Our Professional Staff

ROBERT S. BOWDITCH, JR.

General Partner

The firm was founded in 1971 by Robert S. Bowditch, Jr.  A graduate of Harvard College, the University of Washington School of Law and Harvard Law School, Mr. Bowditch practiced law for two years in Boston at Goodwin, Procter & Hoar before establishing MB Associates.  Under his direction, the company has built a reputation for excellence, developing luxury housing, low-and-moderate income housing, retail and office complexes.  Mr. Bowditch has become known as a leader in the development community for his urban renewal and adaptive reuse development projects.

GERALD SLAVET

General Partner

Gerald Slavet graduated from Bowdoin College and received his Masters Degree in Fine Arts from Catholic University.  Mr. Slavet joined MB Associates in 1977, and during his tenure with the company, MB has developed more than $100,000,000 of multi-family housing. 

 Prior to joining MB, Mr. Slavet spent fifteen years as an executive producer in theater in the Washington, DC area, working with his own company as well as with other companies including Wolftrap Farm Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia.  In 1976, Mr. Slavet represented the U.S. Department of State as a goodwill ambassador in the arts.

 In 1992, Mr. Slavet founded Concert Productions, Inc., a charitable, educational non-profit organization involved in the performing arts, primarily to encourage and celebrate the development of youth through music.  Its affiliate, From the Top, made its debut in January 2000 and has become the fastest growing program in  public radio history.  Mr. Slavet is a Trustee of New England Conservatory and is on the Board of Directors of the American Symphony Orchestra League and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture.

STEVEN RIOFF

General Partner

Mr. Rioff is a graduate of Grinnell College and Northwestern University Law School.  Prior to joining MB Management Company in 1978 as Chief Executive Officer, he served as Senior Management Officer for the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency.  Before joining MHFA, Mr. Rioff served as Assistant to the Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Community Affairs.

Mr. Rioff has had extensive experience in both affordable housing development, syndication, and management as well as conventional housing acquisition and disposition. He also consults on troubled property financial restructuring.  He presently serves as the President of the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, Boston’s non-profit regional housing partnership.

STEPHEN C. ROBERTS

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Roberts is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds a graduate certificate in Management and Administration from Harvard University.  He has been involved in the real estate industry for almost 20 years. 

Mr. Roberts runs the management company and is responsible for its performance and growth.  He also oversees over 30 partnerships for the General Partners of those entities and is responsible for asset management and overall performance of those entities.  In addition, Mr. Roberts manages the daily operations of the residential and commercial management portfolio and is responsible for a staff of 150 people.

 After joining the firm in 1990, he was responsible for improving, formalizing and documenting MB Management’s procedures and developing and overseeing the company’s extensive training program.  Mr. Roberts has been responsible for successfully turning around properties in New England, Denver, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon.  His expertise lies in analyzing and solving difficult real estate management problems.

More recently, Mr. Roberts completed several refinancings including the repositionings of a number of properties, including the prepayment of HUD mortgages.

Mr. Roberts is on the Board of Directors of the Rental Housing Association and is a member of the National Leased Housing Association as well as the New England Affordable Housing Managers Association, and Citizens Housing and Planning Association.  He is also an affiliate member of the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations.

KATE FRANCO, CPM

Director of Property Management

Ms. Franco is a graduate of Cambridge College with a Masters Degree in Management and a certification in Organization Development.  She has received the distinguished designations of Certified Property Manager, Accredited Resident Manager, Certified Assisted Housing Manager, Housing Credit Certified Professional, and National Affordable Housing Professional - Executive.

In the real estate industry for over 20 years, Ms. Franco has been involved with a multitude of federally/state assisted, tax credit and conventionally financed housing, public housing programs, and condominiums as well as office and commercial buildings in diverse marketplaces throughout New England and the West Coast. Ms. Franco is experienced in the successful implementation and completion of considerable capital improvement programs and transition management.  Having been with MB Management for over thirteen years, Ms. Franco has been actively involved with a multitude of residential housing programs and has served on various strategic committees within our organization.  Ms. Franco is directly responsible for providing marketing and leasing assistance and training in support of the company’s managed properties and the development of new business opportunities. 

Ms. Franco is a Board Member for the Institute of Real Estate Management ’s Boston Chapter and a Director Emeritus and Past President of the New England Affordable Housing Management Association.