Officers & Directors

Lou Haddad was recruited to Armada Hoffler in 1985 as an on-site construction superintendent, where he quickly distinguished himself among company executives and subcontractors, alike. Following several promotions, he was elevated to President of Armada Hoffler Construction Company in 1987, a few months shy of his 30th birthday. During his subsequent 9-year tenure, the division’s annual revenue grew from $5 million to $150 million. In 1996, Mr. Haddad was promoted to President of Armada Hoffler Holding Company, the parent of all Armada Hoffler entities, inclusive of the flagship development division as well as asset management. In 1999, he was given the additional title of Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, Armada Hoffler became one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the State of Virginia. The company has participated in over 25 Public-Private partnerships, changing skylines across the region including its showcase local project, the Town Center of Virginia Beach.

In 2013, Mr. Haddad spearheaded the company’s initial public offering and transition into a publicly-traded REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AHH). Due to its growth and stability, Armada Hoffler has been added to both the MSCI US REIT Index and S&P Small Cap 600. Since the IPO, the company has increased its property holdings to 51 large-scale commercial assets and has developed over $800 million of new projects. Company operations now span across 7 Mid-Atlantic states..

Mr. Haddad is widely recognized in Hampton Roads, Virginia, for his philanthropy and commitment to children with special needs. He is the Co-Founder and Benefactor, along with his wife, Mary, of the Louis S. and Mary C. Henninger Haddad Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged and at-risk children, since 1999. Mr. Haddad has also been active with several youth and medical charities, including ForKids, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Governor’s School for the Arts, Special Olympics, The Up Center, United Way, and the March of Dimes. Mr. Haddad was appointed to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors by Governor Northam in 2019 and served through 2023. He has repeatedly been recognized in Virginia Business’ Power List and through several awards and publications as one of the most influential leaders in Virginia.

Shawn J. Tibbetts has two decades of corporate leadership experience. As Armada Hoffler’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Tibbetts is responsible for aligning the day-to-day operations of the company’s various business lines and support groups with the corporate goals set by the CEO and Board of Directors. Mr. Tibbetts previously served as The Port of Virginia’s President and Chief Operations Officer. Mr. Tibbetts was recognized on Inside Business' 2022 Power List and named to Virginia Business' 100 People to Meet in 2024. A native of Portsmouth, Mr. Tibbetts earned his undergraduate degree from James Madison University, his MBA from the College of William & Mary, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Matthew Barnes-Smith serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Armada Hoffler Properties; previously serving as the company’s Executive Vice President of Finance. Mr. Barnes-Smith is responsible for overseeing the organization in the areas of financial planning, accounting, strategy, and risk management. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Administration Officer for The Port of Virginia where he was accountable for various business functions including financial analytics and reporting, as well as procurement and cost control. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Oklahoma State University, where he also received his master’s degree in Economics.

Eric E. Apperson began his career with Armada Hoffler in 1987 and held various positions prior to becoming President of Goodman Segar Hogan Hoffler Construction (a subsidiary of Armada Hoffler) in 1997. Due to his wide range of experience in management, he was appointed President of Armada Hoffler Construction Company in 2000. Mr. Apperson currently serves as the President of Construction and Development. In addition to being responsible for the overall management, strategic growth, and financial health of the construction and development sectors, he focuses on cultivating relationships with new and existing clients, subcontractors, and employees. Mr. Apperson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampden-Sydney College where he is a member of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Apperson was a member of the Board of Directors of Bank @lantec from 2007 through 2016 and served as its Chairman from 2010 until 2016. He also was a member of the Board of Trustees at Cape Henry Collegiate from 2014-2018. He now sits on the Virginia Advisory Board of Dollar Bank.

Lou Haddad was recruited to Armada Hoffler in 1985 as an on-site construction superintendent, where he quickly distinguished himself among company executives and subcontractors, alike. Following several promotions, he was elevated to President of Armada Hoffler Construction Company in 1987, a few months shy of his 30th birthday. During his subsequent 9-year tenure, the division’s annual revenue grew from $5 million to $150 million. In 1996, Mr. Haddad was promoted to President of Armada Hoffler Holding Company, the parent of all Armada Hoffler entities, inclusive of the flagship development division as well as asset management. In 1999, he was given the additional title of Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, Armada Hoffler became one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the State of Virginia. The company has participated in over 25 Public-Private partnerships, changing skylines across the region including its showcase local project, the Town Center of Virginia Beach.

