IREI Editorial Advisory Board member, co-founder of Townsend Group passes away
Kevin Lynch, co-founder of The Townsend Group, passed away Feb. 4 while at his home in Naples, Fla.
Lynch was a longtime supporter and a former Editorial Advisory Board member for Institutional Real Estate Americas, Institutional Real Estate Europe and Institutional Real Estate Asia Pacific.
“The industry has lost another icon. Kevin’s vision helped shape an entire industry. But more than that, Kevin was an incredibly warm, kind and supportive human being; always willing to lend a shoulder or a hand,” said Geoffrey Dohrmann, president and CEO of Institutional Real Estate Inc., who served on the Lexington board of trustees with Lynch. “I can still see his infectious smile and the twinkle that was almost always in his eyes. He had an enormous impact on so many, many people’s lives. He was particularly supportive of our firm over the years, and I know I speak for many in saying how much he will be missed as both a business mentor and as a personal friend. Our hearts go out to his family and his partners, especially to his two daughters and son, and to his co-founder and best friend Terry Ahern, as well as to all of the people whose lives he touched.”
Townsend released a statement that notes: “Kevin's energy and optimism were infectious, and his passing is a true loss to all fortunate enough to have had him in their lives. Please remember Kevin and his three children and loving family in your thoughts.”
Lynch served as a fiduciary and an investor advocate for public and private company boards and was an oft-quoted industry figure. Prior to forming Townsend with CEO Terry Ahern, Lynch participated in structuring private placement real estate transactions for Stonehenge Capital Corp., a New York City–based investment banking firm.
Since its formation in 1983, Townsend has grown to be international advisory company with assets under management exceeding $179 billion. Today, Townsend is led by 19 partners across four global offices.
Townsend added in a statement: “Kevin leaves us a persevering legacy of camaraderie and teamwork endemic to our culture. Townsend has been privileged to develop a deeply devoted team over the years, and though we will all miss Kevin, he leaves our clients, our partners, and our firm in a position of strength and endless resolve.”
Recently, Ahern and Lynch recently sold their remaining interest in Townsend along with their private equity shareholders to Colony NorthStar.
Lynch was a lead trustee of Lexington Realty Trust (alternate name Lexington Corporate Properties Trust) since May 18, 2010 and was its trustee since May 2003. He served as an independent trustee of Lexington Realty Trust from May 1996 to May 2000.
He served as an independent director at First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. from June 1994 to February 25, 2013.
He was a member of the National Real Estate Advisory Board for the Real Estate Center at New York University, the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries and the Pension Real Estate Association.
He was a frequent speaker at industry conferences and presented in Amsterdam and Frankfurt for the benefit of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate and as a guest lecturer at Columbia University and Tel Aviv University.
