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Individual candidates in the category were chosen as some of the people who are leading diversity efforts at their company.  The candidates excel in innovative internal diversity practices, unite workforces toward mutual diversity goals, offer a wide range of beneficial programs and have proven to relentlessly support gender equality and cultivate change.

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“With the unanimous WNBA and NBA votes, today marks a new beginning for the Atlanta Dream organization and we are very pleased to welcome Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair to the WNBA,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “I admire their passion for women’s basketball, but more importantly, have been impressed with their values which are consistent with what the WNBA stands for. I am also thrilled that former WNBA star Renee Montgomery will be joining the ownership group as an investor and executive for the team. Renee is a trailblazer who has made a major impact both in the game and beyond.”

“It is a privilege to join a team of inspiring women who strive for excellence on the court and equity off the court,” said Larry Gottesdiener. “I would like to express my gratitude to Commissioner Engelbert, Commissioner Silver, and the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors for the opportunity.”

Two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery will be the first former player to become both an owner and executive of a WNBA team. Montgomery sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice issues and recently announced her retirement from the league after 11 seasons.

“My Dream has come true,” said Renee Montgomery. “Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both a stake in ownership and a leadership role with the team is an opportunity that I take very seriously. I invite you to join me as the Dream builds momentum in Atlanta!”

Founded in 2007, the Dream has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs eight times and has reached the WNBA Finals three times. The team’s former owners, Dream Too LLC, the Atlanta Dream ownership group, purchased the team in 2011.

Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler commented on the transaction saying, “Ten years ago we stepped up to keep the Dream in Atlanta, as an important asset for a vibrant and diverse city. It was also important to us to help level the playing field for women’s professional sports. We are proud of what we accomplished and wish the team well in their next chapter. We will always value the hard work and dedication, and the memories, fans and friendships that sustained our commitment to the Atlanta Dream over the last decade.”

The Dream will play the 2021 season at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park, a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue. The 2021 WNBA regular season schedule will be announced at a later date.

About Larry Gottesdiener
Larry Gottesdiener, Founder and Chairman of Northland Investment Corporation, a $10 billion real estate private equity firm, charts Northland’s long-term strategy, oversees innovative mixed-used developments, and guides philanthropy, engagement, and activism. Northland has been recognized by the industry in lists that include Best Places to Work in Multifamily and Best Places to Work in Multifamily for Women. Northland’s philanthropy is focused on empowering women, combating racism, and ending homelessness.

About the WNBA

Entering its 25th season in 2021, the WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women.  Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion and social responsibility.  Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete. Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s new partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers. Inaugural WNBA Changemakers include AT&T, Deloitte and Nike. In addition, during the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

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Larry Gottesdiener, the founder and longtime chief executive of Newton-based real estate company Northland Investment Corp., is handing the reins over to his son.

Matthew Gottesdiener, currently Northland’s chief investment officer, is being promoted to CEO. Meanwhile, Suzanne Abair, who joined Northland as general counsel in 2004 and was named chief operating officer in 2016, will assume the role of president.

As CEO, Matthew Gottesdiener will guide Northland’s investment strategy, drive the firm’s operating business and further expand Northland’s national platform.

“I respect the opportunity to build on Northland’s long-term, industry-leading track record,” Matthew Gottesdiener said in a statement. “I am fortunate to work alongside the best team of professionals in the multifamily space and am excited for the next chapter in Northland’s growth.”

As president, Abair will partner with Matthew Gottesdiener on Northland’s strategic direction, manage operational oversight and oversee complex transactions. Abair will also lead Northland’s diversity, equity and inclusion action plan.

“I am honored to take on this new role as president, and I am grateful for the unwavering support I have received from Larry throughout my time at Northland,” Abair said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Matthew to cultivate an organization in which every member of the team is empowered to come to work, be their authentic self, and strive for excellence every day.”

Prior to joining Northland in 2016, Matthew Gottesdiener was an equity derivatives trader at Goldman Sachs. In his tenure at Northland, the company’s assets under management have grown from $4 billion to $7 billion.

“Matthew’s analytical rigor, investment acumen, and execution capabilities have reimagined Northland,” said Larry Gottesdiener in a statement. “Balancing organizational integrity with an unwavering pursuit of investment and operational outperformance, Matthew has set the firm on a forward-thinking path.”

Larry Gottesdiener will become company chairman, where he will focus on Northland’s long-term strategic direction, oversee mixed-use projects and guide the firm’s philanthropic efforts.

In December, Northland secured a major win with Newton voters approving its long-envisioned 23-acre mixed-use project in Newton Upper Falls. The Northland Newton Development is expected to include 800 residential units, of which 140 would be defined affordable, as well as 180,000 square feet of office space and 115,000 square feet of retail space.

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Newton, MA (February 11, 2021) – – Northland Investment Corporation, a real estate private equity firm with $7 billion of assets under management and a $3 billion development pipeline today announced that Chief Investment Officer Matthew Gottesdiener is being promoted to CEO and Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Abair is assuming the additional role of President. Current CEO Larry Gottesdiener will transition to the role of Chairman.

Since joining the firm in 2016 after a career at Goldman Sachs, Matthew has grown Northland’s assets under management from $4 to $7 billion, personally overseen the acquisition and disposition of 15,000 multifamily units, and expanded the firm’s suburban garden footprint to include a portfolio of some of the highest quality luxury multifamily and mixed-use assets in the country.

