Mr. Franke is a Director and has served in this capacity since March 31, 1992. Mr. Franke is Chairman and a principal owner of Cambridge Partners, Inc., an owner, developer and manager of multifamily housing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is also a principal owner of Laurel Healthcare (a private healthcare firm operating in the United States) and is a principal owner of Abacus Hotels LTD. (a private hotel firm in the United Kingdom). Mr. Franke was a founder and previously a director of Principal Healthcare Finance Limited and Omega Worldwide, Inc.
Mr. Kloosterman is a Director and has served in this capacity since September 1, 1992. Mr. Kloosterman has served as President since 1985 of Cambridge Partners, Inc., a company he formed in 1985. He has been involved in the development and management of commercial, apartment and condominium projects in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, Michigan and in the Chicago area. Mr. Kloosterman was formerly a Managing Director of Omega Capital from 1986 to 1992. Mr. Kloosterman has been involved in the acquisition, development and management of commercial and multifamily properties since 1978. He has also been a senior officer of LaSalle Partners, Inc. (now Jones Lang LaSalle).
Mr. Korman is Chairman of the Board and has served in this capacity since March 8, 2004. He has served as a director since October 19, 1993. Mr. Korman has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Philadelphia Health Care Trust, a private healthcare foundation, since December 1995. Mr. Korman is also a director of The New America High Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:HYB) (financial services), Medical Nutrition USA, Inc. (OTC:MDNU.OB) (develops and distributes nutritional products) and NutraMax Products, Inc. (OTC:NUTP) (consumer health care products). He was formerly President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of MEDIQ Incorporated (OTC:MDDQP) (health care services) from 1977 to 1995. Mr. Korman served as a trustee of Kramont Realty Trust (NYSE:KRT) (real estate investment trust) from June 2000 until its merger in April 2005 and of The Pep Boys, Inc. (NYSE:PBY) and also served as The Pep Boys, Inc.'s Chairman of the Board from May 28, 2003 until his retirement from such board in September 2004. Mr. Korman was previously a director of Omega Worldwide, Inc.
Mr. Lowenthal is a Director and has served in this capacity since October 17, 1995. Mr. Lowenthal also serves as a director of WRP, REIS, Inc. (a private provider of real estate market information and valuation technology), American Campus Communities (NYSE:ACC) (a public developer, owner and operator of student housing at the university level), Desarrolladora Homex (NYSE: HXM) (a Mexican homebuilder) and serves as a trustee of the Manhattan School of Music. From January 1997 to March 2002, Mr. Lowenthal served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Wellsford Real Properties, Inc. (AMEX:WRP) (a real estate merchant bank) and was President of the predecessor of Wellsford Real Properties, Inc. since 1986. Mr. Lowenthal also previously served as a director of Ark Restaurants (Nasdaq:ARKR) (a publicly traded owner and operator of restaurants).
Mr. Pickett is the Chief Executive Officer of our company and has served in this capacity since June, 2001. Mr. Pickett is also a Director and has served in this capacity since May 30, 2002. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Pickett served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from January 1998 to June 2001 of Integrated Health Services, Inc., a public company specializing in post-acute healthcare services. He also served as Executive Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions from May 1997 to December 1997 of Integrated Health Services. Prior to his roles as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions, Mr. Pickett served as the President of Symphony Health Services, Inc. from January 1996 to May 1997.
Mr. Plavin is a Director and has served in this capacity since July 17, 2000. Mr. Plavin has been Chief Operating Officer of Capital Trust, Inc., (NYSE:CT) a New York City-based mortgage real estate investment trust ("REIT") and investment management company and has served in this capacity since 1998. In this role, Mr. Plavin is responsible for all of the lending, investing and portfolio management activities of Capital Trust, Inc.