The Synergy team has more than one hundred fifty
years of combined experience in local government, urban planning,
real estate law and brokerage, as well as commercial and residential
development. Through extensive relationships, a unique ability
to envision land’s optimized use, and an understanding
of the local market, Synergy’s members have increased
the value of properties in Northern California by hundreds
of millions of dollars.
Synergy helps its investors, developer partners,
and clients create structures and communities they can be
proud of: financially optimized, architecturally distinctive,
environmentally sensitive, and beneficial to all.
• Development partnerships and joint ventures
• Site identification and acquisition
• Development strategy
• Land use planning
• RFQ/RFP process management (on behalf of government
agencies and on behalf of applicants)
• Contract negotiations
• Pre-development / due diligence planning and management
• Entitlement
• Government relations – elected officials and
staff-level
• Project management
• Disposition
 TIMOTHY
NIEUWSMA
For the past two decades Mr. Nieuwsma has initiated and overseen
real estate acquisition, entitlement and development of strategically-located
sites for numerous corporations, public entities and individuals
focusing primarily on the San Francisco Bay Area. In the process
he has helped Synergy, its investors and clients reap substantial
financial profit in the development of housing, retail and
mixed use projects while at the same time leaving a community
legacy of well-built, well-located and award winning architecture
in California.
As a specialist in land sales since 1986 he
is an expert on Silicon Valley and Central Coast real estate
and has been a key player in the development of sites in Santa
Clara, San Benito and Monterey Counties. In 1997 he was asked
to join First Community Housing where he served as CEO, overhauling
it into one of the fastest growing affordable housing development
companies in Northern California.
In 2003 he formed Synergy to bring together
a team of experts to both develop sites for Synergy’s
investors and assist others with their development needs.
Throughout his career Mr. Nieuwsma has excelled at finding
creative and profitable real estate solutions.
 FRANK
FISCALINI
Mr. Fiscalini began his distinguished career in San Jose as
the superintendent of East Side Union High School District
from 1956 to 1982. During this time he facilitated an expansion
that included the development of ten new schools and a district
office. He subsequently led Alexian Brothers Hospital for
four years as president and CEO, heading up a $27-million
renovation.
In 1992 he was elected to the San Jose City
Council, where he was quickly recognized for his leadership
and consensus-building skills, while overseeing a time of
unprecedented growth in San Jose. In eight years as councilman
and two years as vice-mayor, Mr. Fiscalini played a key role
in the development of numerous city landmarks that have revitalized
San Jose’s downtown, including the HP Pavilion/San Jose
Arena, the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Fairmont
Hotel, the Convention Center and the Technology Museum. He
served as vice chairman of the City of San Jose Redevelopment
Agency and chaired the precursor committee that created the
first comprehensive master plan for the downtown area.
As a part of Synergy’s Advisory Board,
Mr. Fiscalini brings his experienced perspective on redevelopment
of large infill property and the real estate development process,
providing a wealth of knowledge, credibility and goodwill
that are a tremendous asset to Synergy’s development
efforts in the Bay Area.
 DAVID
J. HOFMANN
For more than thirty years, Mr. Hofmann has represented real
estate brokers and agents as an attorney in Santa Clara County.
He advises clients in all aspects of their business endeavors,
including commercial and residential real estate transactions,
business sales and acquisitions, contract drafting and review,
and real estate lender and borrower representation. He is
currently of counsel at one of San Jose’s preeminent
legal firms and was formerly a partner in the San Jose law
firm of Steinbock and Hofmann.
Mr. Hofmann has served as an adjunct professor
in real estate finance at Santa Clara University School of
Law, a master instructor for the California Association of
Realtors, a contributing author for Broker Agent Magazine,
and an instructor at the Professional Realtors Institute,
where he has taught agency, ethics, contracts, and legal issues
in residential real estate transactions. He has served as
past president of the San Jose Real Estate Board Foundation
and chair for the Real Property Section of the Santa Clara
County Bar Association.
Mr. Hofmann brings an expansive knowledge of
the myriad legal issues relating to real estate. His expertise
and advice as a Synergy Advisory Board member has helped Synergy
to maintain its high level of success through carefully planned
purchase options, contracts, and entitlements as well as insightful
analysis of potential Synergy investments.
 CARL
E. COOKSON
For more than fifty years, Mr. Cookson has distinguished himself
in a variety of fields in the Bay Area. He has been a corporate
officer at four title companies, including Santa Clara Land
Title Company, which he co-founded and led for twenty years.
In 1997 Santa Clara Land Title merged with Alliance Title
Company, the fastest growing title company in California.
He stayed on as Vice-Chairman of Alliance for five years.
Mr. Cookson was a founding member of Cupertino
National Bank and has served as president of the California
Escrow Association, the Santa Clara Valley Escrow Association,
and the California Land Title Association.
Throughout his career Mr. Cookson has been highly
active in the community. He is currently on the board of directors
of the History Museum of San Jose, the Silicon Valley Symphony
Association, as Board President of City Lights Theater. He
is a former chair and member of the board of the San Jose
Chamber of Commerce and was the Founding Co-Chair of Silicon
Valley Capital Club. Mr. Cookson, a member of Synergy’s
Advisory Board, offers his expertise in strategic planning
and title matters, and assists the firm through his extensive
business network in Silicon Valley.
Governmental Agencies
& Schools
County of Santa Clara Executive's Office
Eastside Union High School District
San Jose Unified School District
For-Profit Developers,
Land-Owners & Investors
KB Home
The Olson Company
Barry Swenson Builder
Extra Space Storage
Urban Housing Group
AGI Capital
KDF Communities
Forum Real Estate Group
DiNapoli Companies
Borelli Investments
Reed & Graham
San Jose Water Company
Good Samaritan Hospital
El Camino Hospital
...and numerous Private Land Owners
Non-Profit
Organizations
Charities Housing Development Corporation
The Monastery of St. John of San Francisco
First Community Housing
Elks Lodge of San Jose
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