2019 Atlanta 500: Real Estate

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Atlanta 500: Real Estate opener

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

Architecture & Design | Commercial Contractors | Commercial Real Estate Brokers | Commercial Real Estate Sponsors| Residential Real Estate Brokers | Residential Real Estate Developers | Legends

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Atlanta 500: Antonin Aeck

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Antonin Aeck
Principal
Lord Aeck Sargent

Antonin “Tony” Aeck is chairman emeritus and a senior principal of the architecture, interiors, planning, and preservation firm Lord Aeck Sargent. His career began in Paris, where he worked on completing the late Le Corbusier’s final unfinished design commissions. In the 1970s he joined Aeck Associates, an Atlanta architecture firm founded by his parents; under Aeck’s leadership the firm merged with Lord & Sargent in 1989. In 2018 it was acquired by the Silicon Valley tech startup Katerra.

Education: Rice University
Why I chose this work: My father and mother were both successful and well-known practitioners of their respective professions, architecture and interior design, in the Southeast. Together, they established and ran an influential Atlanta design firm for more than four decades. As an only child born when my mother was 45, I was imbued with “design thinking.” If that were not enough, my mother—a Taliesin fellow—enlisted Frank Lloyd Wright to be my godfather.
Hidden talent: I built and flew my own balloon.
Charities: Atlanta Speech School


Atlanta 500: John Bencich

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John Bencich
Founding Principal
Square Feet Studio

John Bencich is the founding principal of Square Feet Studio and an architect with over 20 years of experience designing new uses for old buildings. He’s been an adjunct faculty member at Georgia Tech and Southern Polytechnic State University, and performed years of volunteer work with the American Institute of Architects, serving as Atlanta chapter president in 2012. The Virginia native’s work has been recognized by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Urban Land Institute, International Interior Design Association, and AIA.

Education: Georgia Tech
Best advice received: Do what you say you are going to do, do the work well every time, and clients will come.
Hobbies: Flatwater kayaking, backpacking, hiking, biking
Bucket list: Hiking along the Via Dinarica in Croatia


Atlanta 500: Vivian Bencich

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Vivian Bencich
Principal
Square Feet Studio

Vivian Bencich and her husband, John, founded Square Feet Studio in 2001 with the desire to seamlessly combine interior design and architecture in one distinctive practice. A registered interior designer with a background in architecture, Bencich strives in her work to honor the relationship between interior design and the larger context of a building’s history and urban environment. A skilled listmaker and confirmed Luddite, the North Carolina native enjoys guiding clients through the design process with determination, passion, and humor.

Education: Vanderbilt University, Georgia Tech (MArch)
Hidden talent: I’m pretty good at ping-pong.
Hobbies: Yoga
Favorite travel destination: Nantucket or Paris
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Kimball House and now Watchman’s


Atlanta 500: G. Niles Bolton

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G. Niles Bolton
Chairman and CEO
Niles Bolton Associates

G. Niles Bolton is chairman and CEO of Niles Bolton Associates, a professional design firm founded in 1975. Headquartered in Atlanta, the firm has completed projects in 48 states and 16 countries, developing a national reputation for work in mixed-use developments, multifamily housing, student housing, transportation, retail, schools, universities, hotels, military, and resorts. Bolton, who served in Vietnam with the Army Corps of Engineers, spent 10 years on the Georgia Board of Architects and Interior Designers.

Education: Georgia Tech
Hobbies: Photography, travel, hunting, fishing
Favorite book: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Bucket list: Machu Picchu


Atlanta 500: Jerome M. Cooper

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Jerome M. Cooper
Chairman and Founding Principal
Cooper Carry

In 1960 Jerome Cooper cofounded Cooper Carry, an architecture and design firm that now has offices in Atlanta, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Cooper is currently an active leader in several of the firm’s practices, including office, corporate, education, and government. He’s received the Rothschild Award, the highest honor granted by the Georgia chapter of the American Institute of Architects; in 2018 the AIA named Cooper Carry its Architecture Firm of the Year.

Education: Georgia Tech
Why I chose this work: Passion for the art of design and the logic of engineering
Best advice received: From Professor P.M. Heffernan: “Beware the fickleness of fashion.”
Toughest challenge: A search for more thoughtful architecture
Hidden talent: Passion for sketching


Atlanta 500: David Dymecki

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David Dymecki
Managing Director, Atlanta Office
Perkins + Will

As managing director of Perkins + Will’s Atlanta office, David Dymecki leads a staff of 150 working across numerous practice areas and disciplines: architects, landscape architects, urban designers, interior designers, and branded-environments specialists. Dymecki’s experience spans more than three decades, with a specific focus on the programming, planning, and design of athletic and recreation projects. The Philadelphia native has lectured, written, and presented on a variety of topics, from athletic and recreation master planning to design guidelines and trends to facilities renovation.

Education: Washington University, Princeton University (MArch)
First job: Following graduation, spent five years working for Michael Graves Architecture & Design
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Great place to exercise, relax, and spend time with my wife.
Bucket list: Learn how to fly-fish and enjoy the outdoors in the South


Atlanta 500: William H. Harrison

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William H. Harrison
Founder
Harrison Design

At age 12, Bill Harrison began working as a draftsperson in an architect’s office every summer and on Saturdays—so by the time he entered Georgia Tech, he was already more than familiar with the first year’s architecture curriculum. Harrison continued his education touring the architecture of the masters in Europe and the Americas, and the tenets of classical architecture remain evident in every project undertaken by Harrison Design, the firm he founded in 1991.

Education: Georgia Tech
First job: Drafting for Macon architect Hank Dixon
Hidden talent: I’m an award-winning dancer!
Favorite travel destination: Italy
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Chastain Park
Who’d play me in a biopic: Chris Cooper


Atlanta 500: Bill Johnson

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Bill Johnson
Principal
The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Bill Johnson, principal and director of design at the Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, is an architect and interior designer lauded for his highly personal approach to restaurant design. Since launching his restaurant-design career with Atlanta’s Peachtree Cafe in the early 1980s, he’s worked on local projects including Chops Lobster Bar, Seeger’s, Aria, and Rathbun’s. His designs across the country include the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Las Vegas, Tru in Chicago, and Cypress in Charleston, South Carolina.

Education: Georgia Tech
Best advice received: Don’t leave Atlanta—it’s a “city of the future.”
Favorite travel destination: The Amalfi Coast
Bucket list: Getting to know South America
Who’d play me in a biopic: Someone nice but stubborn as hell


Atlanta 500: Suzanne Kasler

Photograph by Erica George Dines

Suzanne Kasler
Principal
Suzanne Kasler Interiors

Suzanne Kasler, principal of Atlanta-based Suzanne Kasler Interiors, believes a room “should be collected, not decorated.” She incorporates the personal collections of her clients with fine art, antiques, contemporary pieces, and custom-designed furniture. Kasler’s interiors have been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, House & Garden, Southern Accents, and Veranda, and in 2009 Rizzoli published her first book, Inspired Interiors. In 2008 Kasler launched a line of furniture for Hickory Chair and a collection of lighting for Visual Comfort. Her style has been interpreted into a line of rugs with Safavieh, fine art with Soicher Marin, accessories with Ballard Designs, and fabric with Lee Jofa.

Education: University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
Hobbies: Avid collector


Atlanta 500: Robert J. Maricich

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Robert J. Maricich
Chairman and CEO
International Market Centers

Robert Maricich is chairman and CEO of International Market Centers, which he was instrumental in creating: As CEO of World Market Center Las Vegas, Maricich helped raise over $1 billion to purchase a spate of showroom properties in High Point, North Carolina, merging them into a single entity that’s the world’s largest operator of showroom space for the furnishing, home decor, rug, and gift industries. In 2018 IMC acquired AmericasMart Atlanta, creating the world’s largest permanent marketplace in these industries.

Education: Montana State University
First job: I drove an ice cream truck—one of those that went through the neighborhoods—ringing a bell and selling ice cream.
Inspiring person: Teddy Roosevelt
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: I moved to Atlanta in November, so I am just starting to explore. I can hardly wait to learn more and embrace this great city!


