Richard Carpenter

Independent Director

Chairman of the Finance and Planning Committee and member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Asset Management Committee, and the Strategic Planning Committee.

Richard W. Carpenter served as General Vice President of Real Estate Finance of The Citizens and Southern National Bank from 1975 to 1979, during which time his duties included the establishment and supervision of the United Kingdom Pension Fund, U.K.-American Properties, Inc., which was established primarily for investment in commercial real estate within the United States.

Mr. Carpenter is a managing partner of Carpenter Properties, L.P., a real estate partnership, and Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of MidCountry Financial Corporation. He retired as President and Director of Commonwealth Oil Refining Company, Inc. and Realmark Holdings in 2001.

Mr. Carpenter previously served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of First Liberty Financial Corp. and Liberty Savings Bank, F.S.B. and Chairman of the Audit Committee of First Liberty Financial Corp. He has been a member of The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and formerly served as President and Chairman of the Board of Southmark Properties, an Atlanta-based REIT, which invested in commercial properties. Mr. Carpenter is a past Chairman of the American Bankers Association Housing and Real Estate Finance Division Executive Committee. Mr. Carpenter holds a B.S. degree from Florida State University, where he was named the outstanding alumnus of the School of Business in 1973.