Our Team

 

  • Mark Caplan

    Chairman

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  • Justine Fields

    Chief Financial Officer

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  • Dominic Wiker

    Vice President & Director of Development

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  • James Dahlgren

    Senior Development Analyst

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  • Eliza Caplan

    Vice President of Investments

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  • Christoper Merrill

    Senior Legal Counsel

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  • Ali Zinnel

    Administrator, WPM Investment Committee

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Mark Caplan

Chairman

Biography

Mark Caplan serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Time Group, a Baltimore-based real estate investment company with interests in approximately 6,000 units of multi-family, manufactured housing, and senior living. He is the managing member of Washington Place Equities, a development firm specializing in mixed use urban historic renovation and construction, and also serves as Chairman of the Management Committee for Madison Capital, an independent vehicle and equipment financing firm he co-founded in 1984.

 

Mark currently sits on the Board of Capital Bank (Nasdaq CBNK). He has served on the boards of multiple financial institutions, including both Sterling Bank and Trust and Bay Bank, FSB, prior to their acquisitions. He also has been a board member for multiple not-for-profit institutions, including the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum, The Bryn Mawr School, The Gilman School, Center Stage, Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy, The Real Estate Board of the Columbia Business School, Charles Street Development Corp, and Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust.

 

A frequent guest speaker on real estate investing, Mark has been invited to lecture at the Wharton Business School, Columbia University School of Business, the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University, the Stern School of Business at NYU, the Georgetown University School of Business, and the University of Maryland School of Law. A Baltimore native, he earned his MBA from The Columbia Business School on a Dean’s Fellowship and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Johns Hopkins University. He also is a graduate of the Gilman School in Baltimore.

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Dominic Wiker

Vice President & Director of Development

Biography

Dominic Wiker is an experienced development professional with over 15-years of managing large-scale development projects. Dominic recently oversaw the development of The Fox Building, a $20 million adaptive mixed-use project in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore as well as the development of the two projects in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood: the $32 million redevelopment of the 250,000 square foot historic Hoschild Kohn warehouse into 171-market rate apartments with 18,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, known as 520 Park, and the $29 million new construction of 500 Park into 153 market rate apartments.

 

Prior to working with The Time Group, he managed the development of McHenry Row, a $150 million mixed-use project in Baltimore’s Locust Point neighborhood and was a Senior Development Director with Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse overseeing such urban in-fill, mixed-use projects as 1209 North Charles, Charles Commons and the Village Lofts. Dominic received a Bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

 
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James H. Dahlgren JR.

Senior Development Analyst

Biography

James H. Dahlgren Jr. was appointed President of WPM Real Estate Management in February 2018. Most recently, he served as Vice President and Director of Business Development and Corporate Marketing. James started with WPM Real Estate Management as an intern in 2005, joining the firm full-time in 2007 as an Assistant Property Manager and later was promoted to Property Manager with the Multifamily Real Estate division. During his tenure with WPM, he expanded his role, continuing to take on increasing corporate responsibilities for business development and marketing. James is a Certified Apartment Manager (CAM®) through the National Apartment Association. In addition to hands-on apartment management experience, he also has over ten years’ experience with budget forecasting, investment analysis and deal underwriting for market rate and senior living assets. Active in the industry, James instructs real estate classes for the Maryland Multi Housing Association (MMHA®) and sits on the MMHA Legislative Committee. Additionally, he is continuing his education through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) and the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM®).

 

James was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s 2017 VIP List, which recognizes Maryland leaders under 40 years of age for their professional accomplishments, community service and commitment to inspiring change. In addition, he was selected to the Class of 2018 for Leadership Baltimore County. A lifetime resident of the Baltimore area, James is a graduate of McDaniel College.

 
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Justine Fields

Cheif Financial Officer

Biography

Justine L. Fields, CPA graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Baltimore in 1987. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA®), and the Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA®).

 

She spent the first ten years of her career, as an Accounting Manager in the real estate division of a large public accounting firm located in Baltimore, MD. Justine brings over 25 years of experience in finance, real estate and property management.

 
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Eliza Caplan

Vice President of Investments

Biography

Eliza W. Caplan joined Washington Place Equities (WPE) in 2022 and is responsible for analysis of new investment opportunities as well as asset management of the company’s existing investment portfolio. Her experience includes feasibility and scenario planning for potential investments, as well as developing proforma financials, tracking significant asset events, reviewing asset valuations, monitoring cash management activities, and overseeing capital projects, property performance, and debt financings for key real estate investments.

 

Prior to joining WPE, Eliza served as Portfolio Management Associate in New York City at Tishman Speyer, an American multinational corporation that owns and invests in high-profile real estate properties and has developed buildings worldwide. She has also held positions in financial planning and analysis, including work as an analyst for corporate services and real estate at Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm.

 

Eliza earned her MBA from Columbia Business School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, where she graduated cum laude. A resident of Baltimore, she is actively involved in the community and has volunteered and supported organizations including the Enoch Pratt Library, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Epilepsy Foundation.

 
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Christopher Merrill

Senior Legal Counsel

Biography

 

Chris Merrill serves as in-house Senior Legal Counsel for Washington Place Equities, where he provides comprehensive legal support to the company. His expertise spans a wide range of real estate matters, including landlord/tenant, compliance with Fair Housing laws, civil litigation, real estate transactions, and governance for homeowner associations and condominiums. As a real estate investor and licensed broker, Chris brings practical, real-world experience to his work, emphasizing efficient and effective solutions. Previously, Chris has held leadership roles at several Maryland law firms, including McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC and Sagal, Filbert, Quasney & Betten, P.A.

 

Chris earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law and his B.A. in Business Administration and Accounting from McDaniel College. He is an active member of the Maryland Multi-Housing Association, where he has taught Fair Housing courses and served on the legislative committee.

   
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Ali Zinnel

Administrator, WPM Investment Committee

Biography

Coming Soon....