Atlanta 500: Bobby McAlpine

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Bobby McAlpine
Architect, Founder, and President
McAlpine

Envisioning home as a timeless, graceful, and emotionally evocative place, Bobby McAlpine designed his first house at the age of five and hasn’t stopped since. He founded his firm in 1983 and has designed homes for clients around the world. Today, with offices in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and New York, the McAlpine firm comprises an eclectic family of architects and interior designers. Bobby McAlpine has authored four books, including the bestselling 2010 The Home Within Us and 2017’s Poetry of Place.

Education: Auburn University
Hobbies: Raiding Europe for antiques and artifacts
Favorite travel destination: Lake Martin, Alabama
Bucket list: Bali
Who’d play me in a biopic: Colin Firth


Atlanta 500: Lew Oliver

Photograph by Alex Martinez

Lew Oliver
Owner and Principal
Lew Oliver

Lew Oliver is an Atlanta-based urbanist, master planner, and designer with more than a decade of experience advancing New Urbanism and residential design. The principal of his eponymous firm, Oliver is a preferred design consultant of the renowned New Urbanist firm DPZ; he was instrumental in the design and development of downtown Woodstock, Vickery Village, and Serenbe, and has worked on scores of other projects nationally and internationally. Oliver designs with each community’s values, vernacular, and climate in mind.

Education: Georgia Tech
Hidden talent: I love building sandcastles.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Inman Park
Charities: Sierra Club, Wesley Glen Ministries, Congress for the New Urbanism
Bucket list: Eastern Europe, Morocco, Iceland
Who’d play me in a biopic: Bradley Cooper


Atlanta 500: Matthew Quinn

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Matthew Quinn
Principal
Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio

As one of the nation’s leading experts in kitchen, bath, and product design, Matthew Quinn has worked around the world. The recipient of numerous national design awards, Quinn has had designs featured in magazines and books including House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, and Veranda. He is a principal in Atlanta-based Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio and founder of the Matthew Quinn Collection. The author of Quintessential Kitchens by Matthew Quinn: Volume One, he plans to release a second volume this spring.

Education: University of Florida, Art Institute of America
First job: Dishwasher
Toughest challenge: Surviving the recession
Hidden talent: Chopping wood and throwing axes relaxes me.
Favorite movie: Moulin Rouge!
Favorite travel destination: Paris
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Piedmont Park
Charity: Project Open Hand


Atlanta 500: Janet Simpson

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Janet Simpson
President
tvsdesign

As the third president to serve tvsdesign in its 50 years, Janet Simpson is implementing new programs to empower more voices and encourage new ideas around servant-leadership, young leaders, and the company’s culture and values. In two decades as a workplace interior designer, Simpson spearheaded three “career-building” projects: the recent 400,000-square foot renovation and consolidation of Fiserv’s headquarters in Alpharetta, the new headquarters for Mattress Firm in Houston, and the first Cox headquarters building at the Perimeter in Atlanta.

Education: Auburn University
Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama
Notable achievements: Staying in the same profession I got my degree in! How many people can say that these days?
Hidden talent: In the role of president, I’ve been able to apply design thinking to business strategy, which has been transformational for the company.
Why I chose this work: It was either architecture or law, and I decided I’d be happiest creating environments that make people feel good.


COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS

Ray Bond
President and CEO
Balfour Beatty U.S.

Ray Bond is president and CEO of Balfour Beatty U.S., a subsidiary of London-based construction contractor Balfour Beatty. Bond joined Balfour Beatty in the United Kingdom in 1996 as finance director for Balfour Beatty Rail, moving in 2003 to the U.S. to serve as chief financial officer. In 2010 Bond became president and CEO of Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, a provider of infrastructure, rail, and water projects that in 2016 was integrated into a larger entity known as Balfour Beatty U.S. Under Bond’s leadership, the combined company has become an industry-leading provider of general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services for public and private sector clients across the nation.

Education: Heriot-Watt University, London Business School, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School


Atlanta 500: Chris Bontrager

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Chris Bontrager
Business Unit Leader
DPR Construction

Chris Bontrager is the business unit leader of DPR Construction’s Atlanta office, which serves customers in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. He was previously a project manager at Hardin Construction, which DPR acquired in 2013; he then became a project executive and a member of DPR Atlanta’s leadership team. Bontrager has a wealth of construction experience to his credit, with more than 3 million square feet including education, corporate office, senior living, retail, and multifamily projects.

Education: Auburn University
Hometown: Gadsden, Alabama
First job: Working for my family’s residential construction business
Best advice received: Your priorities in life are balls that you juggle every day. Some of the balls are made of glass, some are made of rubber. You must decide which of your priorities are glass and which are rubber. You drop a glass ball, it’s gone forever. Drop a rubber ball and it will bounce back.
Hidden talent: I’m ambidextrous—not to be confused with amphibious!
Bucket list: Alaska


Atlanta 500: William Millard Choate

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William Millard Choate
Chairman and CEO
Choate Construction

William Millard Choate is chairman and CEO of Choate Construction, one of the largest commercial building contractors in the Southeast. Choate is responsible for the success of all firm operations including marketing, preconstruction, and construction. He founded his company in 1989 after serving for 12 years as an officer of another Atlanta general contractor, and previously as a project manager with a Kentucky contractor. A Nashville, Tennessee, native, he is active in several organizations including the Rotary Club of Atlanta.

Education: Vanderbilt University
First job: Making concrete benches, birdbaths, and planters. At $1 an hour, I was rich!
Hobbies: Vintage autos
Charities: Street Grace, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Bright Futures Atlanta, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, HomeStretch, Shepherd Center, military family support groups


Atlanta 500: Doug Davidson

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Doug Davidson
Chairman and CEO
New South Construction

Atlanta native Doug Davidson is chairman and CEO of New South Construction, which he founded in 1990, and which has grown into one of Georgia’s most respected construction firms. Davidson was Associated General Contractors president in 2008 and Construction Education Foundation president in 2001. New South’s current projects include Spectrum, a five-story apartment building in Atlanta; a new 337,861-square-foot Hall County campus of Lanier Technical College in Gainesville; and the modernization of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s domestic terminal.

Education: Auburn University
First job: Pike Nurseries
Best advice received: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Hobbies: Golf, boating, and skiing
Favorite book: The Bible
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: SunTrust Park


Atlanta 500: R. Randall Hall

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R. Randall Hall
President and CEO
Batson-Cook

Randy Hall is president and CEO of Batson-Cook, where he combines a knowledge of construction honed over three decades with the relationships he’s developed during 15 years in management roles within the company. The Millbrook, Alabama, native leads the firm’s strategic planning, business development, preconstruction services, and construction operations. Hall became president of Batson-Cook in 2012 and CEO the following year. He’d served previously as senior vice president and general manager of both the West Point and Atlanta regional offices.

Education: Auburn University
Notable achievements: Past president of the board of directors of Associated General Contractors of Georgia (2016), member of the executive board of Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction
Hobbies: Cycling, golf


Atlanta 500: Thomas Holder

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Thomas Holder
Chairman and CEO
Holder Construction

Thomas “Tommy” Holder joined Holder Construction in 1976, filling various positions in operations and management before being named chairman and CEO in 1997. Holder Construction is a national commercial construction services firm consistently ranked among the nation’s top 100 contractors. The company works in both the public and private sectors and is experienced in corporate headquarters, commercial office buildings, and data and technology centers, among others. Clients have included UPS, the Coca-Cola Co., and Emory University.

Education: Georgia Tech
Notable achievements: Past chair of the board of Kennesaw State University, member of the boards of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the College of Charleston
First job: Pumping gas at BP
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Take full advantage of your education.
Inspiring person: My dad, Robert Holder


Atlanta 500: Dan Kaufman

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Dan Kaufman
East Region President
JE Dunn Construction

Dan Kaufman began his career at JE Dunn (formerly R.J. Griffin) in 1997 as a project engineer, working his way up to division manager by 2007. Under his leadership, the Atlanta South Division of R.J. Griffin completed over $523 million worth of construction projects and planted seeds in markets that helped bolster the company through the global economic downturn. In 2010 Kaufman was promoted to president of JE Dunn’s East Region, comprising offices in Atlanta, Savannah, Tampa, Charlotte, and Nashville.

