Meet Our Team

Ben Sampson

Principal

Michael Morris

CEO

Brian Synan

President

Tom Dixon

Chief Financial Officer

Tracy Mitchell

Vice President Residential Operations

Michael Murphy

Vice President of Property Management

Clayton Morris

Vice President of Development & Leasing

Andrew Venturino

Vice President of Construction & Development

Nicole Montecupo

Commercial Lease Administrator

Dan Kepple

Controller

Brendan Moyer

Asset Manager

Jeff Kramer

Human Resources Director

Sheri Stoots

Human Resources Generalist

Rachael Portz

Marketing Director

Josh Darby

Facilities Manager

Nicole Nicolette

Executive Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Wohlfarth

Office Coordinator

Heidi Tomicek

Accountant

Ben Sampson

Principal

A third generation developer, Ben began developing real estate on Route 286 in Plum Borough and surrounding communities with his father, Orin, in the early 1970s.

In 1973, he formed Cano, Inc. to build a 20,000 square foot strip center, Presque Isle Plaza, as part of Plum Borough’s main shopping district. He also established Bar Development Company and The Meritage Group to manage both his and his family’s land development needs. He continues to be the driving influence behind both company’s contract work and sub-division developments located throughout Pittsburgh’s suburbs. Over the last 30 years, these and other partnership affiliated companies have developed industrial, commercial, and retail space as well as thousands of single family lots, apartments, and condominiums.

A graduate of Bucknell University and veteran of the Vietnam War, Ben is active in professional organizations that include the Urban Land Institute, Society of Industrial Office Realtors, and National Association Industrial and Office Properties.

Michael Morris

CEO

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a MBA in Finance, Michael embarked on a career in real estate development with a nonprofit organization committed to buying, renovating, and selling distressed residential properties in a hopeful Pittsburgh neighborhood. In 1992, he joined Cano, Inc. as a leasing agent and financial analyst and eventually became its Vice President. In 1997, Michael and Ben Sampson formed the Sampson Morris Group to take over the management of their real estate holdings and to take advantage of additional development opportunities. On February 26, 2004, the corporate name was changed to Sampson Morris Group.

Michael is continually involved in multiple development projects from the initial analysis and mortgage acquisition to the construction management and lease-up phases. Through personal attention, quality management, and a keen sense of direction, he continues to lead Sampson Morris Group forward.

A graduate of Bethany College (BA in Economics) and the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh (MBA in Finance), Michael is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). He continues his education in real estate through various seminars held by both the Urban Land Institute and NAIOP.

Brian Synan

President

Brian came to Sampson Morris Group as a result of a corporate merger with Rimco Properties in 2012. He is the President as well as the corporate Broker and manages the overall operations of the company.

Brian is a graduate of Grove City College (BS in Business Management) and John F. Donahue Graduate School of Business (MBA). He also has designations as a Certified Property Manager (CPM) from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

Tom Dixon

Chief Financial Officer

Honest, ambitious CPA with a robust work ethic; excellent interpersonal and organizational skills; and an ability to problem solve both creatively and logically are the cornerstone attributes of Sampson Morris Group’s CFO, Tom Dixon. Tom joined Sampson Morris Group in 2011 as Chief Accounting Officer, bringing 15 years of progressive experience to the company. Tom oversaw the accounting functions, implemented best practices, and streamlined processes. His focus was on analyzing and delivering timely, accurate, and useful financial information to fellow executive team members.

As CFO, Tom is directly responsible for the overall financial management of the company. His workload includes approving potential tenants, corporate compliance, tax reporting, analyzing financial statements, and providing forecasting and planning to ensure strategic decisions are made for 100+ entities. Flexible by nature and a result-driven executive, Tom delivers value beyond financial statements. He functions as a collaborative leader while providing mentorship and guidance to his team and the organization to ensure the recruitment and retainment of top talent for the corporate finance team. Tom’s strengths of leading with integrity, managing with compassion and his drive to succeed is why his promotion to CFO in 2022 was a natural course.

Tom’s skillset within the organization has been enhanced by many invaluable experiences in his personal life. Tom’s love of traveling was spurred when he received a full fine arts scholarship to Duquesne University that provided him the opportunity to travel to 47 states and providences of Canada.

