitan region thrive.”

Reflecting on the transition, Josh Bernstein said, "I am excited and honored to remain involved in BMC’s ongoing strategy in a new capacity as Chair of the Advisory Board. This leadership evolution reflects our commitment to long-term stewardship and innovation, ensuring that BMC remains a pillar of excellence in the Washington region’s real estate landscape.”

The newly formed BDCP Advisory Board will include Josh Bernstein, Robert Sandler, Charles Hathway (Executive Vice President and General Counsel of BMC), Ed Chaglassian and Adam Metz (Chairman of the Board and Interim CEO and President of Seritage Growth Properties). It will provide strategic guidance and continuity as BMC, BDC and their investment affiliate BDCP continue to expand their reach and capabilities.

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“With over 22 years of diverse experience in the real estate sector, Rebecca possesses a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of leadership spanning community management, sales, portfolio and asset management and development. Most recently, Rebecca served as Executive Vice President at Brookfield Properties, where she led operations for a 35,000-unit multifamily portfolio across the U.S. and Canada. Her earlier leadership roles include oversight of development and asset management for more than 5,000 multifamily units with Strategic Property Partners, Insight Property Group and Archstone.

“Rebecca’s passion for the multifamily industry and proven success enhancing operational performance across a variety of asset classes align perfectly with BMC&’s commitment to excellence,” said Josh Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer at BMC. “We are excited to welcome her to our team and look forward to her contributions as we continue to scale and elevate our portfolio.”

Rebecca holds a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Brown University.

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Introducing our Interns

Cristian Torres – MBA Candidate, Georgetown University
A University of Maryland alum, Cristian earned his undergraduate degree in Economics and is now pursuing an MBA at Georgetown University. This summer, Cristian is partnering with the investments team to explore valuations and financial models for potential acquisitions. Cristian is a native Costa Rican who grew up mostly in Northern Virgina. He is an avid golfer, and would love to play every day if he could!

Christopher Harper – Rising Senior, Virginia Tech
A Property Management major at Virginia Tech, Christopher has enjoyed many aspects of working onsite with BMC, especially creating video tours of vacant units or amenity spaces. Christopher enjoys spending time with friends, exploring the outdoors, playing basketball and is especially passionate about all aspects of music.

Haylee Resnick – Rising Junior, Virginia Tech
A Property Management major at Virginia Tech, Haylee has been assisting BMC onsite with tours, move-ins, move-outs and resident support as needed. So far, touring prospects has been Haylee’s favorite experience. Outside of work and school, Haylee enjoys going on walks, spending time with friends and cooking.

Tommy Kostelac – Rising Senior, Virginia Tech
A returning BMC intern, Tommy is pursuing a double major in Real Estate Investment and Property Management. This summer, he is gaining hands-on experience with the BMC investments team, helping to analyze potential property acquisitions, build pro formas and model returns on renovation proposals. He will also participate in the operational side of the business by helping manage a portfolio of properties onsite. For fun, Tommy enjoys hiking, playing guitar or piano, and spending time with friends.

We are proud to have these amazing interns among our ranks and look forward to seeing them grow and contribute to the success of BMC —and to welcoming them as future leaders in the industry.

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Congratulations to:

• Charity Hooper, Senior Property Manager
• Kyle Russell, Senior Property Manager
• Len Johnson, Senior Property Manager
• Leslie Plascencia, Property Manager
• Waqar Qureshi, Property Manager

The PMA Leadership Development Program is a rigorous, six-month cohort-based initiative that empowers participants to build self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and communication skills.  Through a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, participants explore topics such as engagement and motivation, feedback, conflict management, strategic thinking, and leadership presence. The program also includes one-on-one coaching and accountability partnerships, ensuring each leader receives personalized support and guidance as they grow.

By completing this program, Waqar, Charity, Leslie, Len and Kyle have demonstrated their commitment to personal and professional growth, setting a powerful example for BMC team members and the broader property management community.

As Bernstein Management Corporation continues to champion a “People First” philosophy, we are excited to see how these leaders will apply their new insights and skills to elevate our organization and better serve our residents and communities.

Congratulations once again to Waqar Qureshi, Charity Hooper, Leslie Plascencia, Len Johnson and Kyle Russell on this significant milestone!

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