WHO WE ARE

Mark A. MacDonald

CEO & Founder

Arcadia Real Estate Advisors

Real estate has been Mark MacDonald’s focus for the 25 year span of his career. Presently, Mr. MacDonald is the CEO of Arcadia Real Estate Advisors, which he founded in 2012. As a member of the firm’s executive team, he oversees all aspects of the firm’s daily operations, as well as its investment committee. Arcadia advises investors in analyzing and managing real estate investments and has specific expertise in the area of land development. Arcadia has become a leader in positioning investments to their highest and best use through proper foresight, planning, entitlement, engineering, and construction management services. Since 1990, Mr. MacDonald has advised institutional owners in the investment of over $4 billion of real estate transactions in the southeastern United States.

Prior to forming Arcadia, Mr. MacDonald served as Managing Director of Investments for Stratford Land Fund, where he was responsible for identifying, acquiring and asset managing strategic land investments located in North and South Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In this capacity, he invested over $175 million of new equity for Stratford Land Funds.

Prior to joining Stratford Land, he served as Managing Director of Investments for Raleigh-based Highwood’s Properties, one of the nation’s largest fully integrated real estate operating companies, where he was responsible for the development and execution of the firm’s investment strategy. While at Highwood’s, Mr. MacDonald managed over $4 billion of office, industrial, retail, multifamily and land investment transactions, including $1 billion of joint venture investments with institutional partners. Prior to Highwood’s, he was a real estate broker with CB Richard Ellis in the Virginia market representing institutional owners of office, retail, and industrial buildings in lease and investment sales transactions. Mr. MacDonald has a bachelor’s degree with a major in Marketing and a minor in Economics from James Madison University and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke’s University’s Fuqua School of Business with a concentration in Finance. He was born in Ontario, Canada, was raised in Richmond, VA and currently resides in Raleigh. NC.

Mr. Ciao

President

Arcadia Real Estate Advisors

Mr. Ciao has been the President of Arcadia Real Estate Advisors, LLC since its inception in March 2012. He has an extensive real estate experience in a career that spans over 45 years. Prior to joining Arcadia, Mr. Ciao was a partner in Stratford Land, where he advised on land investments activity in North Carolina and South Carolina. While at Stratford, he managed over $100 million of land investment activity including a 350-acre Raleigh land investment known as TW Alexander Place. Prior to joining Stratford, he worked for Raleigh-based Highwood’s Properties REIT as regional vice president responsible for the company’s largest division, which had a 5 million square foot, 60-property portfolio. Prior to Highwood’s, Mr. Ciao was the chief operating officer of The Soffer Organization., a privately held real estate firm in Pittsburgh, PA. There, he led the development of Carolina Corporate Center in Raleigh and supervised the management of a 1.5 million square foot property portfolio, which included Penn Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Mr. Ciao attended the University of Miami.

Jenn Nowalk

REALTOR®

Arcadia Real Estate Advisors

With a passion for helping others, Jenn Nowalk has a lengthy and outstanding track record in the local real estate industry and community. She is an amazing wife, mom, philanthropist, REALTOR® and business woman.

Jenn grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland and moved to North Carolina to attend Elon University. Jenn graduated from Elon, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in Economics. After graduation, Jenn moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where she still resides and calls home.

Jenn worked in an award-winning Master Planned community for several years and had the opportunity to work with 26 of the finest builders in the Triangle. Among many awards during this time, one of the most prestigious included the National Sales Team of the Year from NAHB.

Jenn has been active and in leadership roles with Triangle Sales and Marketing Council amongst many other organizations. In 2018, Jenn received an award for Chair of the Year by Raleigh Home Builders Association. She is also a member of the National Association of Realtors and National Association of Home Builders. Jenn has quite a few new home designations. (CSP, CMP, CGP)

In 2008, Jenn joined forces with a local custom home builder in the area, Homes by Dickerson. During her time at Homes by Dickerson, she led the sales and marketing team, and assisted in growing a real estate company. Homes by Dickerson partnered with Jenn, grew the company from $25M in volume to $90M in volume.

Jenn also has a passion for giving back to the community. In 2007, she co founded Triangle Spokes Group with Ashley Wilson DeWeese. Together, Jenn and Ashley pedal joy to children throughout the Triangle. To date, the group has given away over 6000 bikes to area children.

Family is most important to Jenn. Jenn and her husband Rich have two daughters, Caitlin and Taylor, and two dogs, Frisco and Boatie Judge. Jenn and her family love the beach, love to travel, love music, and love spending time together. Jenn has the most contagious laugh ever! Jenn works every day to live her best life and is always a fabulous example to others.