In 2013, Mr. Haddad spearheaded the company’s initial public offering and transition into a publicly-traded REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AHH). Due to its growth and stability, Armada Hoffler has been added to both the MSCI US REIT Index and S&P Small Cap 600. Since the IPO, the company has increased its property holdings to 51 large-scale commercial assets and has developed over $800 million of new projects. Company operations now span across 7 Mid-Atlantic states.

Mr. Haddad is widely recognized in Hampton Roads, Virginia, for his philanthropy and commitment to children with special needs. He is the Co-Founder and Benefactor, along with his wife, Mary, of the Louis S. and Mary C. Henninger Haddad Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged and at-risk children, since 1999. Mr. Haddad has also been active with several youth and medical charities, including ForKids, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Governor’s School for the Arts, Special Olympics, The Up Center, United Way, and the March of Dimes. Mr. Haddad was appointed to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors by Governor Northam in 2019 and served through 2023. He has repeatedly been recognized in Virginia Business’ Power List and through several awards and publications as one of the most influential leaders in Virginia.

Eva Teig Hardy has served as a director since March 2015 and has been lead independent director since 2022. Ms. Hardy retired as executive vice president of Public Policy and Corporate Community at Dominion Resources in 2008, after 20 years as an executive with the company. She currently serves as a consultant on energy issues. In addition to her private-sector experience, Ms. Hardy spent 17 years in local and state government, serving as an urban planner with the City of Portsmouth, VA in 1972, Commissioner of Labor for Virginia in 1983, and Secretary of Health and Human Resources from 1986 to 1990 in the administration of Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles. She was the Interim State Director for U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner in 2009 after he was elected to the Senate.

Ms. Hardy has sat on various community boards including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, the Oliver Hill Foundation, and the Holocaust Museum. She previously served as Vice Chair of the State Council of Higher Education and on the Board of Trustees of her alma mater, Hood College, as well as the Board of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She currently serves as a Commissioner of the Virginia Port Authority representing the Richmond Port. Ms. Hardy received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hood College and a master’s degree in government and public administration from American University.

Founder Dan Hoffler launched Armada Hoffler in 1979, creating a business culture and vision that vaulted the Company into a premier East Coast commercial real estate development, construction and asset management firm. Mr. Hoffler established a corporate ethos founded on integrity, trust and civic responsibility and captained the Company’s initial public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2013. He remains active in strategic operations and currently serves as a director of Armada Hoffler’s board of directors. After graduating from Campbell College with a business degree, Mr. Hoffler worked for Dun & Bradstreet and quickly ascended the ranks to become a regional manager. He joined developer Eastern International, Inc. as its Vice President of Marketing before establishing Armada Hoffler. A former “Outstanding Citizen of Hampton Roads”, Dan has served on several public and private boards, prior service includes: The Shaw Group; Governor’s Advisory Board for Industrial Development for the Commonwealth of Virginia; Virginia Racing Commission; Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; Department of Transportation; University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors; and Chair of the Hampton Roads Partnership.

George F. Allen has served as a director since Armada Hoffler’s initial public offering in 2013. Mr. Allen currently serves as the President of George Allen Strategies, a business consulting firm founded by Mr. Allen, as well as on the board of directors of several technology companies, including Lee Technologies, nanoRisk Assessment and Material Intellect. Gov. Allen is also the Reagan Ranch Presidential Scholar for Young America’s Foundation and serves on the Board of Governors for the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara, as well as on the Appalachian School of Law’s Board of Trustees. Gov. Allen is the Chair of the Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative for the National Association of Manufacturers. He has served the Commonwealth of Virginia in the House of Delegates, U.S. House of Representatives, as the 67th Governor of Virginia and in the U.S. Senate. Furthermore, Mr. Allen served as the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 2004 election cycle. Mr. Allen holds an undergraduate degree and a law degree from the University of Virginia.

