NASHVILLE POST MAGAZINE MAR 25, 2016 SHARE
2016 In Charge – Real Estate
The visionaries, brokers and advisors giving shape to Music City's boom
AUTHORS Staff Reports
As has become an annual tradition, the Post presents In Charge, a compendium of Middle Tennessee’s top
business, politics and civic leaders. The more than 450 women and men on our list, the Post’s seventh,
represent the best of the best — and always are “in charge.”
Allen Arender — Partner, Director of Development, Holladay Properties: Has helped South Bend-based
Holladay create a presence in the Nashville market. Working with Cushman & Wakefield’s Ronnie Wenzler
on the redevelopment of the historic Geist property in North Capitol.
Steve Armistead — Co-Partner, Armistead Arnold Pollard: Oversees Brentwood-based company that
will serve as the commercial broker and is collaborative partner with Mainland on a mixed-use project
underway on Division Street in The Gulch. Teamed with former partner Bill Barkley as Gulch visionaries in
the late 1990s.
Mark Bloom — Real Estate Investor: Wheels and deals with business partners Ronnie Scott (a fellow
bond trader at UBS Securities) and Larry Paper (a local attorney) to buy and sell Nashville land.
Doug Brandon — Regional Managing Principal, Cushman & Wakefield: Straight-shooting veteran of
the CRE trade who oversees strategic and day-to-day operations of entity that merged with DTZ in 2015.
Previously worked at Smith Barney.
Jim Caden — Developer and Investor: Veteran land man who has led the evolution of M Street in The
Gulch. Knowledge of Midtown and The Gulch is near unrivaled. Respected for his low-key approach. Codeveloping Eighth South in Melrose with Bobby Kirby, Mark Tarver, Jim Kent Kirby and Dave Arnholt.
Joe Cain — Director, Urban Development Department, Metro Development and Housing
Agency: Straight-shooting leader of MDHA department focused on Nashville’s urban districts. MDHA
broke ground on 10th and Jefferson project in late 2015.
Wood Caldwell — Principal, Southeast Venture: Serves with Cam Sorenson in SEV’s development
services division. Firm has teamed with H.G. Hill Realty to develop Hill Center Sylvan Heights and broke
ground last year on mixed-use EastSide Heights.
Mark Deutschmann — Founder, Village Real Estate Services: Started Village in 1996, focusing on older
neighborhoods in Nashville’s inner interstate loop. Oversees Core Development, known for its Werthan
Lofts. Company has two major projects underway in Wedgewood-Houston.
Tim Downey — CEO, Southern Land: Leads company known for its Westhaven development in Franklin.
Sold in 2014 its Elliston 23 for a then-record $287,000 per unit. Work on SLC’s mixed-use Green Hills
tower resumed in 2015 after stalling.
Ryan Doyle — GM, oneC1TY: Driving the train on oneC1TY, which is expected to be one of Nashville’s
most distinctive mixed-use developments. Former board chair of the Nashville Civic Design Center.
John Eakin — Chairman, Eakin Partners: Oversees with Barry Smith a company that has developed
more than 3.6 million square feet of office product, including Roundabout Plaza and SunTrust Plaza. Will
complete 1201 Demonbreun in The Gulch this year and then focus on West End corridor mid-rise near
Vanderbilt campus.
Pat Emery — President, Spectrum|Emery: Formed Spectrum|Emery in Cool Springs 2010. Developing
Franklin Park, a 71-acre, multi-building development in Cool Springs, and hoping to undertake a mixed-use
Fifth + Broadway project at site of the 1980s-era Nashville Convention Center. Teams with David Wells and
Burgin Dossett.
Gary Gaston — Design Director, Nashville Civic Design Center: Principal contributor to The Plan of
Nashville who also serves as a lecturer with the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design.
Studied urban design in Krakow, Poland.
Tony Giarratana, Principal, Giarratana Nashville: Nashville’s “Skyscraper King” is working on
Midtown midrise project and downtown skyscrapers SoBro and 505. A master of urban development and
deal-making who also serves as Premier Parking co-owner with Ryan Chapman.
