David Carlson

David Carlson
Partner
Redwood Capital Group

Mr. Carlson is the Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Redwood Capital Group and Redwood Residential. He is primarily responsible for the strategic growth of the firm as well as acting as the Chief Investment Officer.

For thirty years, he has worked in the real estate industry amassing an extensive deal sheet comprising over $8.0 billion and covering all major product types. For the last twenty years Mr. Carlson has specialized in the multifamily sector. Prior to forming Redwood, Mr. Carlson worked for Equity Residential handling acquisitions and dispositions. At EQR he transacted almost $4.0 billion in deals covering the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Prior to EQR, Mr. Carlson helped found the Chicago based private equity and real estate pension fund advisory group Oryx Capital International/Cornerstone Advisors. At the firm he was responsible for acquisitions and asset management for its client, the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, as well as high net worth individuals. Prior to Oryx, Mr. Carlson worked in portfolio management at RREEF, a pension fund advisory group owned by Deutsche Bank. While at REEF clients included Eastman Kodak, United Airlines and Ameritech as well as other co-mingled funds. Mr. Carlson began his career at Draper and Kramer, a full service commercial real estate firm, where he worked in commercial loan servicing and asset management.

Mr. Carlson graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Finance. In addition, he graduated with distinction from DePaul University with a Master’s in Business Administration, concentrating in finance and economics.

Mr. Carlson sits on the board of directors for the Illinois Chapter of JDRF, a global diabetes foundation with a strategic plan to end type-1 diabetes (T1D). Mr. Carlson was the 2019 & 2020 Co-Chair, along with his wife, for the annual JDRF One Dream Gala in Chicago. The JDRF One Dream Gala is recognized as one of Chicago’s premier charity events bringing over 2,400 philanthropists, community leaders, and corporate partners together. The event raised $7.1 million in 2019 and $9.0 million in 2020, setting global records for JDRF. Mr. Carlson is also an active fundraiser and advocate for the Chicago Diabetes Foundation.

Mr. Carlson is a member of the National Multifamily Housing Council as well as the Urban Land Institute. Mr. Carlson is a member of the ULI Gold Council.