Education: University of Florida (MA)
Favorite TV show: 60 Minutes
Favorite travel destination: A little island in Belize: Cayo Espanto
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Date night with my wife at the oyster bar at Ford Fry’s the Optimist
Bucket list: Run a 100-mile trail race in under 30 hours


Atlanta 500: Meredith Leapley

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Meredith Leapley
Founder and CEO
Leapley Construction

In 1999, at age 26, Meredith Leapley came to Atlanta from Washington, D.C., and founded a commercial contracting firm in a city where she had few professional connections. Now one of Atlanta’s top interior general contractors, Leapley Construction reaches over $85 million in annual revenue and serves clients including Coca-Cola, Kaiser Permanente, and Norfolk Southern. In 2016, Investopedia named the firm one of its Top Five Women-Owned Businesses in Atlanta, and Meredith Leapley was recognized as a YWCA Woman of Achievement.

Education: University of Maryland
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Best advice received: Believe! I could not have built Leapley without believing in the vision.
Bucket list: To share my story and bring more connections, ideas, and inspiration to others
Who’d play me in a biopic: A 40-something Diane Keaton


Atlanta 500: C. David Moody

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C. David Moody Jr.
CEO
C.D. Moody Construction

C. David Moody Jr. founded C.D. Moody Construction in 1988. Now one of the U.S.’s largest African American-owned construction companies, Moody’s firm has appeared every year for more than two decades on Black Enterprise magazine’s list of the nation’s top 100 black-owned industrial/services companies. The firm has undertaken more than 150 commercial projects valued at over $2 billion, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the new home of the Cyclorama at the Atlanta History Center, and the Maynard Jackson International Terminal.

Education: Morehouse College, Howard University
Inspiring person: My grandfather James Moody Sr., who came to America at 17 in 1901 from British Honduras. He knew no one here. I admire his courage and thirst for education.
Toughest challenge: Overcoming the trauma of childhood sexual abuse
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Stone Mountain Park
Charities: Boy Scouts, Chris 180, Morehouse College, Georgia Center for Child Advocacy
Who’d play me in a biopic: Denzel Washington


Brent Reid
CEO
Winter Companies

Brent Reid is the CEO of Winter Companies—the parent of Winter Construction, which does commercial building, and Winter Environmental, which works on abatement, sustainability, and decontamination projects. Reid joined in 1984 as a project engineer and has worked in a variety of capacities, opening an office in Denver and helping create Winter Environmental. He took over as head of Winter in 2001; in 2009, Reid and the other members of the senior management team purchased the former owner’s full interest, and Reid has continued as CEO since.

Education: Georgia Tech, University of Chicago (MBA)
Notable achievements: Leadership Atlanta class of 1998, emeritus board member of Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, past chair of the Council for Quality Growth, treasurer of the Midtown Alliance


Atlanta 500: Rob Taylor

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Rob Taylor
President
Brasfield & Gorrie

Rob Taylor built his entire career at Brasfield & Gorrie, opening the Atlanta office in 1984 and helping the firm establish a strong reputation in the market. Even after a host of successful projects—including the Georgia Dome, Georgia Aquarium, 12th & Midtown, and SunTrust Park—he remains passionate about working with his teams, supporting them when they face challenges, and bolstering their efforts, commitment, and desire to excel.

Education: Auburn University
Best advice received: From high school coach Jim Cavan: “No substitution for hard work. Hard work can overcome lack of talent.”
Hobbies: Golf, hunting
Favorite movie: Remember the Titans
Charities: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Make-A-Wish Foundation


COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS

Atlanta 500: Chris Carter

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Chris Carter
Founder
Vantage Realty Partners

Chris Carter began his commercial real estate career in 2001 with Cartel Realty, concentrating on in-town urban Atlanta: assembling land, repositioning buildings, and representing various groups in their acquisitions and dispositions of investment, retail, and office properties. With Gene Rice, Carter founded Vantage Realty Partners in 2007. With the reputation of being one of the top commercial brokerage firms in the urban core of Atlanta, Vantage has completed more than 160 restaurant deals, most of them chef-driven.

Education: College of Charleston
Hometown: Charleston, South Carolina
Toughest challenge: The dynamic of parenting a severely retarded, nonverbal eight-year-old child. It’s been my greatest challenge and absolutely my greatest reward, as it’s truly enlightened me to what’s important in life.
Hidden talent: I’m deadly at ping-pong and darts.
Charities: The Giving Kitchen, Cathedral of Christ the King’s Adopt-A-Family


Atlanta 500: John Ferguson

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John Ferguson
President, Southeast Division
CBRE

John Ferguson is president of CBRE’s Southeast Division, which he’s led since 2011. Ferguson oversees operations in 21 market areas—including Atlanta, Birmingham, Miami, and Washington, D.C.—and is the primary relationship manager for CBRE’s affiliate office in North Carolina. Under his leadership, CBRE has acquired and integrated three firms in the past 15 months, among other accomplishments. Prior to his regional appointment, Ferguson served as market leader for CBRE’s Atlanta office.

Education: University of Georgia
Hometown: Athens, Georgia
First job: Working at my family’s men’s clothing store in Athens. It was a great experience to learn the importance of first impressions and how to meet and greet people.
Best advice received: Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s okay to have some patience. If you consistently work hard, good things will happen.
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Believe in yourself and challenge yourself outside your comfort zone. That’s how you will learn and improve.


William M. Hodges
Chairman, CEO, and Founder
Hodges Ward Elliott

William M. Hodges is chairman, CEO, and founder of Hodges Ward Elliott, involved in all phases of the firm’s development since its founding in 1975. Hodges Ward Elliott is a fully integrated real estate brokerage and investment banking firm historically focused on the hospitality industry, now expanding into all segments of commercial real estate. A Jonesboro native, Hodges has spoken on numerous industry panels and has been an entrepreneurial studies guest lecturer in Emory University’s MBA program.

Education: LaGrange College
First job: At age 15, clerk in men’s shop working for friend and mentor Charlie Banks
Inspiring person: Cecil B. Day
Hidden talent: I’m a cowboy at heart.
Who’d play me in a biopic: James Caan


Atlanta 500: Robert S. Mathews

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Robert S. Mathews
President and CEO, Atlanta Office
Colliers International

Bob Mathews has been CEO of the Atlanta office of commercial real estate firm Colliers International since 2004. Colliers Atlanta has more than 70 brokers, 280 employees, and 107 million square feet under management, generating more than $3.3 billion in annual transaction volume. Mathews served six years in the U.S. Army after college graduation, then joined the personnel consulting and recruiting firm Lendman Associates. He entered the commercial real estate field in 1984 with a job at Portman Barry, joining Colliers International in 1991.

Education: North Georgia College and State University, University of Southern California (MS)
Notable achievements: Reserve Officers Training Corp Hall of Fame (2016), Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors Silver Phoenix Award (2012), Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors Realtor of the Year (2009)


Atlanta 500: John F. Oneill

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John F. O’Neill III
Regional Managing Principal
Cushman & Wakefield

John F. O’Neill III is regional managing principal for Cushman & Wakefield’s Southeast and South Central Regions, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Detroit. The Atlanta native also serves on the firm’s global advisory board. O’Neill has been involved in several major transactions, including InterContinental Hotels Group, Carter’s, Primerica, and Graphic Packaging International. He’s a graduate of Leadership Atlanta and is active in the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Woodruff Arts Center, and Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Education: College of Charleston, University of Georgia Terry College of Business (MBA)
First job: Cutting grass
Hobbies: Sports with my three sons
Favorite travel destination: Ireland
Bucket list: Africa with my family


Atlanta 500: Michael J. Sivewright

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Michael J. Sivewright
Market Director
JLL

As market director for JLL’s Atlanta region, Michael Sivewright provides overall leadership focused on supporting existing client accounts, developing new business opportunities, and enterprise management across all service lines. Sivewright has more than 25 years of real estate experience with a strong focus on transactions, development, corporate outsourcing, and large-portfolio oversight. Previously he was chairman of the Jones Lang LaSalle Banking Industry group and leader of Jones Lang LaSalle’s corporate real estate relationship with Bank of America, representing a staff of more than 900.

