Lawson, a leading real estate firm specializing in the development, construction, and management of multifamily housing, has announced the planned retirement of president and chief executive officer, Carl Hardee, effective at the end of 2025. Following Hardee’s retirement, the company expects to appoint Aaron Phipps, current senior vice president and chief financial officer, to that position.

Hardee began at Lawson in 1991 as a regional property manager at Lawson Realty Corporation, Lawson’s property management subsidiary organization. His leadership earned him promotions, including president of Lawson Realty Corporation in 1996, vice president and COO of The Lawson Companies in 1999, and finally president and CEO in 2016.

During Hardee’s tenure, the company grew from a 2,500-unit property management firm to a development, construction, and management one with over 5,100 units in its portfolio. In that time the company bought and sold multiple properties, developed more than 30 new Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) communities totaling more than 3,200 affordable apartments, and currently has new developments in its pipeline.

"It has been an incredible journey growing alongside Lawson. I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together as a team, and I have the utmost confidence in Aaron to lead Lawson into the next phase of its growth,” said Hardee. “Aaron’s leadership and financial acumen have already strengthened our position, and I know he will continue to drive the company forward."

Aaron Phipps joined Lawson as SVP and CFO in 2013 and has over 25 years of investment real estate experience including acquisition, disposition, equity offering, debt financing, debt and equity structuring, underwriting, and recapitalization along with oversight of accounting and financial reporting for both private and publicly traded companies. Phipps holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Purdue University and has been instrumental in managing Lawson's financial strategy and operations over the past decade.

Hardee will remain with Lawson through the end of 2025 to assist with a seamless transition.

Lawson is proud to announce that Chairman Steve Lawson and President and CEO Carl Hardee have again been named to the Virginia Business Power 500 list. The Power 500 list recognizes the most influential leaders in Virginia across multiple industries, underscoring Lawson’s commitment to community development and growth throughout the state.

“This recognition is truly a reflection of the incredible people at Lawson.”, said Carl Hardee, President and CEO. “Our success is a direct result of our team’s commitment to building safe, affordable, quality housing for the communities in which we live and work, which directly aligns with our mission to positively impact people.”

Lawson manages nearly 5,000 apartment units in Virginia including Market Heights; an award-winning 164-unit affordable housing development completed last year in Norfolk’s St. Paul’s District. Continued growth includes 342 new affordable units currently leasing up in Prince William County and 115 new affordable units leasing up in Lynchburg. The company also has over 1,000 affordable housing units in development or under construction in Richmond, Roanoke, and Woodbridge.

"It’s an honor to be included among such a distinguished group of leaders," said Steve Lawson, Chairman. "Our focus at Lawson has always been to build quality communities that provide lasting value, and this recognition is a reflection of the dedication and expertise of our entire team."

Lawson, a leading developer, builder, and manager of multifamily housing in Virginia, is thrilled to announce the promotion of Julie Richardson to the position of Chief Operating Officer. In her new role she will oversee day-to-day operations, strategic initiatives, and continue to evolve Lawson’s core focus of positively impacting people.

Richardson joined Lawson five years ago as Director of Human Resources. She was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources in 2023 where she has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic thinking and played a pivotal role in aligning Lawson’s people strategy with business objectives. Richardson will also maintain her role as VP of Human Resources.

"Julie's dedication, strategic mindset, and commitment to excellence make her the perfect fit for the role of Chief Operating Officer.”, said Lawson President and CEO, Carl Hardee. “Throughout her tenure at Lawson, Julie has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive results and lead with integrity."

Before joining Lawson, Julie earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She worked for several organizations in the capacity of Operations, Marketing and ultimately HR overseeing multiple teams and multimillion-dollar revenue budgets along her journey.  She is a distinguished HR professional holding the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation from the HR Certification Institute and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential from the Society for Human Resource Management. Her expertise in talent acquisition, employee development, and organizational effectiveness has been instrumental in driving Lawson's talent management initiatives forward.

Lawson proudly announces its recognition as a finalist in the National Association of Home Builders' 2023 Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards. Market Heights Apartments in Norfolk, VA, stands out as a finalist in the category of Best Affordable Community over 100 units.

“This is a highly competitive national award and it’s a true honor to be named a finalist.”, said Lawson Chairman, Steve Lawson. “I’m extraordinarily proud of our team and the communities we’re building.”

Market Heights is a 100% affordable 164-unit LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credit) multifamily community in Norfolk’s St. Paul’s district, a few short blocks away from the downtown business district. The development serves individuals and families earning 40-60% of the Area Median Income offering 80 units of universal design and 17 fully accessible 504-compliant ADA units.