Community is an integral part of Tom’s life, as he serves as the chair of his church’s finance council and is a regular volunteer for many community events.

Tom has a strong entrepreneurial drive, and has converted his passion of home renovation projects into a business. Together with his wife, they have developed a portfolio of rental properties and a house renovation company. While Tom enjoys life in an urban environment, he does not miss an opportunity to embrace his outdoor passions of hunting and fishing.

Tracy Mitchell

Vice President Residential Operations

Tracy Mitchell is a seasoned multifamily operations leader with over 20 years of experience in property management. Known for her commitment to operational excellence, systems optimization, capital project oversight, and team development, Tracy brings a strategic mind and a hands-on approach to every facet of her work.

As Vice President of Residential Operations and Associate Broker, Tracy oversees a diverse portfolio of more than 3,500 homes and leads a residential team of over 60 professionals.

Her career began in 2000 as an administrative and leasing assistant with The Soffer Organization. She advanced to Property Manager at Rimco Properties in 2005, where she earned her Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®) designation in 2008. After joining Sampson Morris Group in 2012, she achieved the prestigious Certified Property Manager (CPM®) designation and was promoted to Director of Multifamily Operations in 2017.

Tracy has been an active member of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) since 2008. She was honored as Western PA’s CPM Candidate of the Year in 2013 and received the CPM of the Year award in both 2019 and 2020. Nationally, she was a finalist for IREM’s REME (Real Estate Management Excellence) Award for CPM of the Year in 2018. Tracy has held multiple leadership roles within the Western PA Chapter, including President-Elect and President, and continues to serve on the chapter’s board of directors.

Outside of work, Tracy enjoys tackling home improvement projects and traveling with her family and friends.

Michael Murphy

Vice President of Property Management

Mike Murphy is an accomplished Property Manager with 25 years of real estate experience. He has been an integral part of Sampson-Morris Group since 2006, working on development, leasing, construction, marketing, and technology projects. In his current role, Mike manages a diverse portfolio of commercial properties, responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, capital improvements, maintenance contracts, tenant relations and lease renewals.

Mike is a graduate of LaRoche University, earning a bachelor’s degree in real estate. He is licensed by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission and is a member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). He holds the Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM®) certification and Certified Property Manager (CPM®) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), is a Certified Self Storage Manager© (The Self Storage Association), and has his Remote Pilots License (FAA Part 107 Drone).

Mike was a REME (Real Estate Management Excellence) Awards finalist at the 2022 IREM Global Summit in Dallas, TX.

Mike enjoys spending time with his family, attending concerts, fly fishing and is a volunteer at Allison Park Church, where he serves as a FOH Audio Engineer.

Clayton Morris

Vice President of Development & Leasing

Clayton is part of the second generation at Sampson Morris Group and in his role of Vice President of Development & Leasing. His responsibilities focus on enhancing the value of the portfolio through leasing, marketing, asset management, development, and acquisitions. Clayton is a graduate of Katz School of Business (MBA in Finance and Business Strategy) and Allegheny College (BA in Managerial Economics with a minor in Astronomy/Astrophysics).

Clayton is also an avid kitesurfer and inventor. He designed and patented a practical, adjustable-size kite and collaborated to start a new company, “Guzt, a kitesurfing innovation company” which makes high performance kite surfboards.

Andrew Venturino

Vice President of Construction & Development

As the Vice President of Construction & Development, Andrew is detailed with cost control and management of new developments, adaptive redevelopment of acquired properties and tenant buildouts.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Andrew started in real estate management and development with Rimco Properties, gaining knowledge of capital improvement budgeting, contracting, property acquisition procedures and tenant buildouts. He has continued to plan and guide construction projects of various nature such as commercial and industrial, historic restorations, and specialized home construction.

Nicole Montecupo

Commercial Lease Administrator

Nicole serves as the Commercial Lease Administrator at Sampson Morris Group. In this role, she plays a vital part in the success of the firm’s leasing and tenant relations activities—drafting, interpreting, and enforcing lease agreements to protect landlord interests, ensure compliance and enhance tenant satisfaction.

