Lake Forest, Illinois (December 6, 2006) – Green Courte Partners, LLC, a private real estate investment firm targeting niche sectors, announced today the appointment of Stephen F. Douglass as Managing Director, Asset Management. As Green Courte continues its successful strategy of acquiring, developing and operating infill retail assets in high-barrier locations, Mr. Douglass will be responsible for directing the development of new retail projects, optimizing the operating performance of existing and stabilized retail assets, and implementing “value-add” strategies across the retail portfolio. Mr. Douglass will team with Bob Duncan, Managing Director, who continues to lead Green Courte’s new investment activities in infill retail and mixed-use projects. Mr. Douglass joins Green Courte Partners from Transwestern Investment Company where he was Managing Director and Co-Head of Asset Management, with responsibility for many of that firm’s development projects and retail investments in various domestic markets.

Commenting on the new addition to the team, Randy Rowe, Chairman of Green Courte Partners, LLC, stated, “Stephen’s background and experience fit very well with his new role. He has over 25 years of real estate experience, with a proven results-oriented track record in portfolio and asset management, due diligence, development, lease negotiation, and construction financing. This broad skill set will be especially useful as we embark on a number of exciting new retail developments with complex entitlement and design issues.”

Green Courte Partners, LLC is a Chicago-based private equity investment firm targeting investments in niche real estate sectors, including infill retail, manufactured housing communities, and parking, through transaction structures customized to achieve seller objectives. The firm’s goal is to invest in high quality assets that will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns over a longer-term holding period.