Profile

As a vertically integrated real estate platform, Ascendant is led by a managing partnership comprised of CEO Russell Gimelstob, Co-President & CIO Alex Halpern, and Co-President & COO Eric Calder, which has collectively acquired and developed more than $20 billion of real estate assets. Founded on the basis of creating a more investor-friendly and specialized format of real estate investing, the firm has built a team of sector-level specialists across its three operating verticals, and relies on continuous, cross-pollenating dialogue with its limited partners.

Russell Gimelstob
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Prior to founding Ascendant Capital Partners, Russell Gimelstob was Head of Acquisitions, Partner, Managing Director and Member of the Investment Committee of Dune Real Estate Partners, a manager of real estate private equity funds. Russell previously represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust.

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Alex Halpern
Co-Founder, Co-President, and Chief Investment Officer

Alex Halpern is responsible for the oversight of Ascendant's investment activities, as well as the day-to-day management of the platform's hospitality, and select residential investments. Alex represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust, is an active board member of Sentral, and is a board observer of DC Blox.

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Eric Calder
Partner, Co-President, and Chief Operating Officer

Prior to joining Ascendant Capital Partners, Eric Calder was the Co-Chief Investment Officer of Dune Real Estate Partners, a New York City-based real estate investment firm. At Dune, he was a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and led over $6 billion in transactions across the residential, retail, industrial, office and hospitality sectors.

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Ascendant has put together a world-class team of diverse individuals, each with an impressive background and knowledge base. Through close collaboration, we are able to continue to expand our services into new markets and locations across the globe.

Jason Goldberg

Chief Financial Officer

Lara Kiefer

Vice President

Zach Gallin

Chief of Staff, Investor Relations

Dajana Cvijanovic

Executive Assistant

Alex Halpern
Co-Founder, Co-President, and Chief Investment Officer

Alex Halpern, Co-Founder, Co-President, and Chief Investment Officer, is responsible for the oversight of Ascendant's investment activities, as well as the management of the platform's hospitality and select residential investments. Mr. Halpern represented Ascendant on the Watermark Lodging Trust Board and is an active board member of Sentral, in addition to his service as a board observer of DC Blox.

Prior to co-founding Ascendant Capital Partners, Alex was a Senior Vice President, Participating Member, and Capital Markets Lead at Highgate Capital Investment and its affiliate Highgate Hotels, the largest investor-operator of hospitality assets within North American gateway markets.

Alex joined Highgate in 2009 as the first investment professional in New York City, and during his 10-year tenure, executed in excess of $9 billion worth of hospitality, office and retail investments across key North American and Western European Geographies.

While at Highgate, Alex was involved in more than $400 million of ground-up and adaptive re-use projects, including a mixed-use ground-up development at 140 West 42nd Street in New York’s Time Square, the adaptive re-use of the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City, and the ~$125 million redevelopment of the ‘Alohilani Waikiki Beach.

Prior to joining Highgate, Alex was a Senior Analyst at Merrill Lynch in its real estate investment banking division from 2007-2009.

Alex earned a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, graduating with high distinction.