Ed Fritsch

Ed Fritsch serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Highwoods Properties, Inc., a $7 billion-plus, publicly traded real estate investment trust. He joined the company in 1982 a year after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Mr. Fritsch held many titles before becoming CEO in 2004, including positions such as Head of Asset Management, Director of Development, Division President and Chief Operating Officer. Also, he was a partner of Highwoods’ predecessor company before its initial public offering in 1994. In the CEO role, Mr. Fritsch has implemented a successful business strategy focused on four elements: people, portfolio, balance sheet and communications. Throughout his tenure as CEO, Highwoods Properties, Inc. has averaged a total shareholder return of 12.8% per annum. Other achievements include leading the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts — NAREIT — as Chair in 2016; the organization represents nearly $2 trillion worth of publicly traded U.S. REITs. Mr. Fritsch was awarded the 2015 Triangle Business Journal’s CEO of the Year Award and Triangle Business Journal’s 2010 Pillar Award, which recognizes outstanding real estate accomplishments and community involvement efforts.