Education: University of Kentucky
Board memberships: Chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Leadership Council, member of the executive committee of the Buckhead Coalition and boards of Central Atlanta Progress, Midtown Alliance, Woodruff Arts Center


COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SPONSORS

Thomas E. Aderhold
Chairman
Aderhold Properties

Tom Aderhold is chairman of Aderhold Properties, Atlanta’s premier loft apartment owner and manager, focusing on historic properties and offering creatively designed residential and commercial lofts. Aderhold was named chairman of the company in 2014. He was president of the firm from 2002 to 2014 and vice president of operations from 1996 to 2002, and has been intimately involved in the Atlanta real estate and development markets for more than 40 years. Aderhold is a licensed real estate broker, has a CAPS designation from the National Apartment Association, and has served as president of both Atlanta and Georgia Apartment Associations.

Education: Auburn University


Atlanta 500: David Allman

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David Allman
Founder and Chairman
Regent Partners

David Allman is owner and chairman of Regent Partners, an Atlanta real estate investment and development company that has developed or acquired more than $2.5 billion in real estate assets—including the $500 million, 2.2 million-square-foot Concourse Complex and the Sovereign, a 50-story mixed-use project in Buckhead and the tallest building to be built in Atlanta in 25 years. An Atlanta native, Allman is active in numerous real estate, civic, and ministry initiatives, and has been in the commercial real estate business since 1980.

Education: Dartmouth College
Notable achievements: Founding chairman of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, past chairman of the Atlanta District Council of the Urban Land Institute, member of the board of councilors of the Carter Center
Charities: Opportunity International Nicaragua


Atlanta 500: Jim Bacchetta

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Jim Bacchetta
Vice President and Atlanta Division Head
Highwoods Properties

A 30-plus-year veteran of commercial and industrial real estate, Jim Bacchetta serves as vice president and head of Highwoods Properties’ Atlanta Division, which owns 6 million square feet of office space. The Pennsylvania native is responsible for the company’s local leasing, property management, development, construction, and operations. Previously Bacchetta was a private investor in industrial properties in Atlanta. He also acquired, operated, and sold a national specialty trucking company, growing revenues tenfold over a period of nine years.

Education: Duke University
First job: Mushroom picker at age 12
Hidden talent: Fairly skilled mason and carpenter
Bucket list: Family trip to Alaska
Who’d play me in a biopic: Joe Pesci


Atlanta 500: Steve Baile

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Steve Baile
Chief Development Officer
Selig Development

As chief development officer, Steve Baile oversees Selig Development’s commercial and mixed-use development platform. With Selig since 2014, Baile is recognized as one of Atlanta’s leading developers, with a dossier accounting for more than 4.5 million square feet of commercial, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use developments and acquisitions. Notable projects include the Plaza Midtown, 1010 Midtown, and the multiphase, mixed-use 12th & Midtown initiative. Baile’s ventures represent more than $2.5 billion in the Atlanta region since 2004.

Education: Auburn University
Hidden talent: I love to tinker and fix things. My kids think I can fix anything (a little preemptive propaganda hasn’t hurt).
Hobbies: Golf, travel
Favorite movie: The Outlaw Josey Wales
Who’d play me in a biopic: Younger Clint Eastwood


Atlanta 500: Ambrish Baisiwala

Photograph by Jennifer L. Blount Photography

Ambrish Baisiwala
CEO
Portman Holdings

As CEO, Ambrish Baisiwala is responsible for the management and profitability of Portman Holdings. Bringing two decades of global real estate experience to the job, he oversees operations including real estate development, investment, and capital raising in the U.S., China, India, and South Korea. Prior to joining Portman, Baisiwala was development director of Aldar Properties in Abu Dhabi, responsible for a portfolio in excess of $30 billion. Previously he was development manager for the Greater Union Organisation, and has held senior positions with Coopers & Lybrand Consulting and the Tata Group.

Education: University of Rajasthan, Melbourne Business School (MBA)
Board memberships: Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, Central Atlanta Progress, Zoo Atlanta Leadership Council, Urban Land Institute Livable Communities Council


Atlanta 500: Vivian Baxter Barnes

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Vivian Baxter Barnes
Chief Financial Officer and Operating Officer
Ackerman & Co.

Vivian Barnes joined Ackerman & Co. in 1996. She directs asset and property management services, financial services, and day-to-day operations, overseeing the financial administration of the company, its developments, and the properties it manages. Barnes began her career in commercial real estate and financial services more than 25 years ago. Prior to joining Ackerman, she managed financial services for commercial, retail, industrial, and construction projects with Carter and Cushman & Wakefield.

Education: Georgia Southwestern State University
Hometown: Dawson, Georgia
Why I chose this work: I enjoy my diverse job responsibilities and the ever-changing dynamics of commercial real estate.
Inspiring person: Charles Ackerman
Toughest challenge: Surviving the loss of my 24-year-old son this year


Atlanta 500: James R. Borders

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James R. Borders
President and CEO
Novare Group

Jim Borders is president and CEO of Novare Group, an Atlanta-based real estate investment and development company. Borders began his career as an attorney with Atlanta firm King & Spalding and later practiced as a turnaround consultant at GrandWest & Associates. In 1992, he founded the predecessor of Novare Group. In 2002, the company collaborated with Wood Partners to deliver its first high-rise development, Metropolis. Novare Group has maintained its focus on high-rise mixed-use communities, developing more than 12,900 multifamily units in 39 buildings in cities including Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Houston, and San Francisco.

Education: Georgia Tech, University of Georgia Terry College of Business (MBA), University of Georgia School of Law (JD)
Notable achievements: Novare Group has been recognized with two Urban Leadership Institute Project of the Year awards and three Projects of Excellence.
Board memberships: Buckhead Coalition, Midtown Alliance, Central Atlanta Progress, Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, Tanner Medical Foundation, Georgia Tech Foundation


Matt Bronfman
Principal and CEO
Jamestown

Matt Bronfman is a principal and the CEO of Jamestown. He joined the company in 1998 as general counsel, and in 2002 was named managing director and chief operating officer. Bronfman became CEO in 2012. He’s led the acquisition, redevelopment, and oversight of more than $20 billion of real estate, including Chelsea Market in New York and Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Bronfman serves on the boards of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, and the Jewish Funders Network.

Education: Tufts University, Northwestern University (JD)
Inspiring people: Jamestown chairman Christoph Kahl and my father, Alan Bronfman
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: It’s better to be tired than bored.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Mali in Virginia-Highland


Alexander A. Chambers
Regional Vice President
KDC Real Estate Development & Investments

As regional vice president, Alexander A. Chambers manages the day-to-day operations of KDC’s Atlanta office, including the 1.8 million-square-foot Dunwoody master-planned project for State Farm and new development projects. He has more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate, development, law, and banking. Prior to joining KDC in 2014, Chambers spent two years with Jamestown in Atlanta and nine years with Cousins Properties, in Atlanta and Austin, developing office, retail, and mixed-use projects across the U.S.

Education: University of Georgia, University of Georgia School of Law (JD)
Why I chose this work: Naturally drawn to real estate because my father was a real estate attorney and my brother was in real estate. Found the industry to be very fulfilling and without any dull moments.
First job: Raft rental and hot boiled peanut sales in Vinings before you could rent rafts on the Chattahoochee
Best advice received: If you aren’t five minutes early, you’re late.


Atlanta 500: David P. Cochran

Photograph courtesy of individual

David P. Cochran
President and CEO
Paces Properties

David Cochran brings more than 16 years of commercial real estate experience to Paces Properties, where he’s served as president and CEO since 2002. He’s responsible for all aspects of the company’s development, management, and leasing operations, as well as brand management and marketing campaigns. Under his leadership, Paces Properties has developed more than $700 million in multifamily and retail projects. Cochran has diverse experience in residential multifamily apartment and condominium development and in retail development.

