Eric Cress Appointed to Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners
Prosper Portland is pleased to welcome Eric Cress to its Board of Commissioners following unanimous appointment by Portland City Council on March 11, 2026.
Eric Cress is a real estate principal and civic leader. He currently serves as President and Founder of Urban Development + Partners (UDP), where he oversees company strategy, supports daily operations, and leads the investment committee.
With nearly two decades of executive leadership in the real estate sector, Eric has built a reputation for managing complex urban mixed-use projects that drive economic activity. His leadership is characterized by a long-term, systems-level perspective, having managed the acquisition, development, and asset management of projects valued at more than $500 million, including multiple LEED Platinum, Gold, and Silver registered developments.
Prior to co-founding UDP, Eric managed development projects for Pacific Bay Investments in the San Francisco Bay Area. He brings a unique analytical perspective to the board, originally training as an engineer. His earlier career included roles as a design manager and researcher for technology firms such as Cypress Semiconductor and Maple Optical Systems, as well as the National Science Foundation’s Research Center for Computational Field Dynamics. This technical background is underscored by his holding of eight U.S. patents and multiple publications in error-correcting code research.
Eric’s service extends into Portland’s civic and economic sectors. He serves as a member of the Advance Portland Advisory Committee and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) SSDC National Product Council. His volunteer leadership includes serving as the former Board Chair of the Central Eastside Industrial Council—representing Portland’s second-largest business district—and as a former Chair of ULI Northwest. Eric holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and both Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University.
“We are thrilled that Commissioner Cress has joined the board,” said Prosper Portland Executive Director Cornell Wesley. “His experience and expertise will be an invaluable addition to our Board as they guide the agency’s work and the implementation of Advance Portland, the city’s economic development strategy.”
“It is an honor to be appointed to this position, and I am excited for the opportunity to serve the community and the Prosper team. Having worked in civic and private-sector roles in Portland and beyond, I have a deep respect for the importance and difficulty of balancing short-term and long-term capital-allocation requirements for economic development; providing for short-term needs and long-term vision – both of which are needed for an organization and a community to prosper.”
