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 multifamily, retail, hospitality and office 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.

Di Mo

Assistant Controller

Zach Gallin

Investor Relations

Dajana Cvijanovic

Executive Assistant

Russell Gimelstob
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Russell Gimelstob is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ascendant Capital Partners.

Prior to founding Ascendant Capital Partners, Russell 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 joined Dune in 2005 during its first year of operations. Russell executed over $10 billion in hospitality, multifamily, industrial, and office transactions for Dune across numerous geographies, with a focus on the West Coast. In recognition of his many contributions to the Firm, Russell became a Partner in 2013 as well as Head of Acquisitions.

Prior to joining Dune in 2005, Mr. Gimelstob was an Analyst in Goldman Sachs’ Real Estate Investment Banking Division from 2003 to 2005.

Prior to that, Russell traded commercial mortgage-backed securities in Goldman Sachs’ Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities Division from 2002 to 2003.

Russell previously served on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust, and is a member of the Fisher Center Policy Advisory Board at the University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. In 2012, Russell was the Hebrew Academy for Special Children’s annual honouree.

Russell received an M.P.A. in 2002 and a B.A. (with Distinction) in 2001 from Cornell University.