Jimmy Granbery — CEO, H.G. Hill Realty: Mastermind behind company that has transitioned from
suburban development to urban infill, including projects in 12South, Hillsboro Village and Sylvan Heights.
The company’s Green Hills development is a fixture.
Chad Grout — Founder and Principal Broker, Urban Grout Commercial Real Estate:Oversees East
Nashville-based boutique company focused largely on emerging urban districts no more than three miles
from city’s epicenter.
Whitfield Hamilton — Nashville Office Partner, Panatonni Development Co.: Teaming with brother
Hayne on the development of a Music Row building for SESAC’s local offices. Former managing principal
and partner of what was then Colliers Turley Martin Tucker’s Nashville office. Prepped to start Music Circle
South office building.
Michael Hayes — President and CEO, C.B. Ragland Co.: Ranks among city’s most vocal advocates of
progressive urban development. Spearheaded the landing of Asurion to Ragland’s SoBro building. Teaming
with Hines to develop mixed-use 222 in SoBro.
Jeff Haynes — Founder, Boyle Nashville: Oversees firm with transactions exceeding $100 million in
aggregate value and more than 1 million square feet office. Working with Northwestern Mutual to develop
Capitol View in North Gulch.
Ray Hensler — Principal, Hensler Development Group: High-energy developer recently completed $80
million, 23-story Gulch luxury condo tower Twelve Twelve with Stiles Corp. His Adelicia in Midtown ranks
among the city’s most attractive tall buildings. Scouting sites for next project.
Tom Hooper — Executive Vice President, JLL: Teams with Bo Tyler to oversee the Nashville office of
the national power. Has been with JLL for more than three years after a strong career at Eakin Partners.
Bill Hostettler — Principal Broker with HND Realty and Chief Manager with Craighead
Development: Frank-talking yet affable industry veteran (more than 35 years in the business) who has
mastered the art of developing reasonably priced condos and townhomes.
Todd Jackovich — Principal, Stonehenge Real Estate Group: Has already finished or started in urban
Nashville multiple multi-unit residential projects. Planned Madison Mills Lofts project in Sylvan Park will
be company’s largest.
Michael Kenner — Owner, MiKeN Development: A major proponent of development on the city’s onceoverwhelmingly working class west side. Has a strong understanding of affordable housing issues and
developing with environmentally friendly methods.
Stephen Kulinski — Managing Director, CBRE: Replaced the veteran Tom Frye about a year ago after a
30-plus-year career as an architect, most recently with Gresham Smith + Partners.
Rob Lowe — Senior Managing Director and Principal, Cushman & Wakefield: Has participated in
$433 million in investment sales and transacted more than $667 million of leases while representing tenants
and more than 3 million square feet of Class A office space for landlords.
Bert Mathews — President, The Mathews Company: Respected community leader oversees
development, acquisitions, financing and institutional/investor relations of all real estate marketing activities
for The Mathews Company. Also a partner with Nashville office of Colliers International.
Steve Massey — Executive Vice President, CBRE: Joined company in 1985 and quickly established
expertise as multi-family properties specialist in the investment field. Assumed an even greater role at CBRE
after then-Managing Director Tom Frye stepped down.
Dirk Melton, Development Director, MarketStreet Enterprises: Former Washington, D.C., CRE pro has
emerged as the face of MarketStreet’s Gulch development efforts. Stayed busy in 2015 with the company’s
completion of Gulch Crossing and start (with other entities) of Thompson Nashville Hotel project.
Thomas McDaniel — Director of Office Properties, Boyle Nashville: Oversees Nashville-area office
portfolio. Handles Boyle’s leasing, acquisition, development and tenant representation activities for office
properties.
Henry Menge, Managing Director and Principal Broker, XMi Commercial Real Estate:Leads a firm
known for its Midtown and Medical District work. XMi most recently was involved in Corner Pub Midtown
sale to Vanderbilt.
Janet Miller — CEO and Market Leader, Colliers International, Nashville: Left the Nashville Area
Chamber of Commerce as the entity’s main economic development figure in July 2014 to join Colliers.
