8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC  20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report Pursuant

to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) December 29, 2008

WINTHROP REALTY TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Ohio

                                         (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)                                        

001-06249		34-6513657
(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
7 Bulfinch Place, Suite 500, P.O. Box 9507, Boston, Massachusetts		02114
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)
	(617) 570-4614
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 n/a

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFT|R 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On December 29, 2008, Winthrop Realty Trust’s Board of Trustees appointed Carolyn Tiffany as the President of Winthrop Realty Trust (the “Trust”) and Peter Braverman, the Trust’s current President was appointed as the Trust’s Vice Chairman.  Both appointments are effective January 1, 2009.  Ms. Tiffany was not appointed pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between her and any other persons.  Ms. Tiffany nor any of her affiliates a party to any transaction with the Trust or its subsidiaries during 2008 nor is there currently any transaction involving such parties in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000.  Except for any plans, contracts or arrangements to which all executive officers of the Trust are party, Ms. Tiffany is not party to any material plan, contract or arrangement or in which she participates relating to her position with the Trust.

Ms. Tiffany, age 42, served as the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer and Secretary from January 8, 2004 to January 31, 2007.  From February 2007 through March 2008 Ms. Tiffany served as a principal and the Chief Operating Officer for High Street Equity Advisors, a private equity real estate firm.  From April 2008 to December 31, 2008, Ms. Tiffany was a private investor.  In addition, Ms. Tiffany served as the Chief Operating Officer and Secretary of Newkirk Realty Trust Inc. and its predecessor entities from 1996 to December 31, 2006.

A press release relating to the foregoing was issued on December 29, 2008 and is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits

99.1 Press Release dated December 29, 2008.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized on this 31st day of December, 2008.

WINTHROP REALTY TRUST
By:	/s/ Peter Braverman
	Peter Braverman
	President

EX-99.1

Winthrop Realty Trust

TRADED: NYSE: FUR

7 Bulfinch Place, Suite 500

Boston, MA  02114 

Contact at Winthrop Realty Trust

Beverly Bergman

Investor or Media Inquiries

Phone: (617) 570-4614; e-mail: bbergman@firstwinthrop.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 29, 2008

WINTHROP REALTY TRUST ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF CAROLYN TIFFANY AS PRESIDENT AND PETER BRAVERMAN AS EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – BOSTON, December 29/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --Winthrop Realty Trust (NYSE:FUR) today announced that effective January 1, 2009, Carolyn Tiffany will be appointed as the Trust’s President and Peter Braverman, the Trust’s current President, will become the Trust’s Executive Vice Chairman.  Ms. Tiffany previously served as the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer from January 1, 2004 through January 31, 2007.

Michael L. Ashner, the Trust’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented “we are pleased that Carolyn has elected to return to Winthrop where, in addition to assuming much of her former duties, she will be integrally involved in our acquisition activity and operations.  Carolyn’s leadership skills and experience have been missed and her return can only serve to strengthen the company as we navigate through these challenging economic times.  With Carolyn’s addition to our management team, Peter will again be able to focus a significant portion of his time on asset management and acquisitions.”

Winthrop further announced that the record date and pay date for the previously declared regular quarterly dividend of $.40625 per Series B-1 Share has been changed from January 20, 2009 and February 2, 2009, respectively, to December 31, 2008 and January 30, 2009, respectively.

___________________

Winthrop Realty Trust is a NYSE-listed real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.  Additional information on Winthrop Realty Trust is available on its Web site at www.winthropreit.com.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  With the exception of the historical information contained in this news release, the matters described herein contain “forward-looking” statements that involve risk and uncertainties that may individually or collectively impact the matters herein described.  These are detailed from time to time in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2007, as may be updated or supplemented in the Company's Form 10-Q filings which discuss the factors that could adversely affect the Company's results.  Further information relating to the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and investor information is also contained in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC, which reports are available for download at our website www.winthropreit.com or at the SEC website www.sec.gov.