Education: University of Georgia
First job: Perkins Yogurt
Toughest challenge: My dad’s battle with cancer. I learned that my hero was mortal.
Few people know: I’m obsessed with cooking shows, but I can only cook scrambled eggs.
Hobbies: Fly-fishing
Who’d play me in a biopic: Bradley Cooper


Atlanta 500: Colin Connolly

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Colin Connolly
President and Chief Operating Officer
Cousins Properties

Colin Connolly has been president and chief operating officer of Cousins Properties since 2017, and will be its CEO beginning January 2019. Connolly is currently responsible for the company’s new investments, dispositions, asset management, market leadership, development, and operations. He joined Cousins in 2011 as senior vice president, became senior vice president and chief investment officer in 2013, executive vice president and chief investment officer in 2015, and executive vice president and COO in 2016. Prior to joining Cousins, Connolly worked at Morgan Stanley as an executive director and, before that, vice president.

Education: Washington and Lee University, University of Virginia Darden School of Business (MBA)
Favorite book: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Favorite destination: Any beach
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Have a plan but write it in pencil not pen so you can make changes.


Atlanta 500: Mark Dishaw

Photograph courtesy of TCC

Mark Dishaw
Principal
Trammell Crow Co.

As a principal for Trammell Crow Co.’s Atlanta Business Unit, Mark Dishaw is responsible for sourcing and overseeing new industrial development and investment opportunities throughout the greater Atlanta market. Since joining Trammell Crow in 2013, Dishaw and his team have developed approximately 2.3 million square feet. His expertise includes development, acquisitions, asset management, construction management, marketing, and financial analysis. During his 30-year career, Dishaw has managed the development, leasing, acquisition, and property management of more than 18 million square feet of commercial real estate valued at $700 million. Dishaw previously served as director of industrial development at MeadWestvaco and chief operating officer of Republic Property Co.

Education: University of Connecticut
Notable achievements: Dishaw is a member of NAIOP and the 2012 class of Leadership Charleston.


Atlanta 500: Jeffrey S. Fuqua

Photograph courtesy of Fuqua Development

Jeffrey S. Fuqua
Principal
Fuqua Development

Jeffrey S. Fuqua is the cofounder of Fuqua Development. He was previously a board member, partner, and president of the Sembler Co., where—in his 24-year tenure—he developed more than 14 million square feet in over 80 projects valued at $4 billion. During Fuqua’s time at Sembler, the Atlanta Business Chronicle named the company a Top Developer for 11 consecutive years starting in 2000. Its major real estate projects in Atlanta include the Prado, Town Brookhaven, Edgewood Retail District, Lindbergh Plaza, Perimeter Place, and Lenox Marketplace. In Florida, Fuqua developed Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens and Boynton Town Center in Boynton Beach. Fuqua has served on the boards of the Perimeter Community Improvement District and the DeKalb Police Alliance.

Education: University of Denver


Atlanta 500: Lawrence L. Geller Stedt

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Lawrence L. Gellerstedt III
Chairman and CEO
Cousins Properties

At the beginning of 2019, Lawrence Gellerstedt will relinquish his role as CEO of Cousins Properties to Colin Connolly. Gellerstedt joined Cousins in 2005 when it acquired his firm, and he’s led the company since 2009. Through high-profile urban deals and a major merger with Parkway Properties, he’s led Cousins from an equity market cap of $665 million to more than $3.8 billion. Active in many community organizations, Gellerstedt received the Atlanta American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award in 2017.

Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
First job: Laborer on a crew that formed and placed concrete
Best advice received: There is no limit to what a person can achieve if he/she does not care who gets the credit.
Toughest challenge: Recovering from an illness 18 years ago and learning from that challenge how to lead a more balanced, healthy lifestyle
Notable achievements: Georgia Trend 100 Most Influential Georgians (2018), Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO (2017)


Atlanta 500: Aaron Goldman

Photograph courtesy of individual

Aaron Goldman
President
Perennial Properties

Aaron Goldman is president and co-owner of Perennial Properties, a development, investment, and management firm focused on multifamily rental housing accompanied by retail establishments. Raised in Milwaukee, Goldman is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s real estate program. In 2012, he became a founding board member of the Atlanta Real Estate Collaborative, a group of real estate principals who united to address street homelessness in Atlanta and advocate for sound policies related to the issue.

Education: University of Wisconsin
First job: Selling shoes
Best advice received: No one is handing out big returns without risk.
Toughest challenge: The Great Recession—just hold on!
Hobbies: Biking, hiking
Favorite TV show: Fauda on Netflix
Favorite Atlanta places to visit: Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward
Charities: Open Doors Atlanta


Atlanta 500: Jim Irwin

Photograph courtesy of individual

Jim Irwin
President
New City

As president of New City, Jim Irwin directs the company’s real estate development and consulting operations as well as new business pursuits. Over the course of his career, Irwin has been responsible for nearly $700 million of new investment nationwide. Prior to founding New City in 2016, Irwin was senior vice president at Jamestown Properties, leading the development of Ponce City Market—one of the largest and most significant historic renovations then underway in the U.S.

Education: Dartmouth College, Emory University Goizueta Business School (MBA)
First job: Worked in a bike shop
Favorite travel destination: Oregon
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Take more art classes


Atlanta 500: Robin Loudermilk

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Robin Loudermilk
President and CEO
The Loudermilk Cos.

Robert C. “Robin” Loudermilk Jr. is president and CEO of the Loudermilk Cos., an asset-based real estate development, investment, and management company. Prior to founding LCO, he served as president, CEO, and director of the retailer Aaron’s, and before that worked for Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Services and Stratton Construction. An Atlanta native, Loudermilk is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. Currently chairman of the Atlanta Police Foundation, he also founded the Buckhead Alliance, a public safety organization.

Education: University of Alabama
Board memberships: Genuine Parts Co., Shepherd Center, Buckhead Community Improvement District, Midtown Alliance
Why I chose this work: To follow my passion for changing real estate in Atlanta
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing


Atlanta 500: David Marvin

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David Marvin
Founder and President
Legacy Ventures

David Marvin, founder and president of Legacy Ventures, was an early believer in downtown Atlanta’s resurgence. Since 1994, Marvin has developed $500 million in downtown real estate; in addition, Legacy’s hotel and restaurant operating divisions employ 1,500 people. The firm’s in-house financial, marketing, design, and construction teams represent collaborative resources for its development, asset management, and operations initiatives. Marvin began his career as a graduate engineer on the docks of the Electric Boat shipyard.

Education: University of Vermont, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (MBA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS)
Few people know: I ran an ambulance service through college.
Favorite movie: Rudy
Favorite travel destination: New Zealand (my wife is from there)
Who’d play me in a biopic: Sylvester Stallone


Atlanta 500: Tina Renee McCall

Photograph by Alex Arnett

Tina Renee McCall
Managing Director of Asset Management and Dispositions
Bridge Investment Group

Tina Renee McCall is the managing director of asset management and dispositions at Bridge Investment Group. She oversees disposition and asset management teams nationally and is responsible for capital markets and asset management training programs and procedures. Prior to joining Bridge, McCall was senior vice president of asset management at Gemini Rosemont. A certified commercial investment member, she serves as 2018 president of CREW Atlanta and the 2018 director of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.

Education: University of Georgia, Georgia State University (MBA)
Favorite book: Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Favorite travel destination: The beach . . . any beach
Charities: CREW Network Foundation, Atlanta Women’s Foundation, Susan G. Komen
Bucket list: I haven’t seen Hamilton yet.


Atlanta 500: Jake Nawrocki

Photograph by Bembeck Fotografie, Munich

Jake Nawrocki
Managing Director
Newport US RE

Jake Nawrocki is managing director of Newport US RE. He was previously a senior vice president at the private equity real estate investment firm Jamestown and vice president of transactions at Columbia Property Trust, a publicly traded REIT. At Jamestown, Nawrocki was involved in or managed the acquisition of more than $1.5 billion of office and retail property in major U.S. metro markets, including Ponce City Market. For two years, he served as head of West Coast acquisitions, leading the purchase of $600 million in assets, including Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco and the Lantana entertainment and media complex in Santa Monica.

