Keith R. Guericke has served as vice chairman of Essex Property Trust, Inc. (Essex) since 2002 and a director of Essex since June 1994. From 1988 through 2010, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Essex, retiring in January 2011. He joined Essex's predecessor, Essex Property Corporation, in 1977 to focus on investment strategies and portfolio expansion, and prepared Essex for its initial public offering in 1994, and since then has overseen the significant growth of the Essex multifamily portfolio in supply-constrained markets along the West Coast. Prior to joining Essex, he began his career with Kenneth Leventhal & Company (a certified public accounting firm noted for its real estate expertise). Mr. Guericke is qualified to serve as a director because of his extensive leadership experience at a publicly traded company, his expansive knowledge of the real estate industry, his strong relationships with many executives at real estate companies throughout the United States, and his expertise in accounting and finance.