Weekly Briefing

article sponsor image
Partner Content

Leading Real Estate Advisory and Managed Services Firm RealFoundations Celebrates 25th Anniversary

June 12, 2025 | Chris Shaida, Co-Founder & CEO, RealFoundations
Phillip McCorkle, CEO Management Consulting, RealFoundations
3 min read
listen to article Listen to this article

RealFoundations, the world’s foremost provider of consulting and managed services for the real estate industry, proudly marks its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 2000, the firm has been dedicated to helping real estate companies develop, own, operate, service, and invest more effectively, embodying its mission to “Make Real Estate Run Better.”

RealFoundations was established in Dallas in 2000 by Chris Shaida, David Stanford, and Mark Callin, seasoned professionals from Kenneth Leventhal & Company, which was later acquired by Ernst & Young. The firm began with a team of 18, aiming to provide specialized consulting services tailored exclusively to the real estate industry. In 2005, RealFoundations expanded its offerings to include comprehensive managed services, providing clients with end-to-end operational support. The global footprint grew in 2010 with the opening of international offices in London and Singapore, underscoring its dedication to serving a worldwide clientele. In 2024, the appointment of Andy Rothery as Enterprise Managing Consultant marked a strategic move to advance brand awareness and expand business opportunities in the U.K. and Europe.


Throughout its journey, RealFoundations has partnered with over 500 real estate companies globally, including its first RealDiscovery client, Bank of America, in 2000, and its first European client, Barclays. The firm has played a pivotal role in numerous merger projects, including Kite Realty Group Trust, and continues to serve a diverse portfolio of recurring clients, including Kimco Realty. Innovations such as the launch of RE-AIM, a proprietary data management platform, and REIDR.ai, its first AI product, demonstrate RealFoundations’ ongoing commitment to providing accelerated solutions to complex challenges in the real estate sector.


Today, RealFoundations has grown to over 500 employees across eight global offices.


“Reflecting on our 25-year journey, we’ve consistently upheld our commitment to excellence, guiding real estate organizations through transformative change. Our unwavering focus on delivering value has solidified our position as a trusted partner in the industry.”

– Chris Shaida, Co-Founder and CEO – Enterprise of RealFoundations


Looking ahead, RealFoundations remains dedicated to pioneering advancements that will shape the future of real estate operations. “The real estate industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by digitization, changing demographics, and evolving consumer preferences. As professionals dedicated to serving our industry, it is essential to not only anticipate these changes but also to be prepared to seize the opportunities they bring. As our clients respond to the growing demands of our industry, we will continue to respond to their business challenges, evolving and expanding our services to position them (and us) for success.”

– Phillip McCorkle, CEO – Management Consulting


To commemorate its 25th anniversary, RealFoundations is launching a year-long campaign titled “25 Years of Excellence – Generations of Possibility,” celebrating its legacy and future in the real estate industry. The campaign kicks off on June 3, 2025, the exact date of the company’s founding—at Realcomm | IBcon 2025, the industry’s premier real estate technology conference. Throughout the year, RealFoundations will host exclusive client events, publish thought leadership content, and engage in community initiatives, all aimed at reflecting on its journey and exploring future opportunities for growth and collaboration. For more info, watch: Our Team Behind 25 Years of Excellence.

Chris Shaida, Co-Founder & CEO, RealFoundations
Chris Shaida is co-founder, CEO and Enterprise Managing Consultant of RealFoundations, helping investors, developers, operators and occupiers RUN BETTER. Chris brings over 30 years of real estate industry experience to RealFoundations. He has played an essential role in building and managing real estate information technology consulting practices both within a “Big 4” management consulting firm and a real estate focused professional services firm.




Phillip McCorkle, CEO Management Consulting, RealFoundations
Phillip McCorkle is an CEO Management Consulting with RealFoundations and has over 23 years of experience delivering value through a combination of organizational, process, and technology improvements. Phillip has spent his entire career serving the real estate and construction industries and has an extensive project portfolio of system implementation, process improvement, business transformation and strategic advisory services.

This Week’s Sponsor

RealFoundations is a global professional services firm exclusively serving the real estate industry. For 25 years, we’ve empowered real estate companies worldwide to make better, more profitable decisions by providing accelerated solutions to their most complex challenges. Through our Management Consulting and Managed Services, our team of over 500 professionals remains committed to our mission: "To Make Real Estate Run Better.”