We are an experienced team of principals with deep investment experience, capable of driving development, construction, and operations.
Gordon McLaughlin is an experienced investor and operator with two decades of work across operating companies and real estate assets. Before co-founding Element8, he held executive leadership roles within Thomas H. Lee Partners’ portfolio companies, including serving as COO of an insurance software business, leading market expansion for a banking software firm, and building the M&A function for a health insurance distributor. Earlier, Gordon was a senior investment analyst supporting a suite of JP Morgan real estate investment funds. He later co-founded Development Capital Partners, focused on public and private investments in emerging markets. His prior experience also includes roles at PNC, McKinsey & Company, and Charles River Associates. Gordon earned his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, where he graduated top of his class, and his B.S. with High Distinction from Indiana University. He enjoys mentoring and coaching, and is an avid skier, triathlete, and diver. He lives outside New York City with his wife and three children.
Frank Sasso is a recognized leader in commercial real estate. Prior to co-founding Element8, Frank served as President of Kaufman Development, where he led the creation of over 2,000 multifamily units and over 600,000 square feet of commercial space while building a team of 50+ professionals. Under his leadership, Kaufman was consistently recognized as one of Central Ohio’s Best Places to Work and its developments have won several regional and national awards, including the Urban Land Institute Americas Project Excellence Award. Frank began his career at KeyBank Real Estate Capital, where he held various roles in multiple geographies. Frank graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Business Administration. He earned an M.B.A. with distinction from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In 2018, Frank was named to Columbus Business First’s 40 Under 40 and was honored in 2022 as one of Central Ohio’s most-admired C-Suite executives. Frank currently serves on the board of BigBrothers BigSisters of Central Ohio and has twice been a Big Brother. He resides in Upper Arlington, Ohio with his wife and two children.
Matthew Tierney is a seasoned investment professional with global experience across the full spectrum of corporate finance, with a particular focus on real estate and other alternative asset classes. In addition to co-founding Element8, Matt serves on the investment committees of Development Capital, LLC, a New York based private investment firm, and ProximityParks, a real estate investment firm founded in Mexico. Prior to Element8, Matt co-founded Development Capital Partners, a leading public and private investor in emerging markets and was co-founder of Aperture Venture Partners, a healthcare-focused investment firm. Earlier in his career Matt was an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in the Global Corporate Finance group working on mergers and acquisitions. Matt serves on the Boards of the Future Fund for Education, Almasi Collaborative Arts, FC Harlem, and TechnoServe’s Global Advisory Council. He previously served as a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations and on the Board of Trustees of the Trinity School in New York City. Matt received his B.A. from Georgetown University and his M.B.A from Columbia Business School.
Christian Evanchec joined Element8 in 2025 as Director of Asset Management. In this position, Christian oversees the performance of the company’s portfolio and is responsible for property specific leasing and management. Additionally, Christian oversees diligence and closing efforts on new acquisitions. Prior to Element8, Christian was on the Capital Markets team with Colliers Cincinnati, where he focused on the acquisition and disposition of office and industrial investment property in Southwest Ohio and Kentucky. Before Colliers, he worked as an analyst with Bank of America’s private wealth management group in Greater Cincinnati. Christian studied Economics and Finance at Xavier University where he received his B.S. in Business Administration and was President of the Club Golf team. Originally from Pittsburgh, Christian currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
John Taylor is the CFO of Development Capital, LLC, a private investment firm headquartered in New York City and Element8 Partners, a value-oriented real estate investment firm with offices in New York, Columbus, and Charlotte. Development Capital invests in a wide variety of financial assets with a history in financial services, emerging markets, and real estate. John joined Development Capital in 2007 to oversee the accounting and financial reporting of the firm.
Prior to Development Capital Partners, John was the Chief Financial Officer at TechnoServe, Inc., an organization that strengthens agribusiness and markets for small-scale producers and entrepreneurs. Previously, John was the Controller for the Mikron Group (USA), a Swiss manufacturing company that develops and markets automation and machining systems. He was also a member of the finance team at the Early Learning Centre, an international educational retailer. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a degree in Accounting and Finance. He has served on the Boards of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, BuildOn, GoodWeave, and the Berkley Big Idea Competition.