Lawson partnered with Hope House Foundation and Volunteers of America Chesapeake and Carolinas to provide permanent supportive housing to residents with disabilities.  Hope House has space on-site to provide services to residents with developmental disabilities and mobility impairments.  

Focusing on resident health throughout the community, Hope House obtained a $100,000 grant from LISC Hampton Roads, powered by Sentara Health to fund a mobile food pantry, private telehealth booth, and accessible fitness center with wellness classes for residents.

Market Heights raises the bar of affordable housing with high end amenities including community rooms, secure access, elevators, fitness center, accessible playground, on-site laundry, bicycle storage, and a dog park. Apartments boast open floor plans, some with balconies and city views, granite countertops, in-unit washer/dryer hookups, and modern kitchens with dishwasher.  

Additionally, Market Heights is the first property approved under Norfolk’s new resiliency code with specific measures applying to flooding, energy efficiency, and building integrity. The site is raised above the flood plain and features permeable parking areas and building downspouts feeding an underground stormwater management system that filters and holds stormwater for slow release into the city stormwater system to prevent flooding at street level. The system minimizes pollution in the neighboring Elizabeth River and manages 25% more stormwater due to these improvements and removal of impervious concrete. Environmental improvements resulted in Market Heights being recognized as an Elizabeth River Project River Star Business.

The Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards have been rewarding excellence in multifamily housing for over two decades. The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing over 140,000 members nationwide. Lawson was previously recognized with a 2019 Multifamily Pillars Award for Seaside Harbor Apartments in Virginia Beach and a 2021 Multifamily Pillars Award for The Retreat at Harbor Pointe Apartments in Norfolk

Lawson is proud to share that Market Heights Apartments in Norfolk, VA have been awarded the 2024 CoStar Impact Award for Multifamily Development of the Year in the Hampton Roads Virginia market.

Market Heights is a two-phase community totaling 164-unit income restricted 100% affordable LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credit) units in Norfolk’s St. Paul’s district serving residents at 40%, 50%, and 60% AMI. The development includes 80 units of Universal Design and 17 fully accessible 504-compliant units.

“Affordable housing is crucial to the region.” said Impact Award judge, Kenneth Kahn, dean and professor of the Strome College of Business at Old Dominion University.

Market Heights is the first property approved under the City of Norfolk’s new resiliency code mandating specific resilient measures applying to flooding, energy efficiency, and building integrity. The site has been raised out of the flood plain and manages 25% more stormwater due to improvements compared to the previous site. Environmental improvements resulted in Market Heights being recognized as an Elizabeth River Project River Star Business.

Lawson partnered with Hope House Foundation and Volunteers of America Chesapeake and Carolinas at Market Heights to provide permanent supportive housing to residents with disabilities.  Hope House also obtained a $100,000 grant from LISC Hampton Roads, powered by Sentara Health to fund a mobile food pantry, private telehealth booth, and accessible fitness center with wellness classes to benefit all Market Heights residents.

“Market Heights is a fantastic example of modern affordable housing, developed in partnership with organizations who share our values and mission and designed to serve the needs of our community.”, said Lawson President and CEO, Carl Hardee.

The CoStar Impact Awards recognize exemplary commercial real estate transactions and projects completed in 2023 with significant influence in neighborhoods or submarkets across 128 major markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Lawson is thrilled to announce the promotion of Austin Pittman to Director of Development.

Pittman started his career at Lawson as an Assistant Multifamily Development Analyst in 2014. In the following decade he was promoted multiple times to Development Analyst, Financial Analyst, Development Manager, and now joins Lawson’s leadership team as Director of Development.

“Austin’s dedication to the creation of quality affordable housing is admirable.” said Lawson CFO and acting VP of Development, Aaron Phipps. “His track record for developing winning strategies, collaborative problem-solving in all phases of the development process, and establishing critical partnerships has been key to the success of many of Lawson’s recent projects.”

Pittman has contributed to the development of eleven stabilized LIHTC affordable multifamily communities totaling 1,022 units and is currently working on five LIHTC communities in development or under construction that will bring nearly 1,000 additional affordable units to Virginia families.

Pittman has been an invited speaker and panelist at multiple industry conferences, was recognized as a 2023 Inside Business Top 40 Under Forty professional and received the Virginia Housing Alliance Emerging Leader Award in 2020. He holds a Housing Credit Certified Professional Certificate from the National Association of Home Builders and a B.S. in Business Administration from Old Dominion University.