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Centinel Public Partnerships Marks One-Year Anniversary With Housing and Lodging Portfolio Progress Nationwide

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 4, 2026) – One year since acquiring Lendlease Group’s U.S. military housing and lodging holdings and officially launching its own entity, Nashville-based Centinel Public Partnerships is celebrating its one-year anniversary. The company is also unveiling significant growth milestones and looking ahead to the future, after a year defined by strategic investment, community revitalization, and a continuous commitment to improving quality of life for communities and military families across the United States.

Over the past year, Centinel’s portfolio grew to serve more than 3.79 million residents and guests in communities nationwide while advancing new construction, reinvestment and resident engagement efforts.

First-year highlights include:

  • 350 new homes constructed across the U.S., addressing the growing demand for quality housing.
  • $227 million invested in Centinel’s military housing communities, which is used to enhance accommodations for military families.
  • $68.2 million invested in Army lodging modernization, improving lodging experiences for service members across the country.
  • 30 scholarships awarded to dependents of active-duty and retired military members pursuing higher education through the BlueStar Scholarships Program, funded by the Centinel Community Fund, the company’s nonprofit arm.
  • $384,000 raised in 2025 through the Centinel Community Fund’s 18 FORE MILITARY FAMILIES Golf Tournament, marking $3.5 million raised to date.
  • National recognition, including two Multi-Housing News Excellence industry awards recognizing Centinel communities’ excellence in development and design.

“This past year has been one of incredible discipline, growth and learning,” said Justin Kern, chief executive officer at Centinel Public Partnerships. “We’re grateful for the trust our military families and community partners place in us. That trust drives our commitment to providing dependable housing, thoughtful reinvestment and responsive service every day.”

Looking ahead, Centinel will continue strengthening public-private partnerships and advancing housing and lodging improvements at select military installations, including major lodging renovations at Fort Bragg. Through Centinel’s Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program and its partnership with IHG Army Hotels, the installation will add a newly built Candlewood Suites, the 17th hotel in Centinel’s PAL portfolio. In addition, Fort Bragg’s historic Normandy House will be restored and designated as a Historia Collection™ IHG Army hotel. Additional details, including the project completion timeline and the official grand opening ceremony, are expected to be announced this spring.

Centinel also continues to build its lodging portfolio and partnership with IHG Army Hotels by actively engaging in the pursuit of the U.S. Air Force’s privatized lodging program. This further expands Centinel’s commitment to modernizing accommodations and enhancing quality of life for service members and their families.

For more information about Centinel Public Partnerships, visit centinelus.com.

About Centinel Public Partnerships
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Centinel Public Partnerships is dedicated to enhancing the lives of U.S. military members and their families through its high-quality housing and lodging communities. With a portfolio of 10 housing communities and over 70 hotels across 26 states and Puerto Rico, Centinel’s leadership team brings 25 years of experience to one of the largest military housing privatization portfolios in the United States. Through its established partnerships with WinnResidential Military Housing Services and IHG® Hotels & Resorts, hotel operator and manager of IHG Army Hotels, Centinel provides exceptional communities and lodging experiences for service members and their families.

Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Davis is responsible for Centinel’s commercial services, including transactions, operations and government relations. He also oversees risk and compliance, along with leadership of Environment, Health and Safety, and Marketing and Public Affairs. Kevin spent 18 years with Lendlease in senior business development, commercial and legal roles, following earlier experience in private law practice and service in the U.S. Air Force.

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications, Meryl Exley leads Centinel’s brand, communications and public affairs strategy as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs. She oversees corporate communications, client and customer engagement, public relations, media, and crisis management, strengthening the company’s reputation and community connections. Before Centinel, Meryl held senior marketing leadership roles at Lendlease, where she advanced growth and visibility for its military housing and lodging platform.

Matthew Garrett is Executive Vice President responsible for Centinel’s Air Force Housing and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He directs operations and strategic initiatives across both programs. Before joining Centinel, Matt held senior leadership roles at Lendlease, where he expanded its student housing platform and managed a military housing portfolio of more than 40,000 homes. He also led federal lobbying and outreach efforts, engaging with congressional and Department of Defense stakeholders. Earlier in his career, Matt served as a U.S. Army officer, earning a Bronze Star for Valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Leading Centinel’s legal, compliance and governance functions, Heather Niemeyer provides strategic counsel to support growth and manage risk across the portfolio. She brings more than 15 years of experience advising global organizations, including senior legal roles at Lendlease and earlier practice with two international law firms.

As Centinel’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeremy Martin is responsible for financial strategy, operations and reporting, guiding the company’s long-term growth and performance. He has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and real estate finance, with expertise in financial planning, compliance and risk management. Jeremy served as CFO for Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC prior to the company’s acquisition by Centinel, where he directed financial operations for Lendlease Communities.

Gretchen Turpen serves as Executive Vice President, Asset Management, where she directs operations and asset, property and development management for Centinel’s Army housing portfolio of more than 25,000 homes. In this role, she leads corporate strategy, financial performance, and client and customer relationships. Previously, Gretchen was Head of Lodging, where she delivered the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program including the renovation of over 12,000 hotel rooms across 40 military installations nationwide.

In his role as President, Phillip Carpenter guides operations for Centinel’s Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He is responsible for property management, asset management, development, construction, and environmental health and safety. With more than 40 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, Phillip has held senior leadership positions with Lendlease and J&J Worldwide Services, bringing expertise in real estate, development and facilities management. 

Justin Kern, Chief Executive Officer of Centinel, sets the company’s strategic direction with a focus on long-term sustainment and outcomes for customers, partners and employees. He has more than 20 years of leadership in real estate finance, construction and operations. Prior to Centinel, Justin served as President and CEO of Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC, where he oversaw asset management, property management and development for military housing and lodging communities.