The Peebles Team

CHairman and Ceo

Recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation, Don Peebles is founder, chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation, one of the country’s most active privately held national real estate investment and development companies. Mr. Peebles engages in practices of Affirmative Development™ to provide transformative economic inclusion for minority and woman owned businesses  within their  multi-billion dollar portfolio of projects in New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles. 

Mr. Peebles is also the author of top-selling books, “The Peebles Principles” and “The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth,” a regular guest commentator on FOX Business, CNN, CNBC and FOX News and a highly sought-after speaker who has addressed educational, business and professional audiences across the United States.

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Principal and Creative Director

Katrina L. Peebles is responsible for the creative vision and direction of The Peebles Corporation’s design and marketing. For over 25 years she has led the company’s efforts in the areas of real estate, interior design, historic preservation, community involvement and political fundraising. 

Upon joining the company and in conjunction with Mr. Peebles’ entrepreneurial initiatives, Mrs. Peebles spearheaded the development of the Peebles real estate tax assessment appeal business which went on to become the most successful real estate tax appeal firm in the District of Columbia. In the mid-1990s, after the launch of Peebles Atlantic Development Corporation, Mrs. Peebles focused on preparing winning responses to requests for proposals, guiding project-specific marketing efforts and overseeing the preservation and restoration of the company’s historic mixed-use developments including The Royal Palm, The Residences at The Bath Club, and 108 Leonard. Prior to joining The Peebles Corporation, Mrs. Peebles held a position in marketing at Carter, Hawley and Hale (parent company of Neiman Marcus) in her hometown of San Francisco. 

In addition to her corporate role, Mrs. Peebles has made it a priority to give back to her community and devote time to various charities. She currently sits on the board of directors for CARE Elementary School in Miami, and as the Vice Chair of the New York City Mission Society.  She is the former vice president of Villa Viscaya, former president of the Women's Cancer League, co-founder and former president of the Recreation Wish List Committee of Washington, D.C. and has served as a member of the Miami City Ballet, Cancer Link, United Way, Lighthouse for the Blind and the Women Who Care Committee–NYC. Mrs. Peebles is also active in politics, hosting and contributing to political fundraisers for nearly three decades.

Mrs. Peebles holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Managing Director of Development, Northeast Region

Chris Leng Smith is responsible for the overall execution and day-to-day management of The Peebles Corporation’s development activities in the Northeast region of the United States. Mr. Leng Smith oversees the implementation of long-term business objectives, identifying new business opportunities, addressing compliance issues, and staying informed about market trends. His role encompasses strategic planning, financial oversight, team leadership, and proactive engagement with project stakeholders to ensure the company's success and growth.

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Leng Smith was Senior Vice President for the New York City Economic Development Corporation where he led the structuring and negotiation of public-private partnerships and transactions for more than 2.5 million square feet of developments including Flushing Commons, the Battery Maritime Building and Coney Island, among others. Previously, Mr. Leng Smith managed the financial analysis, project planning, market positioning, design, and preliminary leasing of more than $5 billion of world-class domestic and international real estate projects as Senior Director of Tishman Speyer and Vice President of AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. 

Mr. Leng Smith began his career as a resident engineer and engineering project manager on large-scale renovation and construction projects in New York, Trinidad, Malaysia and London. He earned a BA in Engineering from Cambridge University in England and an MBA in Finance and International Business from Columbia University’s Business School.

Executive Vice PresidenT

Donahue Peebles, III, Executive Vice President of The Peebles Corporation, handles new acquisitions and business development for the company.

Mr. Peebles actively pursues public and private real estate transactions in The Peebles Corporation’s key markets, including Miami, Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Charlotte, and Atlanta. In addition, he maintains substantial involvement in the pre-development phase, and is adept at advancing projects throughout the development process by way of strategic partnerships, project management, and community engagement.

In addition, Mr. Peebles is the Chairman and CEO of Legacy Real Estate Development, a residential real estate development firm which focuses on the development and acquisition of low-income housing projects in South Florida, Washington D.C. metropolitan area, and New York tri-state area.

Mr. Peebles takes an active role in both The Peebles Corporation and Legacy’s public involvement, by participating in business and entrepreneurial summits, as well as real estate panels and forums. He also serves both the Washington, D.C., and New York City communities by engaging with multiple philanthropies which benefit and expose youth to various opportunities in entrepreneurship. Mr. Peebles currently works with the New York City Mission Society, Best Buddies, Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., and several other organizations to improve the quality of life of impoverished and special-needs individuals.

Mr. Peebles holds a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University.

SENIOR STRAteGIC ADVISOR to the chairman

Irving Padron is a Senior Strategic Advisor to Chairman and CEO, R. Donahue Peebles. Since 2007, Mr. Padron has advised Mr. Peebles on various aspects of business, including corporate operations, real estate development, capital, sales and marketing, and strategic expansion. In addition, he has periodically acted as interim CFO for The Peebles Corporation, as well as interim Asset Manager for The Bath Club.

