CoR Advisors

CoR Leadership Team

CoR Advisors specializes in providing unparalleled services in researching, analyzing, and recommending telecommunications and technology applications for owners of commercial office buildings. Our CoR Team is made up of industry thought leaders who bring over sixty years of direct experience in leveraging technology for strategic value.

Darlene Pope
Principal - Education and Business Development

Darlene Pope is Co-Founder and Principal of CoR Advisors. She is an independent consultant with 16 years experience in intelligent building technologies for commercial and corporate properties. Most recently, Ms. Pope served as Managing Partner at Realcomm, overseeing the company's Seminars and Media divisions. She developed and served as the lead instructor for Realcomm’s technology seminars and webinars, served as editor of the Realcomm Advisory newsletter, and was the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The RealcommEDGE magazine. Ms. Pope is a nationally recognized author and speaker on such topics as intelligent buildings, in-building wireless, real estate technology, energy efficient buildings, and automated business solutions for real estate.

Ms. Pope began her commercial real estate career as a property manager in Washington DC in 1992. Ms. Pope was Founder and President of CRE Partners, a real estate technology consulting company, Vice President of Real Estate for On-Site Access, a building-centric internet service provider, Director of Real Estate for Broadband Office, and National Director for the Kivex/Allegiance Telecom internet building program. She is an active member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and is the President of the In-Building Wireless Alliance (IBWA).

Thomas A Russo
Strategic Advisor

Tommy Russo serves as Chief Technology Office for Akridge, the leading commercial real estate owner and property management company in Washington, DC. He is also a Strategic Advisor at CoR Advisors, providing invaluable direction and consulting services to the company and its clients. Mr. Russo's experience in commercial development and construction, coupled with his extensive background in information technology (IT), provides a unique understanding of the value of technology in the built environment. Some of his most notable accomplishments include research and deployment of energy conservation methods to reduce the utility costs up to 40% across the Akridge portfolio, as well as installation of advanced lighting solutions, the deployment of the first neutral host in-building wireless system in the U.S., and a wireless web-based camera network, which when linked to project websites for construction monitoring, allowing investors and project managers to observe their asset under construction.

Mr. Russo is a LEED AP and is in charge of Akridge's "green" initiatives to promote energy efficiency across their entire real estate portfolio. Mr. Russo is a nationally recognized speaker on the topics of intelligent building technologies and was recognized as one of the "Top 100 CIOs" by CIO Magazine in 2008. He serves on the Advisory Council for Realcomm, a leading resource for education and research on technology for real estate and is on the Board of Directors of the In-Building Wireless Alliance (IBWA). Mr. Russo has won numerous awards recognizing his achievements in technology in the real estate industry, including the Realcomm Digie Award for greatest personal impact on the advancement of technology in real estate .

Nancy Cleveland
Strategic Advisor

Nancy Cleveland serves as Strategic Advisor and project manager for broad-based sustainability solutions for CoR Advisors. Ms. Cleveland has extensive business experience in transitioning commercial buildings to sustainable operating practices, as well as providing training for property and facilities management. As a real estate attorney and LEED AP, Ms. Cleveland is knowledgeable in a wide range of sustainability issues facing property owners and developers.

Ms. Cleveland founded Rubicon Crossings, LLC, after serving as Senior Vice President and Director of Sustainability for BPG Properties, Ltd. At BPG, she managed energy conservation projects, reviewed governmental and utility company incentive programs, supervised filings for LEED certifications of new and existing buildings, conducted staff training programs for energy management and other key sustainability practices, and developed and implemented sustainability policies and contract provisions for operating and managing office buildings pursuant to LEED standards. In her most recent legal work in the law firm, Saul Ewing, LLP, Ms. Cleveland�s practice areas included commercial real estate, planned community, and telecommunications law. Her 26-year legal background and hands-on sustainability work give Ms. Cleveland one of the most well-rounded perspectives available to the real estate industry.

Ms. Cleveland is a member of her local USGBC chapter, the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, and serves on the Metro Advocacy and Outreach Committee. She is currently an active participant in developing an ASTM energy performance standard for commercial real estate due diligence.