Joshua M. Freeman (1964-2006) was the only son of real estate developer and philanthropist Carl Freeman and his wife, Virginia. Josh grew up on Tusculum Farm, the family’s home in Olney, Maryland, and attended Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. After graduating from Landon, Josh joined the Army and served his country as a Green Beret. In 1986, he joined the family business and began his career as a leasing agent with the Carl M. Freeman Companies. He diligently worked his way through the various companies and became President and Chief Executive Officer in 1992.

Josh was also a passionate philanthropist who knew the importance of giving back. In addition to the Freeman Companies, Josh served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, continuing his father’s legacy of giving back to the areas where the Carl M. Freeman Companies do business. He also served on the Boards of Venture Philanthropy Partners, the Washington National Opera, the United Jewish Endowment Fund and Landon School.

Josh was particularly passionate about the arts, the environment, and athletic achievement.

The Freeman family legacy of supporting the arts spans several generations. Carl and Virginia Freeman helped support the Kennedy Center in the 1960s and were well known throughout the Washington D.C. area for their support of the arts, including the Washington National Opera, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and Olney Theatre Center. Josh was born into a family that stressed the value of arts to a balanced life, and his passion was evident. He served as a board member for the Washington National Opera and was proud to continue his family’s legacy of arts patronage

Growing up on the family farm, Josh saw firsthand the beauty of the natural environment. When he became president of the Freeman Companies, Josh continued leading development that was done in an environmentally sensitive manner. In 2006, he received the Coastal Living Magazine Award for Community Development which recognized his commitment to protecting and preserving the coastal areas that surround the Bayside community, one of the communities built by the Carl M. Freeman Companies on the Delaware shore.

As a lifelong fitness champion and health buff, Josh knew the importance of staying in shape. He incorporated that belief into everything he did, including the Freeman Companies. Under Josh’s leadership, the Company office was home to a gym and employees were encouraged to work out during business hours. And one of the last commitments made by the Carl M. Freeman Foundation before Josh’s death was to Landon School for the construction of a new fitness facility, which was subsequently named the Joshua M. Freeman Center for Athletic Achievement.