Saul Behar is a senior executive and strategic advisor with deep cross-functional expertise in legal, real estate, fundraising, external relations, and corporate governance matters, and with a passion for tech- based economic development and inclusive growth.
Most recently, Saul served as General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at the University City Science Center in Philadelphia. Established in 1963 as the nation’s first urban science research park, the Science Center is Philadelphia’s premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Working alongside industry partners and leading research and academic institutions across the globe, the Science Center has supported over 1,000 early-stage companies.
During Saul’s 15-year tenure at the Science Center, he was responsible for all legal and corporate governance matters and led the organization’s initiatives in STEM education and workforce development. Earlier, he also led all activities in fundraising (public and private) and government and community relations.
Prior to joining the Science Center, he was a partner at Wolf Block LLP in Philadelphia. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Provident Senior Living Trust, a privately owned real estate investment trust based in Princeton, New Jersey that owned 68 senior housing facilities in 19 states. Before joining Provident, Saul served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Keystone Property Trust, an NYSE-listed real estate investment trust headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania that focused on industrial real estate. Both Provident and Keystone were highly successful firms that were acquired by the leading companies in their industry sectors.
In 2023 he was appointed Board Chair of Reinvestment Fund (RF), a mission-driven community development financial institution (CDFI) headquartered in Philadelphia, with offices in Baltimore and Atlanta. Since its inception in 1985, RF has provided over $2.4 billion in financing to strengthen neighborhoods, scale social enterprises, and build resilient communities across the nation. Saul joined the RF board in 2016 and has served as Chair of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Loan Review Committee.
Saul also serves on the boards of PolicyMap, a spatial data mapping and analytics company; RF Impact Advisers, a state-registered investment adviser; and The Village of Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit that provides arts-based opportunities for self-expression and personal success that engage youth and their families, revitalize physical space, and preserve Black heritage. Additionally, Saul is a current board member (and former Board Chair) of the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund.