Rob is a founding Principal of Cairn Pacific LLC. He has been involved in development of commercial and multifamily real estate for more than 20 years, both as a real estate attorney and as a developer in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. With degrees from Whitman College and Harvard Law School, Rob began his real estate career working on real estate transactions and real estate lending with Ball Janik LLP and Stoel Rives LLP in Portland.

In 1997, Rob decided to leave the practice of law and join one of his clients, Trammell Crow Residential (TCR), developing apartments and condominiums. Rob spent 13 years with TCR, ultimately serving for a decade as division partner and senior managing director for TCR’s operations in the Pacific Northwest. He served on the TCR board and was a national leader in TCR’s shift from suburban apartments to urban redevelopment.. During his leadership, TCR developed more than 4,500 apartments and condominiums.

While at TCR Rob developed two urban mixed-use buildings in partnership with C.E. John Company, Inc., a family-owned real estate company in Vancouver, Washington, and developed a close relationship with the John family. In 2010, Rob joined C.E. John Company, Inc., as its President and led the company through a time of leadership transition, expansion and diversification. The company redeveloped some of its existing retail assets and developed several new mixed-use communities in NW Portland.

In early 2014, Rob decided to follow through on his long-held goal of founding his own real estate development company. He joined Tom DiChiara, head of development for C.E. John Company and Rob’s business partner for more than a decade, to launch Cairn Pacific LLC and continue developing sustainable, urban projects.

Rob spends his spare time with his family and enjoys gardening, hiking, running, and skiing. He is a Whitman College Overseer and member of the Investment Committee for the Whitman College endowment.