Bio
Brian Kelly is a Principal of Eastern Real Estate, which he co-founded with his business partner Dan Doherty in 2000. Since their professional partnership began in 1991, Brian’s and Dan’s entrepreneurial approach and long-term industry relationships have enabled them to develop and implement creative solutions for a wide range of commercial real estate opportunities. Together with their longtime team of professionals, they have completed hundreds of transactions and developed over 150 projects encompassing nearly 15 million square feet valued in excess of $3 billion. Outside of his responsibilities to Eastern Real Estate clients and the communities in which the company invests, Brian Kelly maintains a longstanding and deeply personal commitment to autism and autism-related causes. For more than a decade, Brian has led various efforts to provide education and care to individuals and families impacted by autism, including advising on the acquisition and development of the Melmark School in Andover, Massachusetts, and the funding and construction of the world-renowned Koegel Autism Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara. As a result of his work with the Koegel Autism Center, the University of California, Santa Barbara Gevirtz School presented Brian with the Thomas G. Haring Memorial Award, which honors achievement in special education. In May 2015, Brian was elected Chairman of the Board of Autism Speaks. He has long been an integral part of Autism Speaks, both as a founding member of the Board of Directors and of its Executive Committee. Brian served as Chairman for five years. Prior to his election as Chairman of the Board, Brian served as Chairman of the Audit and Family Services Committees. Brian is a past recipient of the Gilda Radner Courage Award, which recognizes a cancer survivor whose courageous public battles have given hope to people with cancer and focuses public attention on the fight against the disease. Brian was raised in New York and spent most of his adult life in Boston. Brian resides in Santa Barbara, California, where he raised his six children. His eldest child, Patrick, has autism.
Areas of Interest
- Deal Type
- Acquisition, Development, Ground Lease, Loan Purchase, Opportunity Zone, Partner Buyout, Pre-Development, Recapitalization, Refinance, Rehabilitation