Mitchell N. Schear

Executive Partner
Boston Properties

With more than 35 years of leadership experience in commercial real estate, Mitchell Schear ran two of Washington’s most influential real estate companies owning and developing some of the most iconic office and residential projects in Washington, D.C. Today, Schear has turned his focus to “PropTech”, the dynamic intersection of the burgeoning new creative/tech sector and traditional brick and mortar. In 2019, Schear joined Camber Creek as executive partner, effectively combining his passion for PropTech with his wealth of commercial real estate experience.

Camber Creek is the longest standing real estate technology venture capital firm with a proven and successful track record of investing in emerging real estate technology market leaders, catalyzing growth for those companies, and achieving outsized returns for its investors. In his role at Camber Creek, Schear focuses on selecting portfolio companies to invest in, and then cultivating and growing them. He brings investing, operating and leadership experience and expertise across a broad range of real estate verticals, including development, leasing, construction, and property management.

From 2003 until 2017, Schear was president of Vornado/Charles E. Smith, the D.C. division of Vornado Realty Trust, a $20 billion real estate investment trust. In that role, he directed the strategy, performance, and growth of Vornado’s extensive 20+ million square foot portfolio in the D.C. metropolitan area. In Arlington, Va., his forward-thinking, placemaking vision transformed Crystal City (now “National Landing”) into a vibrant, creative community that became home to a growing innovation hub and great restaurants and retail concepts. From 2017 to 2020, Schear served as a board member for JBG Smith, a successor company and the largest real estate company in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Prior to joining Vornado in 2003, Schear spent 15 years at The Kaempfer Company, where, as president, he oversaw all of the company’s development, leasing, and management activities.

In 2021, Schear was appointed to the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents Facilities Committee where he works to provide leadership and oversight for the revitalization and maintenance of the vast real estate holdings of Smithsonian. He is also involved in a variety of organizations and charities, including Higher Achievement where he rallied the real estate and business community to raise more than $1 million annually for this organization dedicated to helping at-risk middle-school kids excel and succeed. In 2016, Schear was honored by Higher Achievement for his extraordinary leadership and commitment. For many years, he has been a value-add member of numerous private and public boards, task forces, and advisory committees. In 2015, he was honored by Transwestern as Trendsetter of the Year in recognition of his legacy of innovation, quality, and many contributions to the Washington, D.C. community. In 2007, Schear was recognized by the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) with its highest honor, the Achievement Award.