After 30 years and 5M SF, Pope & Land's Jackie Gauthreaux is riding off into the Texas sunset.
We just learned this week that one of the faces of Pope & Land is
retiring for the good life. (Above, Jackie is at her retirement party last night with
Larry Kelly.) But where does one of the most recognizable commercial real estate brokers in Atlanta go from here? Houston. To be closer to her newlywed son, and her husband's family in Louisiana. On potential grandchildren: "Not yet, but
we're hoping that machine has turned on."
Jackie's life began outside of Georgia (who'da known with that Southern drawl) and outside of commercial real estate; she
spent four years as a high school teacher before moving to
residential real estate in 1983. She entered the industry in Atlanta as a
receptionist and bookkeeper with Pope & Land. "It was really hard for women, so I thought I'd just get my
foot in the door." By the mid-'80s, Pope & Land was on a
development roll, delivering Cumberland Centers I and II. During that time, Jackie was promoted into property management and then leasing, when she nabbed her first big deal—Sprint' 75k SF lease at Cumberland center. That proved to be the company to give her her biggest career pop when it
renewed and
expanded to 200k SF.
Much has changed in the industry for Jackie over the past 30 years (including no longer partying with
Muhammad Ali at Fight Night). Most importantly, women have a more
prominent role in Atlanta commercial real estate. Jackie has helped Pope & Land lease 5M SF in its portfolio throughout her career. But now it's time to engage in other stuff. "Creative" things, she says, like
writing and
painting.