Nicole is a business operations leader with over two decades of experience driving efficiency, growth, and innovation across commercial real estate and strategic infrastructure. Known for her exceptional ability to translate complex processes into streamlined, scalable solutions. Her earlier tenure as Director of Operations for Cushman & Wakefield І Pittsburgh showcased her multi-disciplinary strengths across financial analysis, transaction coordination, and market research. Nicole supported brokerage and leasing teams by producing detailed property surveys and managing every touchpoint of lease administration. She maintained the firm’s online property databases, handled end-to-end financial operations, and spearheaded licensing and compliance initiatives for a team of professionals.

She has a degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University and a Pennsylvania real estate license.

Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters, cooking, reading and coaching recreational gymnastics.

Dan Kepple

Controller

Dan is the Controller at Sampson Morris Group, where he oversees all day-to-day accounting operations and manages the company’s overall financial health. He plays a key role in financial planning, reporting, and ensuring compliance, supporting the organization’s continued growth and success.

Prior to joining SMG, Dan spent 15 years in public accounting, gaining extensive experience in tax preparation, audits, payroll, and bookkeeping for a wide range of clients across different industries. His strong background in financial management and attention to detail provide a solid foundation for his work at SMG.

Outside of the office, Dan enjoys spending quality time with his family and exploring the outdoors.

Brendan Moyer

Asset Manager

Brendan is an Asset Manager at Sampson Morris Group, where he supports leasing, commercial and residential development, acquisitions, and financing/lender relationships.

A Pittsburgh native and graduate of The Citadel, Brendan began his career in residential homebuilding with Axon Homes in Charleston, SC, and later gained experience in mortgage banking with Bellwether Enterprise in Pittsburgh. He also holds a Pennsylvania Real Estate License and is actively involved in professional organizations, including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP).

Outside of work, Brendan enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.

Jeff Kramer

Human Resources Director

Jeff brings over a decade of human resources management experience to SMG including a diverse and multifaceted corporate background in talent acquisition, talent and performance management, and an overall broad range of experience within human resource generalist functions. Throughout his corporate tenure he has sourced, acquired and aided within the overall professional development of hundreds of business-related positions, and information technology professionals, along with implementing and orchestrating organizational succession planning and reclassification projects.

After obtaining an associate degree in Information Systems and Technology, Jeff began his career by progressing through leadership and management roles within IT and Data Center service management. For many years he had a senior management position leading 35+ service professionals, while developing and implementing incident management protocols and strategies. Due to the rapid growth within the company along with his passion and success within assigned HR management responsibilities his position began to resonate directly in acquiring, training, and developing talent for a 24/7/365 NOC and IT support operation, while at the same time managing incident and change applications through a ITIL framework.

With Jeff’s transition into human resource management roles and responsibilities, he continued to pursue his education attending both Robert Morris and graduating from Geneva College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management. With the continued desire to focus his career solely within human resources and before starting at SMG, he dedicated his efforts and responsibilities specific to talent acquisition and workforce and job analysis as he aided in restructuring the corporation’s personnel-support teams and overall organizational status, through the use of human resource practice and management. Jeff joined Sampson Morris Group in 2019 and works within various aspects of Human Resources Director functions.

Sheri Stoots

Human Resources Generalist

As the newly appointed Human Resources Generalist for Sampson Morris Group, Sheri brings over a decade of Human Resource knowledge and experience. Sheri’s path leading her into Human Resources began when she was assigned as Assistant to the Benefits Analyst. Throughout her career she has gained a wide range of experience within HR Generalist functions focusing on talent acquisition, performance management, training, and employee relations.

After successfully completing coursework in Business Administration, Sheri’s professional career included Office Management and Executive Administration. She also held a security clearance with the Department of Energy acting as the Facility Security Officer in charge of maintaining clearances for over 100 employees, handling sensitive documents and material while exclusively heading the facility’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC 2.0) Program.

Rachael Portz

Marketing Director

Rachael Portz brings more than a decade of experience in marketing, design, and brand management. As Marketing Director at Sampson Morris Group, she leads strategies that connect the company’s residential and commercial portfolios with the right audiences through innovative campaigns, digital platforms, and creative design.

