Meet the Belrose Team

  • With over 17 years of experience in commercial real estate, Joe’s primary responsibility at Belrose is to oversee all aspects of the company and directly supervise acquisitions.

    In his position as CEO, Joe thoroughly enjoys “the art of the deal,” and finds every day to be a new and exciting challenge. When he sees the investors he works with increase their quality of life by improving their financial security, he knows he’s accomplished a job well done.

    Joe got into the world of financial securities, mortgages, and real estate because he has a knack for learning about and excelling in lesser-known industries.

    While Joe grew up as an Army brat, he’s called the suburbs of Philadelphia home since he was seven. Today, Joe lives outside of Philly with his wife, Dina, and their kids Raya, Degan, and Griffin. Joe and Dina stay busy driving their boys to and from lots of sporting activities including lacrosse, football, and basketball. When he has some time to himself, you’ll often find Joe on the golf course.

    Joe currently serves on the board of the Lake Harmony Estates and the Lake Group in the Pocono mountains. He stays actively involved in his local community and coaches a youth basketball team.

Chief Executive Officer

Joe Downs

Tom Dunkel

Chief Investment Officer

  • Tom brings over 27 years of real estate, finance and investing experience to his position as Chief Investment Officer. Working alongside his world-class team of professionals, Tom makes it his mission to find great investment opportunities for his clients while helping them meet their wealth-building goals.

    Tom manages the firm’s financial underwriting, playing a critical role in creating win-win deal structures that ensure achievable investor returns. In addition, he works closely with private investors to communicate about new acquisition and investing opportunities, as well as report on the progress of current investments.

    Tom is also responsible for arranging loans with local banks and mortgage brokers.

    Both the Belrose team and our investors benefit greatly from Tom’s mentorship, extensive experience in real estate investing, and dedication to making every deal a success.

    Tom lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania and enjoys golfing, hiking, and playing guitar. As an avid investor and lifelong learner, Tom is actively involved in organizations including Self Storage Mastermind, RaiseMasters Mastermind, and the Oren Klaff Braintrust.

Chief Development Officer &
VP of Operations

Tim Kane

  • As CDO, Tim oversees the portfolio operations at Belrose. His primary responsibility is to make sure the self-storage facilities our firm has purchased are producing maximum revenue while incurring minimal expenses. In addition, he oversees the expansions and developments at Belrose, working closely with design and build companies to establish new facilities.

    With a B.S. from Towson University, Tim brings over 11 years of relevant industry experience to his position here.

    In 2012, Tim received a wake-up call that gave him the motivation he needed to pursue his passion. After just one year into retirement, his father, a police officer of 35 years, passed away unexpectedly at an early age. This pushed Tim to commit to following his dreams now, instead of waiting until “the time was right.” He resigned from his safe, yet ordinary, job at the age of 31 and began working in real estate and investing.

    While it’s challenging at times, Tim enjoys the unique blend of quantitative and qualitative activities that keep him engaged and excited to work every day for his team and the investors.

    Originally from Bowie, Maryland, Tim currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his dog, Rocco. When he’s not in the office, he enjoys getting on the golf course, biking, playing tennis, and traveling the world. He’s currently in the process of establishing his nonprofit, “Project Home Give,” which will provide renovations and renovated properties to deserving families.

Gretchen Frascella

Chief of Staff

  • As Chief of Staff, Gretchen wears many hats here at Belrose. She leads our human resources initiatives, strives to improve productivity in the office, ensures proper governance, and oversees overall smooth operations at the office.

    Gretchen joined the commercial real estate space nearly a decade ago and has enjoyed her time in this industry immensely. She is continually motivated by the desire to build and develop a dynamic team that can rely on a strong internal system that supports company growth goals.

    She considers her work to be a “job well done” when she can see first-hand the personal and professional growth of her team members. She finds it even more rewarding to know that she may be able to inspire someone or personally assist in their professional growth journey.

    Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Gretchen now lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania with her husband, Tom, and their three kids — Ryan, Anne, and Jane. In her free time, Gretchen enjoys running, reading, traveling, spending time with her family and friends and relaxing by the beach.

    Professionally and personally, Gretchen’s life mission is to serve as a role model to others and use her gifts to positively impact those around her. She strives to always practice gratitude, while continually teaching her children the importance of respecting others and reaching for their goals.

Jack Pezzino

Acquisitions Manager

  • Jack is a valued member of the Belrose team, serving as our Transaction Coordinator. He works hard behind the scenes to conduct initial due diligence and market competition research on potential acquisitions. Jack is our first line of defense when researching facilities, and he plays an integral role in selecting the best acquisition opportunities to present in front of our investors.

    With over four years of industry experience under his belt, Jack is passionate about real estate and enjoys being involved in the full transaction process from start to finish. He has a knack for researching various markets across the country and is constantly motivated by his desire to help investors achieve optimal returns.

    Before entering the commercial real estate space, Jack earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Chester University. He currently resides in Phoenixville, PA with his wife Nikki, and their two daughters, Harper and Delaney. When he’s not in the office, you’ll find Jack spending time with his family, playing soccer, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Elena Khlobystova

Senior Accountant

  • Elena brings her passion for real estate and a keen eye for numbers to her position as Senior Accountant. As a valued member of our team, she spends the majority of her time managing accounts/receivables, reviewing financial statements and taxes, managing draw requests, and assisting the team during the acquisition process.

    Belrose greatly benefits from Elena’s unique experience both in the corporate world and as an entrepreneur. This has helped her address challenges from different angles and think outside the box to deliver unexpected results.

    Elena initially entered the real estate industry when she lived in the Philadelphia area and built several homes from the ground up. She put in the dedication needed to construct long-standing structures, and she’s proud of the positive change her contributions make to the city’s architecture today.

    Originally from Russia, Elena moved to the United States over 20 years ago and currently resides in Bucks County. She’s an active member of her local Condo Association, where she serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. In both her personal life and professional work, Elena strives to treat every day as a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Samantha Andrel

Marketing Manager

  • Sam oversees all things marketing here at Belrose, from managing social media to creating content, updating our website, and ensuring consistent branding across all platforms. On the firm side, she helps us spread the word about who we are and what investment opportunities are available to our community members. For our existing storage facilities, Sam also markets to local consumers in an effort to maximize occupancy rates and boost ROI for our investors.

    Before joining our team, Sam spent time with a major private equity real estate firm in NYC overseeing their investor email strategy. Today, she combines her robust background in marketing with her experience in the commercial real estate space to effectively connect Belrose with potential investors and consumers.

    As a millennial, Sam’s always held a special interest in investing and financial wellness. She experienced first-hand the impact of the 2008 recession (which hit just as she graduated high school). More recently, she’s observed the challenges her younger peers faced while trying to enter the workforce during Covid. Navigating these challenges has shown Sam just how important financial security is — not only for herself, but for the community of investors we serve as well.

    Sam brings an energetic spirit to Belrose and loves the challenges put before her. She enjoys being part of such a supportive and encouraging team that’s also incredibly hardworking, passionate, and driven. Originally from West Chester, Sam currently resides in Newtown Square, PA. She enjoys spending her free time at the gym practicing martial arts and kickboxing. Before pivoting to marketing and real estate, Sam earned her bachelor’s degree in Music Business from Drexel University. It’s no surprise that she enjoys watching and performing in musical theater groups, and has a deep appreciation for the arts.

    Sam’s personal mission is to give back wherever and however she can, even if it’s through simple acts of kindness, patience, and understanding.