Raymond Christman
Senior Vice President, Mid South Division Director
Ray Christman has over 30 years of experience working in the fields of urban development, conservation, affordable housing and financial services. In this regard, he has served in senior level positions in the for-profit, non-profit, and governmental sectors.
Ray began his career, after earning a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, with the Pittsburgh-based Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, one of the largest local land trusts in the country, working on land acquisition and land use policy. He subsequently worked for several Pittsburgh area not-for-profits that were involved in the redevelopment of Pittsburgh and its economy.
Ray also served during the 1980s and 1990s as Executive Director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the City of Pittsburgh's development agency, and for four years as Secretary of Commerce for Pennsylvania in the administration of Governor Robert Casey.
Ray spent nearly 15 years in the financial services sector working in the Federal Home Loan Bank system, first as Chairman of the Pittsburgh Federal Home Loan Bank and then as President and CEO of the Atlanta Federal Home Loan Bank.
After retiring from the Home Loan Bank system in 2007, Ray returned to work related to consulting and non-profit management. He managed former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin's major transit expansion initiative, and provided consulting services to a number of local and national non-profits. He served for two years as Director of the Livable Communities Coalition of Metro Atlanta, a consortium of more than 50 organizations whose mission is to advocate for and promote smart growth and sustainable development policies and practices.
In 2011, Ray joined The Trust for Public Land as Senior Vice President and Division Director for the Mid-South Division.
Ray has an undergraduate degree in Business from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Pittsburgh.
