Gary Block
Partner & Chief Investment Officer
The Meridian Group
The Meridian Group
Gary is the Chief Investment Officer and a Partner of Meridian. Gary is responsible for acquisitions and capital activities. He also serves as Chair of the Investment Committee. Gary led the fundraising and investing efforts of Meridian Realty Partners I,II,III and IV, Meridian’s discretionary private equity funds raised in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2022, with an aggregate of nearly $2 billion of equity and $5 billion of investments. These included the acquisition, development and recapitalization of office, residential, industrial, retail and hotel assets, with an emphasis on placemaking.
With over 30 years of industry experience, Gary represented Meridian in its first 3 years of investments as a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Washington, DC. He then headed up the U.S. Real Estate Fund’s Acquisitions Group as a partner at The Carlyle Group, where he led and completed over $12 billion of investments with $4.0 billion of equity in nearly 200 transactions. These included the acquisition, development, structured financing, and recapitalization of office, hotel, retail, residential, industrial, land, senior living, and mixed-use properties. He also led the firm’s efforts in the formation of Carlyle Realty Partners I, II, III, IV and V – an aggregate of over $5 billion in investor commitments – before joining The Meridian Group in November 2007.
Gary received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law. Gary is on the Advisory Board for George Washington University Business School's Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, the Board of Directors for The University of Miami School of Real Estate (MRED), and the D.C. History Center.
With over 30 years of industry experience, Gary represented Meridian in its first 3 years of investments as a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Washington, DC. He then headed up the U.S. Real Estate Fund’s Acquisitions Group as a partner at The Carlyle Group, where he led and completed over $12 billion of investments with $4.0 billion of equity in nearly 200 transactions. These included the acquisition, development, structured financing, and recapitalization of office, hotel, retail, residential, industrial, land, senior living, and mixed-use properties. He also led the firm’s efforts in the formation of Carlyle Realty Partners I, II, III, IV and V – an aggregate of over $5 billion in investor commitments – before joining The Meridian Group in November 2007.
Gary received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law. Gary is on the Advisory Board for George Washington University Business School's Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, the Board of Directors for The University of Miami School of Real Estate (MRED), and the D.C. History Center.