Dillon Realty Interests

Dillon Realty Interests (DRI) and its principal Richard Dillon define their core values as:

Character,
Tireless pursuit, and
A healthy dose of competitive give and take on behalf of its investors and business colleagues.

J. Richard Dillon and Dillon Realty Interests

Richard Dillon and DRI have grown throughout the years by building on personal and real estate experience gained from some of the leading real estate firms and families in the business.

Dillon began his real estate career in 1983 learning leasing, niche marketing and business growth along with tenant's successes from the Trammell Crow family's Dallas Market Center. Dillon thanks Lucy Billingsley for the opportunity and the invaluable experience that started him on this path.

Moving to Lazard Realty in New York, Dillon expanded his knowledge of marketing and development of both Merchandise Marts (the IDCNY) and general office buildings from the guidance of leading real estate professionals such as Harvey Schulweis and Joe Traina.

At Tishman Speyer Properties in New York and Frankfurt, Germany, Dillon gained invaluable leasing experience and development perspective from one of the worlds' foremost real estate development firms. The Messeturm in Frankfurt, then the tallest office structure in Europe, initially found leasing challenges due to a perceived lack of "infrastructure" in the immediate area of the architecturally acclaimed tower and quickly-becoming cultural icon. Dillon and the Tishman Speyer team solved these issues by installing or encouraging "creature comforts" such as restaurants of all types and prices ranges, and other shops throughout the area. The blend of good architecture and such amenities for residents, workers and visitors alike can deliver a successful, highly in-demand project anywhere.

Jerry Speyer, Katherine Farley and the entire team of professionals at Tishman Speyer gave Dillon the enviable opportunity to contribute and to make contacts on such a successful platform in Frankfurt that helped launch DRI in 1993. For that and for the continued encouragement, Dillon remains deeply thankful.

Since 1993, DRI invests, co-invests, develops and to keep the competitive juices flowing, "works out" broken real estate projects on behalf of co-investors and friendly institutions.

Examples of successful project investments include office buildings in Boston, Washington DC and elsewhere, multi-family investments in Phoenix and Atlanta and warehouse/business park projects in Nashville and Dallas.

Examples of successful developments include an office and residential development in Hamilton, Bermuda, adjoining the Hamilton Princess Hotel, a residential and marina project on Grand Bahama Island and most recently, following the U.S. demographic trends of an aging population, a Skilled Nursing Facility in Austin Texas.

The many projects with the former Princess Hotel chain came via a friend from the Messeturn days, Dieter Bock, and from Princess' President, John Price. Dieter's legacy of dynamic, yet quiet, behind-the-scenes efforts and good cheer, inspires Dillon each and every day.

Examples of successful "work outs" include the re-leasing and sale of the Baker Hughes Headquarters building in Houston, the same of a suburban building in Kansas City and the environmental remediation, re-leasing and eventual sale of a campus-style office building in suburban New Jersey.

As a result of the housing downturn that began in 2006, some co-investments in land along the pristine Florida Panhandle coastline now fall into this "work-out" category. Together with fellow Dallas-investors and friends at Meridian Realty Advisors as well as with Frankfurt-based friends and co-investors, Dillon is working hard to re-position the properties to meet the next development opening.

Dillon's education includes an MBA in 1977 from the University of Colorado and in 1974, a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Dillon served in Army in the US and in Korea, exiting as a Captain. Since completion of active duty service, Dillon has continued to help young men and women enter West Point as well as, in 1983 and again from 2004-2007, served as President of the West Point Society of North Texas, a group of approximate 1,200 graduates supporting the military and their families. Dillon remains in close contact and in mutual support of his West Point classmates, including those who continue to serve on active duty at the highest levels of the US Military.