Continues to be big Nashville booster involved with various groups.
Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi — Co-Founder and Principal, Bristol Development Group:Started Bristol in
the late 1990s with Sam Yeager and Dan Daniel. Company finished work on Tapestry Brentwood Town
Center in 2015 and now focused on 12South and Cool Springs projects.
Brian Reames — Senior VP and Regional Manager, Highwoods Properties: Oversee company’s local
office work on 30-story Bridgestone Tower in SoBro. Past Nashville chapter president of NAIOP.
Floyd Shechter — President, SmartSpace: Leading the private-sector drive to see Metro institute a
mandatory inclusionary zoning ordinance to create more affordable housing.
Mike Shmerling — Chairman and CEO, XMi Holdings Inc.: Low-key entrepreneur oversees regional
empire active in finance, real estate and other industries. Focused over the years on Midtown real estate.
Barry Smith — Co-Founder and President, Eakin Partners: Partners with John Eakin to form potent and
likeable one-two punch. Former executive vice president and principal of the now-defunct Grubb &
Ellis/Centennial Inc.
Warren Smith III — CEO, Avison Young: Former Cushman & Wakefield | Cornerstone CEO who now
leads local office of Canadian-based power. Former partner and president of Mid-South Financial Corp. and
ex-president and CEO of Q10 | Vista Mortgage Group.
Stan Snipes — Senior Advisor, Sperry Van Ness Investec: Former XMi Commercial Real Estate
president who helped upstart SVN, a national power, establish a stronger local presence starting in 2013.
Teams with colleague David W. Creed in investment deals in Cincinnati and, locally, in The Gulch.
Tim Stowell — Managing Member, Corporate Real Estate Advisors: Can see a lease or sale looming
long before his peers. Can deftly assess the numbers of the business but is equally effective spotting trends.
McClain Towery — President, Towery Development: Unassuming industry pro undertaking work in or
near 12South, the North Gulch, Edgehill Village and SoBro.
Jay Turner — Managing Director, MarketStreet Enterprises: Company has helped transform the oncedesolate Gulch into arguably the city’s most vibrant mixed-use district. Teams with Joe Barker and Dirk
Melton.
James Weaver — Partner, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis: Major player in urban development projects
and fundraising for Democratic political candidates. Working with Indiana-based Buckingham Cos. to land
approval for a Gulch high-rise.
Jimmy Webb and Bill Freeman — Co-Founders, Freeman Webb Companies: Longtime friends and
business partners who oversee a real estate powerhouse. Company boasts approximately 475 employees and
manages more than 15,000 apartment units and 1 million square feet of commercial property in multiple
states.
Ronnie Wenzler — Managing Director and Principal, Cushman & Wakefield: Known for his work with
the Sawtooth Building, BowTruss Building and The Sheds on Charlotte projects. Now teaming with
Holladay Properties’ Allen Arender to redevelop Geist site in North Capitol.
Axson West — Principal, Southeast Venture: Joined SEV in 1988 and built a reputation as a site analyst
and land transaction specialist, representing both buyers and sellers. Company broke ground in late 2015 on
EastSide Heights and is poised for Gulch project.
Aaron White — Principal and Co-Founder, Evergreen Real Estate: A co-founder of Core Development
who later started Evergreen with Hunter Connelly. Company’s current projects include Woodstock at
Chestnut Hill and Blair and Belmont townhome project.
Tom White — Partner, Tune Entrekin & White: A go-to attorney on land-use matters. Helped achieve a
compromise between Metro Planning Department and McDonald’s officials to yield tasteful development at
Broadway and 12th Avenue. Flawlessly handled Terrazzo residents’ concerns about Buckingham Cos.’s
proposed Gulch high-rise.
Glenn Wilson — Founder and CEO, SouthStar: Teams with Glenn McGehee to lead Cool Springs
company that paid $25 million for the 145-acre Pickering property, Williamson County’s then-largest
undeveloped tract along I-65. Sold latest piece of large Ovation site in November.