Education: University of Georgia Terry College of Business


Atlanta 500: Dan ONeill

Photograph courtesy of individual

Dan O’Neill
Managing Partner
Columbia Properties

As managing partner of Columbia Properties, Dan O’Neill is responsible for asset management, lease negotiation, tenant relationships, and overall development strategy. He joined the company in 2000, taking over management from his father, Barry O’Neill. Previously, O’Neill spent two years in real estate finance and four years as a financial consultant in Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina. He’s a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy.

Education: University of Florida, Emory University Goizueta Business School (MBA)
Hidden talent: Former waterskiing champion
Hobbies: Offshore fishing, spear fishing, flying
Favorite TV show: Deadliest Catch
Favorite travel destination: Bahamas
Charities: Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, CHOA Marcus Autism Center


Atlanta 500: Egbert L. J. Perry

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Egbert L.J. Perry
Chairman and CEO
Integral

Egbert L.J. Perry, a native of Antigua and Barbuda, is chairman and CEO of Integral, which he cofounded with a mission to “create value in cities and (re)build the fabric of communities.” A community development, commercial real estate, and construction professional since 1979, Perry spent the 1980s and early ’90s helping grow an Atlanta real estate and construction company into the nation’s third-largest African American-owned business. Since its founding in 1993, Integral has become respected for its expertise in affordable, workforce, luxury, and mixed-income housing, often as components of master-planned, mixed-use, and transit-oriented developments.

Education: University of Pennsylvania (MS), Wharton School (MBA)
Notable achievements: In 1990, Perry was the 11th graduate in the University of Pennsylvania’s history to be named to the Gallery of Distinguished Engineering Alumni.
Board memberships: Board chair for Fannie Mae and the Penn Institute for Urban Research, member of the boards of the Atlanta Business League, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Carter Center, Central Atlanta Progress


 

Michael Phillips
Principal and President
Jamestown

As a principal and the president of Jamestown, Michael Phillips is a driving force behind celebrated adaptive-reuse developments including Chelsea Market in New York, Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, and Ponce City Market in Atlanta. He’s nationally recognized for his creative leadership and his ability to build distinctive urban communities. The Atlanta native is the vice chair of the James Beard Foundation and sits on the boards of Friends of the High Line and the Real Estate Board of New York.

Favorite travel destination: Paris
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Floataway Cafe
Charities: James Beard Foundation


Atlanta 500: Norman Radow

Photograph by the RADCO Companies

Norman Radow
CEO
The RADCO Cos.

When he established the RADCO Cos. in 1994, Norman Radow’s vision came from a lifelong passion to improve both neighborhoods and people’s lives. RADCO’s first project was the redevelopment of a distressed 53-story hotel, office, and condominium tower that later became the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta. Prior to founding RADCO, Radow was a real estate litigation, workout, and transactional lawyer. As chairman of the Kennesaw State University Foundation Board of Trustees, he oversaw the expansion of the 33,000-student university in metro Atlanta. The campus doubled in size during his 13-year tenure, with the addition of $500 million in new buildings that Radow helped finance and develop. He’s currently a member of the New York Law School Board of Trustees and previously served as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law.

Education: State University of New York at Plattsburgh, New York Law School (JD)


Atlanta 500: H. Jerome Russell Jr.

Photograph courtesy of individual

H. Jerome Russell Jr.
President
H.J. Russell & Co.

H. Jerome Russell Jr. moved through the professional ranks of H.J. Russell & Co.’s construction and real estate development operations until reaching his current position as president. He’s also president of Russell New Urban Development, where his focus is on the firm’s strategic direction and new business development. Russell has been involved in the beverage distribution, consumer marketing, banking, construction, and development industries for more than 25 years. In 1997, he was named to the board of Citizens Trust Bank, and in 2005 he became chairman of Citizens Trust’s loan committee.

Education: Georgia State University
Board memberships: Concessions International, YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Georgia Historical Society, Central Atlanta Progress


Atlanta 500: Michael Russell

Photograph courtesy of individual

Michael Russell
CEO
H.J. Russell & Co.

Michael Russell is CEO of H.J. Russell & Co. and vice chair of its sister company, Concessions International. Russell has spent most of his career with H. J. Russell, serving in a variety of executive positions. Most recently, as executive vice president, he was responsible for the management and strategic direction of the construction and program management divisions. He’s also been cost estimator, project manager, and head of business development. The Atlanta native has been involved in the construction industry since his youth.

Education: University of Virginia, Georgia State University Robinson School of Business (MBA)
Inspiring person: Developer and architect John Portman
Notable achievements: Past president of the Association of Builders and Contractors of Georgia


Bennett Sands
Managing Director
Wood Partners

Bennett Sands is a development director for Wood Partners, responsible for development and finance for new projects and management of existing assets in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. He’s developed and financed more than 3,000 multifamily units and 120,000 square feet of commercial space with a total capitalization of over $700 million. Sands previously spent three years in investment banking at Robinson Humphrey, working on both public and private capital raises in industry groups including retail, telecom, and information technology.

Education: Vanderbilt University, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School (MBA)
Toughest challenge: The workouts of the Great Recession
Hobbies: I like a good puzzle.
Favorite travel destination: Any place I have never been
Who’d play me in a biopic: Young Tom Selleck


Atlanta 500: Scott Taylor

Photograph courtesy of individual

Scott Taylor
President and CEO
Carter USA

As president and CEO, Scott Taylor manages Carter’s daily operations, providing executive oversight to the development and investment teams and helping create new business opportunities for the company as an investor, developer, and adviser. Carter is one of the nation’s top multidisciplined developers, currently handling mixed-use, multifamily, student housing, corporate/institutional, and education projects across the country. An Atlanta native, Taylor began his real estate career in 1989 at Cushman & Wakefield; prior to joining Carter in 2004, he was president of Holder Properties.

Education: University of Georgia
Why I chose this work: I had three uncles in commercial real estate. Having a great deal of respect for each of them, I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
First job: Cutting grass in summers growing up
Favorite Atlanta places to visit: The Varsity and Henri’s. If I could, I would eat at either place every day!
Charities: I have been a volunteer at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta for 20 years.


Atlanta 500: Mark Toro

Photograph courtesy of individual

Mark Toro
Managing Partner
North American Properties, Atlanta

Mark Toro’s passion is in creating smarter built environments. As managing partner at North American Properties, he’s overseen the repositioning of Atlantic Station, development of Alpharetta’s $1 billion Avalon project, and redevelopment of Colony Square. In a career that now spans four decades, he has delivered more than 25 million square feet of commercial developments, working with the vast majority of communities in metro Atlanta. Since founding the North American Properties Atlanta office in 1996, Toro has led the development of more than $3.1 billion and 9.4 million square feet of traditional retail and introduced the “experiential community-focused” model for mixed-use development.

Education: Rutgers University
Hometown: Belvidere, New Jersey
Toughest challenge: Not everyone sees the world the way I do. Learning and respecting their viewpoint is critical.
First job: Gas station attendant at age 14
Favorite TV show: Everybody Loves Raymond
Charities: City of Refuge
Bucket list: Visit Japan
Who’d play me in a biopic: Adam Sandler


Atlanta 500: Lisa M. Ward

Photograph courtesy of individual

Lisa M. Ward
Senior Vice President and Managing Director
Core5 Industrial Partners

At Core5 Industrial Partners, Lisa Ward’s chief responsibilities include business development and capital deployment in the southeastern U.S. Over her 25-year commercial real estate career, Ward has overseen more than 30 million square feet of industrial investment sales and leases for a total market value of over $1 billion. Since 1997, she has consistently ranked among the top five industrial producers in Georgia by NAIOP and the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.

