Portland, Maine – Mathew Eddy of Brunswick and David Soley of Freeport have been elected as board members of the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA), a statewide organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers. Founded in 1985, MEREDA promotes responsible development and ownership of real estate in Maine through legislative advocacy, educational programs and professional networking opportunities.
Mathew Eddy is Executive Director of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group. Mr. Eddy has over twenty years of experience in economic development and planning. He most recently served as the Director of Economic and Community Development for the Town of Brunswick, Maine. Prior to that, he served in the same capacity for the City of Westbrook, Maine after having spent several years working in research, planning and development for the Maine State Housing Authority, the City of Bath, the Greater Portland Council of Governments and the Town of Brunswick, as well as planning agencies in New Hampshire.
Long active in civic and community organizations, some of his professional affiliations include Member of Maine Community Development Association, Member of Maine Association of Planners, President of Mid Coast Council for Business Development and Planning, Founder and Treasurer of Brunswick Teen Center, Co-Founder and Past Treasurer of KIDS Consortium, and Board Member of Tedford Shelter.
Mr. Eddy earned his MA in Public Policy from State University of New York at Stony Brook, in 1980 and a BA from Bentley College in Economics and Government in 1978.
David Soley is co-founder and owner of East Brown Cow., a real estate investment, management and development company, established in 1989, which owns 22 commercial buildings and properties in the Greater Portland area. East Brown Cow has earned a reputation for providing first-class service to its tenants and for its commitment to the communities and neighborhoods where its properties are located.
Mr. Soley is also Shareholder of Bernstein Shur and leads their Real Estate Litigation Group. Mr. Soley is the author of the American Bar Association’s nationally acclaimed Real Estate Litigation Handbook. Mr. Soley concentrates his practice in the areas of business, real estate, and constitutional litigation. He regularly represents entrepreneurs and property owners in disputes over boundaries, titles, easements, and other real estate issues. Over the course of his twenty-seven years as a trial lawyer, Mr. Soley has specialized in complex litigation involving some of the largest companies in the United States and Europe.
Mr. Soley is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell. In 2006, he received an Award of Excellence from the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section. In the past, he has served with distinction as the Chair of the ABA Litigation Section’s Business Torts Committee and Trial Practice Committee. He is currently a leader in the ABA Section on Litigation and the Chair of its Advanced Planning Committee. He is also the editor of the ABA’s Business Torts Handbook.
Mr. Soley earned his BA from Bates College in 1980, graduating with honors, and received a JD from Emory University School of Law in 1984.
Mr. Soley has been an active member of the professional community, having served in many capacities, some of which include being a Member of the Maine State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar, State Bar of Georgia, and Chair, ABA Litigation Section Advanced Planning Committee. Mr. Soley also served on the Freeport Town Council for six years, serving as Chair for two.
According to Shelly R. Clark, Business & Operations Manager of MEREDA, "The MEREDA board of directors is an exceptional group of individuals and Mr. Soley and Mr. Eddy bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the organization. Mr. Soley has been participating on our Legislative Affairs Committee and Mr. Eddy on our Conference Committee. We are thrilled that we now also get to work with them at the board level.”
For further information, please feel free to contact Shelly R. Clark at 207-874-0801.