AvalonBay Communities, Inc. announced that Pamela R. Thomas will join AvalonBay as Executive Vice President, Portfolio and Asset Management. In this newly created position, Ms. Thomas will lead the Company?s portfolio and asset management organization; determine and gain alignment within the organization on key priorities for driving portfolio performance; and set capital plans across the portfolio to achieve performance objectives. Ms. Thomas will report to Mr. Schall and partner with the other members of the executive team to further enhance the Company?s industry leadership and drive superior growth in the years ahead.

Ms. Thomas will also be a voting member of the Company?s Management Investment Committee, which reviews and approves proposals for development, acquisitions and major capital improvements. Ms. Thomas was most recently Managing Director, member of the Global Leadership Team, and Head of US Real Estate Investment for CPP Investments (CPP). At CPP, Ms. Thomas managed the U.S. team and led investments and dispositions across multiple real estate sectors, and she also served on CPP?s Global Real Estate Investment Committee.

Prior to joining CPP, Ms. Thomas was Executive Director with JP Morgan Asset Management, responsible for that firm?s New York and Northern New Jersey multifamily portfolio, and previously she was with RREEF/Deutsche Bank, where she was primarily focused on East Coast multifamily investments. Ms. Thomas?s experience also includes leading joint venture negotiations, partner relationship management, financing strategies, and developing asset management strategies. Ms. Thomas is a graduate of New York University and is a member of WX Women Executives in Real Estate, the National Multifamily Housing Council, and the Urban Land Institute UDMUC Red council.