Since joining Sampson Morris Group in 2017, Rachael has played a key role in building brand consistency, developing engaging marketing materials, managing websites, digital platforms, and social media channels. She has also overseen CRM implementation, analytics, and budget management while aligning marketing and sales efforts across teams. Her promotion to Marketing Director in 2024 reflects both her leadership and her results-driven approach.

Beyond day-to-day marketing operations, Rachael has successfully planned and executed large-scale events, led cross-functional initiatives, and partnered with outside organizations to expand brand visibility. With expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, marketing automation, Google Analytics, and website management platforms, she blends creativity and strategy to deliver measurable impact.

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Robert Morris University, where she received multiple awards for excellence in media arts. Outside of work, Rachael lends her skills to various organizations, supporting marketing, branding, and design projects.

Josh Darby

Facilities Manager

Josh Darby joined Sampson Morris Group in 2021, bringing over three decades of hands-on expertise in construction and facilities management. His career began with a strong foundation in the trades, working alongside his grandfather in their families’ electrical contracting business and his father in roofing and remodeling. Together, Josh and his father successfully operated a construction business for more than ten years.

Before joining Sampson Morris Group, Josh spent a decade in the long-term care industry, where he served as Director of Facilities and Emergency Management. He now spearheads property/facility maintenance operations across Sampson-Morris Group’s diverse commercial portfolio, including capital improvement projects, vendor relations, maintenance contracts, and tenant support.

Josh is committed to ongoing professional development. He holds the Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM®) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), is a Certified Self Storage Manager© through the Self-Storage Association and is licensed by the FAA under Part 107 for commercial drone operations.

Outside of work, Josh enjoys spending time with his family, especially while exploring backroads and small towns across the country. They appreciate the charm of local diners, the quiet beauty of covered bridges, and discovering unique places off the beaten path. As passionate food lovers, they’re always seeking out distinctive flavors and hidden gem restaurants—whether it’s a breakfast joint or a tucked-away bakery with the best pastries in town.

Nicole Nicolette

Executive Administrative Assistant

With over 14 years of experience in administrative operations, accounting, and human resources, Nicole is a highly organized and dependable professional known for supporting executive teams and streamlining business processes. She currently serves as Executive Administrative Assistant at Sampson Morris Group, where she works directly with senior leadership, overseeing financial tracking, managing office functions and coordinating corporate projects.

Her career includes key roles at organizations such as Breakthrough T1D formally JDRF and Morris, Paris & Associates, CPAs, where she gained extensive experience in bookkeeping, HR support, tax preparation, and database management.

Nicole holds a B.B.A. with concentrations in Accounting and Human Resources from the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a certified Notary Public.

Outside of work Nicole enjoys spending time with her daughter, running, biking, skiing and having adventures.

Jennifer Wohlfarth

Office Coordinator

Jennifer is an experienced professional with more than 25 years of expertise in office management, bookkeeping, and team leadership. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Miami University of Ohio and went on to serve over two decades as Office Manager and CFO for a regional sportswear company. In that role, she managed $2 million in annual revenue and oversaw more than 300 accounts. She led a 20-person team while streamlining vendor, billing, and warehouse stock procedures to improve efficiency and profitability.

In 2024, Jennifer transitioned into her current role as Office Coordinator with Sampson Morris Group. In this position, she applies her background in office administration to manage communications, oversee inventory, and support leadership across departments. She draws on her prior experience to strengthen processes and improve efficiency, contributing to both daily operations and long-term organizational goals.

Outside of her professional achievements, Jennifer enjoys playing tennis, golfing, hiking, and traveling. She especially values spending time with her two children.

Heidi Tomicek

Accountant

Heidi joined Sampson Morris Group in 2011, bringing a strong background in banking, accounting, and real estate, which has enabled her to become an integral member of the Accounting Department. She is highly regarded for her attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate financial records.

A 1998 graduate of Seton Hill College with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, Heidi leverages her analytical skills to ensure efficiency and accuracy in all aspects of her work.

When she’s not crunching numbers or analyzing spreadsheets, Heidi enjoys staying active through yoga and biking, indulging her love for reading, and traveling to explore new destinations.