Mr. Padron is the Founder & CEO of Deering Companies, a leading Miami-based real estate investment and consulting firm founded in 2006. Deering provides advisory services on over $8B in luxury mixed-use real estate developments and transactions in select gateway cities. The company is also developing a $350M portfolio of ultra-luxury single-family home developments in Florida.

With over 35 years of real estate industry experience, Mr. Padron has cultivated an extensive network of real estate investors and sponsors, and he utilizes his financial, operational, and sales experience to empower his clients.

Mr. Padron began his career at KPMG, later serving as CFO of Terremark, which went public in 2000 and in 2008, was sold for approximately $2 billion. Afterward, he was the Principal and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty and Engel & Voelkers’ franchises, overseeing over $5 billion in luxury homes and projects in South Florida and the Caribbean, achieving record-breaking sales in luxury residential and commercial real estate.

Mr. Padron holds a BA and an MBA from the University of Miami. He is a Florida Certified Public Accountant, a Florida Real Estate Broker, and holds Series 7 and 63 securities registrations with FINRA.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT & IT SOLUTIONS  

Emil Dominique manages the back office and accounting for The Peebles Corporation current assets and developments. Mr. Dominique has more than 10 years of experience in public and commercial accounting. His vast knowledge and skills contribute to management dashboarding, financial reporting, project accounting, maintaining banking relationships, assessing internal controls, project onboarding and maintaining accounting information management systems.  

Additionally, Mr. Dominique serves as The Peebles Corporation Network Administrator with nearly two decades of experience in information technology. He administers The Peebles Corporation network environment, architect and integrity. Which consist of defining network policies, procedures, assuring hardware and networking infrastructure bound to Peebles data network are effectively maintained. Since joining The Peebles Corporation his roles have evolved from clerk to his current positions he holds. Mr. Dominique studied Computer Engineering and holds a Bachelor of Business Administrator in Finance from Florida International University. 

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Kendall Pryles serves as the Communications Director, where she leads the strategic oversight of both internal and external communications, manages community relations, and fosters key business partnerships. Her role includes supervising public relations consultants and developing comprehensive communication strategies to enhance the firm’s public image. Ms. Pryles is instrumental in securing high-profile speaking engagements and expanding media coverage for the corporation and its Chairman and CEO, R. Donahue Peebles.

With over 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing, Ms. Pryles has a specialized focus in the real estate sector. She has consistently driven successful corporate branding initiatives and led impactful media campaigns. 

Ms. Pryles holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Université Jean Moulin in Lyon, France, and a master’s degree in communications from Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier, France.

Accounts Payable Manager

Jessica Desir is a member of the accounting department at The Peebles Corporation. She oversees the entire accounts payable process, maintaining accurate records of financial documents and payments to suppliers. In addition to her responsibilities in accounting, Ms. Desir prides herself on building lasting relationships with vendors and employees.

Ms. Desir has spent more than a decade working in various accounting roles for local civic associations and organizations throughout New Jersey, such as the Nishuane Group, LLC. Prior to joining The Peebles Corporation, Ms. Desir worked as an accounts payable coordinator at Kent International.

Ms. Desir holds a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University, with a concentration in Budgeting and Financial Management.

Development Associate

Chris Minichello is a real estate investment professional, with a focus on large-scale deal structuring and acquisitions opportunities. As an associate on the development team at The Peebles Corporation, he uses his broad range of skills, from deal sourcing and joint venture coordination to debt analysis and asset management, to consistently deliver outstanding results for the company. Mr. Minichello works hand-in-hand with debt and equity providers to optimize the capital stack on a deal-by-deal basis, devise complex structuring solutions for JV partners and identify recap opportunities for challenging assets. Mr. Minichello's expertise is further enhanced by his substantial transaction experience. His co-investment efforts alone exceed $1.3 billion, while his total acquisition and development experience surpasses $2.5 billion in total asset value. Prior to joining TPC, he worked as an investment associate at Carter Funds where he was involved in all aspects of the real estate investment life cycle and portfolio management.

 Mr. Minichello holds a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Finance from Florida Gulf Coast University.

Executive Assistant to the chairman

Erika Avila serves as the gatekeeper to The Peebles Corporation’s Chairman and CEO, R. Donahue Peebles. She also serves as the direct liaison to all other departments of The Peebles Corporation.

Prior to her position as Executive Assistant, Ms. Avila served as accounts payable associate, where she handled various accounting duties for Mr. Peebles, The Peebles Corporation, and project-specific payables, as well as minor administrative duties for the office and staff.

Ms. Avila holds an AA in Biology from Miami Dade College and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Florida International University.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Stephen Bridges, a Miami native, serves as the administrative assistant to The Peebles Corporation. With almost a decade of experience in the real estate and hospitality industries, Mr. Bridges has a proven track record of organizational skills, an ability to streamline processes, provide executive support, and a gift for fostering relationships.

Prior to his role at The Peebles Corporation, Mr. Bridges provided administrative support to the Keller Williams Team in Miami Shores as well as support to some of the most upscale hotel properties in South Florida, including Eden Roc and JW Marriott.