Education: University of Southern Mississippi, University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business (MBA)
First job: Banking
Best advice received: Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.
Favorite travel destination: Africa
Bucket list: Ski the sand dunes in Namibia
Who’d play me in a biopic: Meg Ryan


RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS

Atlanta 500: Bonneau Ansley

Photograph courtesy of individual

Bonneau Ansley III
Founder
Ansley Atlanta Real Estate

Atlanta entrepreneur Bonneau Ansley is the top-selling real estate agent in the metro housing market, having built, developed, and sold more than $1 billion in a career spanning just 15 years. In 2015 he launched Ansley Atlanta Real Estate to offer his clients, team, and Atlanta a locally owned, more personal, service-oriented real estate experience with strong technology drivers. A fifth-generation Atlantan, Ansley was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Buckhead Business Association in 2018.

Education: University of Georgia
Hobbies: Surfing, golf, tennis
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Say yes all the time in your 20s and 30s and just figure it out. When you are over 40, learn how to say no.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: The Painted Pin
Charities: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta


Atlanta 500: Glennis Beacham

Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser

Glennis Beacham
Owner and Founder
Beacham & Company, Realtors

Prior to founding her own real estate firm, Beacham & Company, in 2006, Glennis Beacham was the top agent for 13 years at one of Atlanta’s oldest and largest real estate companies. She’s sold more homes priced $1 million and higher than any other agent in Atlanta real estate history, and in 2011 was the 13th realtor (and the first Georgian) to be inducted into Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate’s Billionaires Club. Beacham began her real estate career in 1982.

Education: Auburn University
Toughest challenge: Regaining my financial footing after my divorce
Favorite book: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Charities: Winship Cancer Institute, in honor of my father
Who’d play me in a biopic: Renée Zellweger


Atlanta 500: David Boehmig

Photograph courtesy of individual

David Boehmig
President and Founder
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

As president of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, David Boehmig has a hand in every aspect of the company’s work. His 20-plus years of experience in residential real estate is complemented by an additional decade in commercial banking, where Boehmig focused on real estate and small-business financing. The Atlanta Realtors Association named him Realtor of the Year in 2006 and a Captain of Industry in 2010. Boehmig serves on the board of directors of First Multiple Listing Service.

Education: Georgia State University
First job: Mortgage loan officer for Georgia Federal Bank
Hidden talent: I speak Korean.
Favorite book: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Best advice received: Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.
Favorite travel destination: Lake Como, Italy


Atlanta 500: Jenni Bonura

Photograph courtesy of individual

Jenni Bonura
President and CEO
Harry Norman, Realtors

As president and CEO of Harry Norman, Realtors, Jenni Bonura oversees the operations of 14 sales offices while managing partnerships in the mortgage, title, and insurance ventures. Taking an active role in every aspect of the business, the Miami native particularly enjoys luxury-home marketing and sales, new-home and high-rise marketing and sales management, and coaching the current and next generations of sales leaders. Bonura started her career in real estate in 2002 as a sales agent.

Education: Samford University
First job: I had two jobs the first summer that I was 16: as an intern at an engineering firm and a server at an ice cream shop.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: South City Kitchen
Bucket list: Hang gliding


Atlanta 500: Kay Evans

Photograph courtesy of individual

Kay Evans
Co-owner and Cofounder
Keller Williams Realty International, Southeast Region

Kay Evans received her real estate license in 1978, marking the beginning of a long and successful career in sales, brokerage, and real estate education. In 1999, with Bob Kilinski, Evans cofounded Keller Williams Realty’s Southeast Region, helping grow the company to a dominant position in the Atlanta real estate market. In multiple years, the Southeast has been Keller Williams’s top-performing region. Evans and her husband, Glen, have a son, a daughter, and five granddaughters.

Education: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Favorite book: The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews
Bucket list: I have a very big birthday coming up and my husband is having a huge wingding, bringing in my favorite singer, Steve Tyrell, and a jazz singer—the daughter of legendary Louis Prima.
Who’d play me in a biopic: Meryl Streep or Bette Midler! Why not?


Atlanta 500: Daniel T. Forsman

Photograph courtesy of individual

Daniel T. Forsman
President and CEO
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

As president and CEO, Daniel T. Forsman has led Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties to become the market leader for real estate companies in metro Atlanta—distinguishing itself in overall sales, listing inventory, sales of new homes, and growth in luxury market share. The company is recognized nationally as a leader in innovations in marketing, technology, recruiting, strategy, and business process improvements. Forsman invented TeamBuilder, an incentive program that rewards agents and employees for registering and recruiting other productive agents.

Education: University of Georgia
First job: Deckhand (striker) on a shrimp boat in Georgia
Favorite travel destination: The mountains of North Georgia or river swamps of South Georgia. I am at ease most when out in nature.
Bucket list: Take a three-month trip to see the U.S. with my wife and best friend, Rhonda
Who’d play me in a biopic: Dean Cain


Atlanta 500: Ben Hirsh

Photograph courtesy of individual

Ben Hirsh
Broker, Publisher, and CEO
Hirsh Real Estate

Ben Hirsh is passionate about connecting families with homes in Buckhead, and as CEO of Hirsh Real Estate, he’s achieved a top three ranking from the Atlanta Board of Realtors and sales of over $70 million in 2017. At 18, Hirsh sold his landscaping company and set off for nearly two years of travel to more than 40 countries. Returning home to launch his career, he soon became one of Realtor magazine’s 30 Under 30 top real estate agents in North America.

Favorite travel destination: South Africa
First job: I started mowing neighbors’ lawns at age nine, was incorporated by 12, and sold that company at 18 to travel the world.”
Bucket list: A print magazine to complement Buckhead.com; buy some land and start a farm in Buckhead


Atlanta 500: Kevin Levent

Photograph courtesy of individual

Kevin Levent
President and CEO
BH&G Real Estate Metro Brokers and Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers

Kevin Levent, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers and Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers, has been in the business for more than 35 years and is recognized nationally as an industry leader. He manages both brands as well as the mortgage, insurance, and title divisions of Metro Brokers, which has 2,400 sales associates in 26 offices throughout the region. An Atlanta native, Levent is a licensed broker in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina.

Hidden talent: I have a contractor’s license for residential and light commercial structures.
Hobbies: ATV riding
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Stone Mountain
Bucket list: Getting my kids married


Atlanta 500: Jenny Pruitt

Photograph courtesy of individual

Jenny Pruitt
Founder and CEO
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

Jenny Pruitt established Jenny Pruitt & Associates in 1988, two decades into her real estate career. In 2007, she and her business partner, David Boehmig, opened Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. Today the company’s 430 agents are among the most accomplished real estate professionals in metro Atlanta, with more than $2.4 billion in sales in 2017. A third-generation Atlantan, Pruitt is the recipient of numerous accolades and serves on the boards of the Carter Center and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She is also a director of the Buckhead Coalition and is active in Habitat for Humanity.

Notable achievements: Atlanta Realtors Association Sally Washburn Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), Council for Quality Growth Four Pillar Tribute (2016), Atlanta Realtors Association E.A. Isakson Award (2006), YWCA of Greater Atlanta Academy of Women Achievers (2004)
Hobbies: Reading, painting angels, walking
Favorite TV show/movie: Blue Bloods, Forrest Gump
Best advice received: Find your passion so work will never seem like work.


Atlanta 500: David J. Tufts

Photograph courtesy of individual

David J. Tufts
President and Principal
Ansley Developer Services

David Tufts is a national sales and marketing expert specializing in new-construction residential real estate developments. After a decade of real estate sales in New York City, Tufts started the Condo Store in Atlanta in 1993. Achieving a billion-dollar year in 1999, Tufts merged his company with Coldwell Banker, growing the combined entity into one of the largest and most profitable new-home-sales companies in the country. Tufts joined Bonneau Ansley in 2016 to create Ansley Developer Services.

Education: Williams College
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Hidden talent: Frustrated artist
Hobbies: Sailing, swimming, painting
Charities: Human Rights Campaign, Humane Society, Cape Ann Museum
Bucket list: Sharpen my foreign-language skills


RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS

Steve Brock
President
Brock Built Homes

For more than 30 years, Steve Brock’s entrepreneurial spirit has transformed Atlanta neighborhoods. An expert on urban planning, Brock works with natural land formations to create neighborhoods with character and charm. He’s had a transformative effect on communities in Northwest Atlanta, a formerly industrial part of town where Brock has built more than 1,000 homes. As president of Brock Built Homes, he enjoys mentoring his employees, empowering them to do things they never thought they could.

