Mason Ailstock

Mason is a trusted leader in the formation and stewardship of innovation districts, research parks, and mission-driven real estate developments. With 20 years’ experience working with higher education institutions, governments and industry, Mason has a track record of converging real estate, academia, and business to advance communities of innovation. In his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Rowen, Mason is responsible for the real estate development, public-private-university partnerships, and investment activities of the 2,000-acre multi-use knowledge community ultimately comprising over 50 million square feet of space and housing over 80,000 employees.

Prior to leading Rowen, Mason served as the Vice President of Operations at The University Financing Foundation (TUFF), a non-profit financing organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, where he advised on a wide variety of local and international university projects managing assets in excess of $1.5 billion which include innovation districts such as Georgia Tech’s Tech Square in Midtown Atlanta and healthcare networks such as Northwell Health in Manhattan New York.

Prior to TUFF, Mason was the Chief Operating Officer at the Research Triangle Park Foundation (RTP) and led the organization’s business development, marketing, real estate, and partnership strategies. Responsible for leading the convergence of higher education institutions including three R1 universities, Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and two community colleges, Mason championed the redevelopment of RTP as an accessible research and innovation destination for North Carolina.



Mason is the Past President of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), Co-Chairman of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) University Development & Innovation Council, Board Member of the University of Utah Research Foundation, Young Life International Partner, and Eisenhower Fellow to Sweden and Saudi Arabi.