James A. Carroll is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Crestline Hotels & Resorts, LLC, a leading hospitality management company that manages 117 hotel properties throughout twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Carroll originally joined Barceló Crestline Corporation in 2004 as Senior Vice President and Treasurer. He was named Chief Financial Officer in 2006 and promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of Crestline Hotels & Resorts, LLC, in 2010. Prior to joining Crestline, Mr. Carroll held several operations and financial management positions at Dell, Inc. Mr. Carroll has extensive leadership experience spanning over finance, information technology and cybersecurity, operations, and more. Mr. Carroll served as a Naval Aviator and Lieutenant in the United States Navy. Mr. Carroll holds an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He also serves as Chairman of the Board for the non-profit organization ServiceSource, Inc., and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

James C. Cherry has served as a director since our initial public offering and our lead independent director since 2019. He served as CEO and as a director of Park Sterling Corporation (NASDAQ: PSTB), a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, since its formation in August 2010 until November 2017 and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Park Sterling Bank, a regional financial services company, since its initial public offering in August 2010 until November 2017. He served as a director of South State Corporation (NASDAQ: SSB) a bank holding company based in Columbia, South Carolina, from December 2017 until December 2019; and, he served as a director of Beach Community Bank, based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, from July 2018, until August 2022. From 1974 until June 2006, Mr. Cherry served Wachovia Corporation and its principal Wachovia Bank in various leadership positions, including as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the Mid-Atlantic Banking, President of Virginia Banking, and Head of Trust and Investment Management. He chaired the Virginia Bankers Association in 2006-2007.

Dennis Gartman is a well-known investor, economist, and longtime publisher of “The Gartman Letter” and has been actively involved in the capital markets since 1972. Mr. Gartman is a graduate of the University of Akron and did his graduate work at NC State University. Mr. Gartman is a regular contributor to several financial media outlets and in the past had spoken before various associations and trade groups around the world. He was an economist for Cotton, Inc., where he analyzed supply and demand in the U.S. textile industry. Mr. Gartman later moved to NCNB National Bank in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he traded foreign exchange and money market instruments. Subsequently, he became the Chief Financial Futures analyst for A.G. Becker & Company in Chicago, Illinois, and was an independent member of the Chicago Board of Trade for several years in the early 80’s. Later, Mr. Gartman led the futures brokerage operation at Sovran Bank. Beginning in 1987, he began publishing “The Gartman Letter” which was published daily and continuously through the end of 2019. The Gartman Letter was subscribed to by hedge funds, energy trading firms, agriculture trading companies, banks, brokerage firms, family offices and wealthy individual traders/investors all around the world. From 2006-2008, he served as an outside Director of the Kansas City Board of Trade. In addition to serving on the Armada Hoffler board, Mr. Gartman currently chairs the Investment/Endowment Committee at the University of Akron Foundation and serves on a similar committee at North Carolina State University.

A. Russell Kirk currently serves as a director of Armada Hoffler Properties and had previously served as Vice Chairman of our Board of Directors since the Company’s initial public offering. Mr. Kirk assists with strategic planning, including acquisition, development and investment decisions. He also works on structuring partnerships and joint ventures, designing exit strategies as well as securing financial commitments from lenders. Prior to joining Armada Hoffler in 1983, Mr. Kirk was a partner with the law firm of Kaufman & Canoles, where he practiced for ten years, specializing in real estate finance law. Mr. Kirk also served on the Virginia Port Authority for eight years and served as its Chairman for the last two years of his term. He has served on several boards of publicly held companies including Resource Bank and Dominion Land. Mr. Kirk received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and received a Law Degree from Washington and Lee University, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif.

A veteran of the transportation industry, Mr. Wimbush dedicated 35 years to Norfolk Southern Corporation. He carved his path from legal positions to senior leadership, culminating in his role as Chief Real Estate and Corporate Sustainability Officer from 2007 to 2015.

Mr. Wimbush lends his expertise to boards such as Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation, LifeNet Health, Inc., Virginia Environmental Endowment and the University of Virginia Law School Foundation, where he previously served as Chairman. His extensive public service contributions include a tenure as Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Virginia Port Authority and as Vice Chairman of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.

Mr. Wimbush received a B.A. in political science from the University of Rochester, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He attended the Norfolk Southern Management Development Program, Duke University Fuqua School of Business and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.