OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM

Mark N. Fessel

Principal

JAMES Development Corporation’s principal, Mark Fessel, has been involved in the real estate business for over forty years. Mr. Fessel is a 1981 graduate of both the New York University School of Law and its School of Business Administration. After working as a real estate associate with the international law firm of Weil, Gotshal and Manges, Mr. Fessel established his own real estate company and has since acted as principal in numerous commercial and residential real estate developments throughout the northeast.

Mr. Fessel’s particular skills and strengths center around the evaluation, negotiation and structuring of real estate acquisitions. The acquisition process requires familiarity with sophisticated financial, real estate and legal concepts, and Mr. Fessel’s unique blend of expertise and experience stand him in good stead in this arena.

Under his leadership, JAMES Development Corporation has acquired numerous properties requiring vision, imagination and innovation. Mr. Fessel is exceptionally creative in the acquisition and strategic planning process and is quick to take advantage of market opportunities to further strengthen the company’s position.

Mark Fessel has been married for over forty years and has four children and ten grandchildren.

Emily Zanger

Senior VP of Acquisitions
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Emily Zanger, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Sales Agent, has been with JAMES Development Corporation since 2012, specializing in acquisitions and helping to secure over $150 million in deals. She actively seeks and negotiates new acquisitions across the tri-state area, with a primary focus on Manhattan. Her excellent track record and in-depth knowledge of the New York market can be partly attributed to having been born and raised in Manhattan, giving her an innate advantage when navigating the market.

Additionally, Ms. Zanger has a strong understanding of the construction field. This, combined with her creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail, makes her an integral part of the team overseeing many of JAMES Development Corporation’s redevelopment projects.

Ms. Zanger’s highly-developed interpersonal and communication strengths make her a “people person” with the insight and ability to match people and properties. She values her relationships highly, and her solid sense of morality and ethics allows her to build and maintain strong connections while negotiating.

Emily Zanger graduated summa cum laude from NYU and enjoys traveling the world and exploring new cultures.

Mitchell Moreis

Senior VP of Operations and Property Management
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

As Senior Vice President of Operations and Property Management, Mitchell Moreis is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and management of JAMES Development Corporation’s residential portfolio.

Since joining the company in 2010, Mr. Moreis has developed a wealth of knowledge in the complexities and nuances of maintaining and running NYC rent-regulated apartments. Expertly overseeing both the back and front ends of management, he is heavily involved in cultivating relationships with building management, resident managers and staff. Mr. Moreis also stresses the importance of developing and sustaining ongoing, healthy relationships between tenants, building management, resident managers, and staff. His positive energy and attitude, combined with his patience and diplomacy, make him the ideal candidate to accomplish this.

Mitchell Moreis holds a B.A. from Columbia University and is a member of the Young Real Estate Professionals of New York and the Rent Stabilization Association. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Melissa A. Stricklin

Senior Property Manager
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Melissa Stricklin, Senior Property Manager and Sales Agent, has been with JAMES Development Corporation for 15 years. She specializes in selling unsold shares in Manhattan, typically on the Upper East and Upper West Sides.

Before joining the company, Ms. Stricklin worked in fashion product development at a retail giant. She sees many similarities between her role there and in real estate, commenting, “When you develop a fashion product, you conceptualize it; design its imagery; oversee its creation and production; then sell the final product. When you develop an unrenovated apartment, you conceptualize its floor plan; design it; oversee the contractors who build it; stage and market it; then sell the finished unit.”

Born in NY and raised in Brooklyn, Ms. Stricklin is an expert on the city and she appreciates how dynamic the market is, ever changing and ever evolving so one has to adapt quickly to keep up. She is most passionate about selling people their dream homes: seeing their eyes light up as they envision a sofa here, a crib there. In order to accomplish this, she is attentive to every need and want of her clients; relatable, friendly and committed; always going above and beyond to find the perfect property for every customer.

Melissa Stricklin holds a BS in Business Management from FIT. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Gigi Mander

Comptroller

Gigi Mander, Comptroller, has enjoyed working with JAMES Development Corporation since 2002, focusing on increasing productivity, profit and cost efficiency. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial, accounting, and bookkeeping fields, working with industries ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to large international entities to small- and medium-size organizations.

Her specialty is growing the financial aspects of company business, drawing on her skills in management consulting, business development, marketing, and local and international sales. Additionally, Ms. Mander has worked with architects and engineers on large-scale housing projects and arranged financing/funding for various industrial enterprises. Her international experience includes collaborating on the marketing plan for a multi-million-dollar mixed-use complex in Dubai, consisting of 5-star hotels, office space, retail, housing and recreational facilities.

As well as overseeing JAMES Development Corporation’s daily financial matters, Ms. Mander continues to collaborate on local and international development projects focusing on green sustainable environments.

Gigi Mander has a B.S. in Hospitality Management from St. Scholastica’s College; a Certificate in Project Management from Turner School, SBDA, NYSERDA; and a Certificate in Fundamentals of Financial Services (Series 6 and 63 Licenses) from Life Underwriters Training Council. She lived in Asia and Europe before settling in NYC, and still enjoys traveling very much.