“Matthew’s analytical rigor, investment acumen, and execution capabilities have reimagined Northland,” said Larry Gottesdiener. “Balancing organizational integrity with an unwavering pursuit of investment and operational outperformance, Matthew has set the firm on a forward-thinking path.”

As CEO, Matthew will spearhead Northland’s investment strategy, drive the firm’s operating business, and build a national platform that bridges the firm’s acquisition capabilities with its boutique New England development business. Matthew is a member of ULI Multifamily Product Council, the NMHC Board of Directors, and is a Board Member and the Treasurer of HomeStart, a nationally recognized, Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness.
“I respect the opportunity to build on Northland’s long-term, industry-leading track record. I am fortunate to work alongside the best team of professionals in the multifamily space and am excited for the next chapter in Northland’s growth,” said Matthew Gottesdiener.

Suzanne Abair joined Northland in 2004, initially as General Counsel before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer. As President & COO, Suzanne will partner with Matthew to chart the strategic direction of the firm, maintain oversight of operations, and tackle the firm’s most complex transactions. Building upon her work as a Board Member at YW Boston, an organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women, Suzanne will also lead the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) action plan.

“I am honored to take on this new role as President, and I am grateful for the unwavering support I have received from Larry throughout my time at Northland,” said Suzanne Abair. “I look forward to working with Matthew to cultivate an organization in which every member of the team is empowered to come to work, be their authentic self, and strive for excellence every day.”

Matthew and Suzanne, thought leaders in the real estate industry, are committed to creating an organization with a diverse forward-looking culture that embraces its philanthropic values: empowering women, combatting racism, and ending homelessness. In his role as Chairman,
Larry Gottesdiener will chart the firm’s long-term strategic direction, oversee innovative mixed-use developments, and guide philanthropy, engagement, and activism.

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December 9, 2020

By Catherine Carlock

In her last year before moving to Boston, Suzanne Abair billed nearly 3,000 hours for the Wall Street law firm Fried Frank. The Massachusetts native then joined Mintz Levin, where she made partner and worked with Newton-based Northland as a client. The real estate private equity firm brought Abair on as general counsel in 2004, and she was named chief operating officer in 2016. Abair, who was named one of this year’s Women Who Mean Business, spoke to Business Journal Real Estate Editor Catherine Carlock recently from her office in Newton.

The Boston Business Journal will honor the 2020 Women Who Mean Business at an online event on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 10.

“My grandmother was a huge influence on me. She and her husband owned a pharmacy, and he died unexpectedly at age 42. She made the decision, against everyone telling her otherwise, that she was not going to sell the business. It was 1955. She had to get permission from the state to run the business. I actually have the letter in my office. It basically says, ‘We’re granting you permission to run your late husband’s drugstore under widow’s rights.’ I leave that as a reminder of: Women don’t need permission to be strong business leaders. The only people we need to give permission to is ourselves. We need to give ourselves permission to be our best selves, and to seize the opportunity we have in front of us.

“When I joined Northland, Larry (Gottesdiener, Northland’s chair and CEO) knew I was a member of the LGBTQ community. He and my spouse are friends. My kids love Larry. If you want to bring out the best in people, encourage your people to be their authentic selves. We are at our best when everyone is bringing their best self to work, and not spending a lot of energy worried about, how am I going to fit in, how am I supposed to be dressing, what is my hair supposed to do? When I was at law firms in New York in the mid-90s, it was not A-OK to be out and talking about those things. It is incredibly important being able to be who you are, comfortably.

“Our goal continues to be to be an employer of choice. If you’re an owner-operator like we are, and have over 660 employees across the country, your employees have to know that you believe that your human assets are equally as important — if not more important — than the real estate assets. When I became COO, I went out and visited every single property. The first couple times, people were prepared with their financials. I said, I really appreciate you being prepared, but I really just want to talk to you, meet the maintenance staff, hear about your challenges and what we can be doing better. There was initially a little bit of reticence. And so I said, we need to make changes immediately, so that people understand we’re not just out talking. We essentially rewrote our entire employee handbook. We added parental leave. We changed our tuition reimbursement program to also cover industry certification.

“I have always had the support of my family. Prior to adopting (now 16-year-old) Jacob, (Abair’s wife) Kat was working at Boston Medical Center. We made the decision for our family that we wanted to have someone at home. That was financially feasible. Kat is a CPA and is a treasurer of a couple of nonprofits. It works for us and allows us to be able to support nonprofit organizations that are very near and dear to our heart. I think it’s been a great example for our sons Jacob and Alex that there’s more than one way to contribute to the family. I’m incredibly grateful that my family has always been incredibly supportive. Their constant support and understanding is really important to me.

“We had spent four years, me and the Northland leadership team, trying to create a culture that was one company. It didn’t matter whether you’re in Corpus Christi or Amherst or the corporate office. And in the pandemic, we suddenly had 600 essential workers who needed to be on-site under very difficult circumstances. We needed to protect our employees. There’s a reason I’m in my office. We need to make sure that we’re modeling to our on-site employees that we get it, and we’re with you and we’re not asking you to do something that we’re not doing ourselves. We know you’re out there, and we’ve got your back. And I think that really has made a difference.

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