About Us – The Core Companies

David Neale Chairman & CEO Read Bio

David Neale’s career in real property development began in Canada in 1970 where he developed skills as an executive of Town and Commercial Properties, LTD, a large UK public real estate development company, with a local office in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Amongst these activities he was responsible for the development of a large land subdivision, home construction and the asset management of a high-rise apartment complex. He became President of the Canada operations.

In 1974 he left the employment of TCP to found Claremont Development Corporation in Montreal to purchase and develop an acquisition of a 40-acre land tract, which he developed and sold. In addition the company invested in rehabilitation, lease, and sale of several historical underutilized commercial buildings in Old Montreal, converting them to residential apartments.

In 1978, following the establishment of an “independence” political party in Quebec, he moved to the United States as a permanent resident, became a US citizen, and founded Fountain Lane Properties Ltd. Located in downtown San Jose the company developed high density residential work force housing in and around the City’s downtown core area. He developed a very close working relationship with the City agencies including the local redevelopment agency in helping to revitalize the downtown core area and surrounding neighborhoods. This close working relationship and a demonstrated commitment to excellence have resulted in FLP and Core obtaining in excess of $100,000,000 in funding assistance for affordable and work force housing in San Jose.

David is an active member of the team at Core and has general responsibility for the companies. Chris Neale, his son, is actively leading the growth and activities of the Development Companies and Chrissie Davis is Director of Operations for Core Builders who manages the construction activities of the organization. These activates have generated over 2,000 apartments and single family homes.

Chris Neale President Read Bio

As President of The Core Companies, holding company to Core Homes, Core Affordable, Core Residential, and Core Builders, Chris is responsible for the full spectrum of Core’s development activities including acquisition, entitlement, financing and construction.

During his career, Chris has completed a broad range of complicated development projects. Examples range from a regional transit oriented master planned community that required an assembly of 25 acres with 6 property owners to small lot single-family urban infill projects. Chris’ strengths lie in his ability to work through complicated entitlements and complicated financing. Born in Montreal, Canada, Chris immigrated with his family to the Bay Area in 1978. He holds a Bachelors’ degree in Physics from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s Degree in Business from the University of California, Berkeley.

Keith Craw President Read Bio

Keith Craw brings over 20 years of comprehensive experience in leading teams and successfully executing education and affordable housing-focused construction projects across a wide range of sizes and contract delivery methods. With a deep commitment to delivering exceptional results, Keith has consistently demonstrated his ability to oversee projects from initial concept design through to final closeout. His leadership ensures that client needs and project goals are not only understood but met with precision and excellence.

As a senior leader, Keith has been instrumental in shaping company culture and driving organizational growth, establishing and executing long-term strategies that promote operational efficiency, quality control, and a safe work environment. His experience spans all phases of construction, including preconstruction, risk management, cost estimation, procurement, and contract negotiation. With a reputation for clear communication and results-driven leadership, Keith has successfully managed teams, guided talent development, and overseen the financial and operational success of projects valued at hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Vince Cantore Senior Vice President of Development Read Bio: Vince Cantore is the Senior Vice President of Development at the Core Companies and has overseen the project approval process for both residential and renewable energy projects located in the United States and Scotland. Prior to joining the Core Companies, Vince worked to secure land agreements on behalf of Scottish Power Energy Networks for over 65 MW of wind energy projects and 189 km of distribution facilities located throughout the Central Belt of Scotland.

Babatunde Onadelle Jr. Vice President Read Bio

Babatunde Onadele, Jr. is a highly skilled construction executive with over a decade of experience in the construction industry, specializing in large-scale, complex projects across various sectors, including education and commercial construction. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from SJSU and a Nanodegree in Product Management, Babatunde combines technical expertise with forward-thinking, technology-driven leadership to deliver projects on time and within budget. Throughout his career, Babatunde has demonstrated his ability to manage and oversee projects from concept through to close-out, driving efficiency and collaboration across all project stages.

His experience spans the management of multi-million-dollar projects, including leading teams of up to 10+ employees, mentoring staff, and implementing innovative preconstruction software solutions. Babatunde’s leadership skills extend beyond project management, as he is committed to fostering professional growth and development within his teams, helping them achieve their full potential. He has successfully managed a variety of project types, including performing arts centers, school modernization, seismic rehabilitation, and historic building renovations. His ability to collaborate with clients, design teams, and stakeholders ensures that projects align with client goals, stay within budget, and meet high-quality standards.

Ron Lathouwers Controller

Established in 1989, The Core Companies is a vertically-integrated real estate development and construction firm. Core has developed a strong track record for identifying well-located housing sites and securing challenging difficult entitlements throughout the San Francisco Bay area. In addition to developing and constructing its own projects, Core offers third-party pre-development, development management and construction services.

Since its inception Core has developed more than 400 single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, as well as 2,300 apartment units all within the South Bay region.In the last decade, Core has developed 17 properties with a total development cost of approximately $500 million.

Core continues its vision today by creating vibrant new home communities in urban locations.Our focus remains on enhancing the quality of life of its customers and on continuing to play a positive role in the fabric of the neighborhoods the company creates.Core has received awards and a high stamp of approval rating from many satisfied renters and homeowners.

Core Residential, LLC., is the market rate multi-family division of Core that works in close collaboration with its general contracting division member company, Core General Contractor, Inc (‘CORE Builders’).CORE Builders’ relationship with Core Residential provides exceptional security to lending institutions by implementing value engineering, cost controls, time pressures and a cohesive interaction. Core General Contractor, Inc. (CA LIC# 796393) has provided construction services secured general contracting contracts for 21 projects totaling approximately $300 million and currently has 2 projects still under construction.This strong alliance has thrived for 30 years.

Core’s approach to design comes from within the community and begins long before the first architectural discussion.Product designs evolve to reflect the prospective residents’ needs and community input.Our reputation for reliability, accountability, integrity, and commitment to residents and funding partners is unsurpassed. Please feel free to contact us.