Education: University of Georgia
Toughest challenge: The Great Recession. I would not have chosen to go through such a financial challenge; however, the experience has made me a better business person.
Hidden talent: I am a farmer and enjoy working the land. My farm in northwest Georgia has cattle, horses, goats, chickens, honeybees, fruit orchards, tree farming, and a recently planted vineyard. We will produce our first wine next year.
What I’d tell a recent graduate: Keep a balanced life. Work hard but take time along the way to enjoy life, family, and friends.


Atlanta 500: Paul Corley Jr.

Photograph courtesy of Edward Andrews Homes

Paul Corley Jr.
CEO
Edward Andrews Homes

With more than 25 years of homebuilding experience—including over a decade as CEO of one of the region’s top residential community developers—Paul Corley Jr. established Edward Andrews Homes in 2007, and has spearheaded its growth. Corley is active in the day-to-day management of the firm, guiding the overall direction and growth strategy, and leads its land acquisition and development, relying on his ability to envision the future development of large tracts of land into award-winning communities.

Education: University of Florida
Notable achievements: Corley is active in numerous industry associations, including the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Atlanta-area Council for Quality Growth, where he serves on the executive board of directors. He’s also a long-standing member of the Urban Land Institute and its Council for Community Development.


Atlanta 500: Steven DeFrancis

Photograph courtesy of individual

Steven DeFrancis
Founder and CEO
Cortland Partners

Steven DeFrancis has more than 20 years of experience in complex multifamily development and management, specializing in unique development and value-add opportunities. He founded Cortland Partners in 2005 to focus on in-town, mixed-use, multifamily developments. Under DeFrancis’s leadership and through its unique approach to the renovation process, the firm has become the industry’s sole institutionally scaled, value-add platform. Its portfolio to date exceeds $7.6 billion of multifamily assets in 12 states, primarily the Southeast, Midwest, and Texas.

Education: University of Georgia Terry College of Business
First job: Busboy at Fuddruckers
Favorite TV show: Billions
Favorite travel destination: Cashiers, North Carolina
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: The Varsity
Who’d play me in a biopic: Brad Pitt


Atlanta 500: Tom Hill

Photograph courtesy of individual

Tom Hill
East Region President
D.R. Horton

As East Region president of Texas-based D.R. Horton—the country’s largest new-home builder by volume—Tom Hill is involved in all aspects of land acquisition, development, construction, sales, and operations in the Atlanta and Tampa markets. A native of Mount Olive, North Carolina, he’s been in the home-building industry for 25 years, joining Horton in 1997.

Education: Georgia State University
Why I chose this work: I have always had a passion for real estate, dating back to my early days, when my parents would look at homes for themselves. That fortunately led me into a career where I have been able to do what I enjoy each day. We build a lot of homes each year, but knowing that we are building them one at a time for a particular family, where their dreams and children will flourish, is a great feeling.
First job: Busing tables at a Chinese restaurant. A tough boss at a young age will shape you.
Inspiring person: My father, who always worked hard and taught me to value every dollar, dime, and penny, and the importance of family


Atlanta 500: Keith Hurand

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Keith Hurand
Division President
Century Communities

Keith Hurand has nearly 30 years of experience in residential, commercial, multifamily, high-rise, and industrial real estate development, construction, and mergers and acquisitions. Currently division president for Century Communities in Atlanta, Hurand was previously president and chief operating officer of Newland Real Estate Group’s East Coast operation. He began his career in 1989 as a field engineer and project manager at General Electric in the Power Systems Division, eventually becoming district manager of engineering services.

Education: University of South Florida
Hometown: Steubenville, Ohio
Toughest challenge: I almost lost my oldest son this year, and it made me realize your whole world can change in one minute and that you’re never prepared. Enjoy life and every experience it brings and focus on what’s really important to you.
What I’d tell my 18-year-old self: Trust me, you don’t know it all.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: State Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park for concerts


Atlanta 500: Ryan R. Marshall

Photograph courtesy of Pulte Group

Ryan R. Marshall
President and CEO
PulteGroup

In 2016, Ryan R. Marshall was promoted to president and CEO of PulteGroup, one of the nation’s most geographically and product-diverse home builders. With operations in 26 states, the company serves all major consumer groups through its family of national brands, which includes Pulte Homes, Centex, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods. Marshall most recently served as PulteGroup’s president, with responsibility for the company’s home-building operations and its marketing and strategy departments. Previously he was executive vice president of home-building operations, and he’s also served as Southeast area president, Florida area president, division president in both South Florida and Orlando, and area vice president of finance.

Education: University of Utah, Arizona State University (MBA)


Atlanta 500: Allan P. Merrill

Photograph courtesy of individual

Allan P. Merrill
President and CEO
Beazer Homes USA

Allan P. Merrill has been president and CEO of Atlanta-based Beazer Homes USA since 2011. He joined the company in 2007 as its chief financial officer and executive vice president. Previously Merrill served as executive vice president of strategy and corporate development for the real estate listing company Move, and as president of Homebuilder.com. He also spent 13 years with UBS Investment Bank and its predecessor, Dillon, Read & Co. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, and serves on the Policy Advisory Board of Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies and on the board of the Homebuilding Community Foundation.

Education: University of Pennsylvania Wharton School
Board memberships: Builder Homesite, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce


Atlanta 500: Marc Pollack

Photograph courtesy of individual

Marc Pollack
Chairman
Pollack Shores Real Estate Group

As chairman, Marc Pollack is responsible for Pollack Shores’ strategic planning, investor relations, and project delivery, and supervision of all of the firm’s activities. As founder, he has more than 35 years of experience in the multifamily real estate business, and has been responsible for the development, acquisition, disposition, and management of more than 30,000 housing units valued at more than $3 billion. Previously he served as president of Lane Investment and Development, where he led a team responsible for completing 86 projects across the Southeast, including within Atlantic Station and Lindbergh City Center. Pollack serves on numerous professional associations and committees and was a real estate instructor in Emory’s Goizueta School of Business for many years.

Education: Emory University, Georgia State University (EdM)
Charities: Art and garden institutions. Served on boards involved in the nonprofit affordable-housing arena in Atlanta for the past decade.
Toughest challenge: Real estate’s cycles
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Atlanta Botanical Garden
Bucket list: Traveling to Southeast Asia


LEGENDS

Tom Cousins
Cofounder of Cousins Properties, one of the nation’s largest equity real estate investment trusts, Cousins developed Atlanta landmarks such as the CNN Center, the Omni Coliseum, 191 Peachtree Tower, Bank of America Plaza, and Wildwood Office Park. His firm also donated the land for and helped launch the World Congress Center. With his wife, Ann, he established the Cousins Foundation and the CF Foundation, which fund many arts, education, and faith-based organizations in Atlanta. They were instrumental in rehabilitating East Lake. In 2009, Cousins established Purpose Built Communities, in partnership with philanthropists Warren Buffett and Julian Robertson, to duplicate that community’s turnaround nationally.

Steve Selig
During Steve’s tenure as president, Selig Enterprises has helped develop key projects such as the Buckhead Triangle, Logan Circle, the Plaza Midtown, the District at Howell Mill, and 12th & Midtown. From 1976 to 1980 he served as President Carter’s chief liaison with the business community, and he chaired the host committee for 1988’s Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. His family endowed the Selig Center of Economic Development at the University of Georgia. Among many boards, he has served on those for Westminster Schools, Woodruff Arts Center, the University of Georgia Foundation, and the Atlanta Ballet. He is active in the Jewish community both locally and nationally.

John Wieland
Over three decades and with more than 25,000 homes, Wieland established his company as the Southeast’s leading builder of semi-custom homes. He has been inducted into the Home Builders Association of Georgia’s Hall of Fame and has received the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s lifetime achievement award. Wieland was board chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and has helped guide the Piedmont Hospital Foundation, the Fund for Theological Education, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, Emory University Center for Ethics, and many more organizations. He chaired the building committee when the High added the Renzo Piano expansion.

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