2016 Cumberland Expansion

Under Lee’s leadership the Public Safety department has implemented a strategic plan that put more police officers on the street, strengthened recruitment and retention policies across public safety departments, doubled the number of annual police academies and implemented cutting edge technologies to help all first responders keep Cobb County safe. Chairman Lee is widely recognized for the leadership role he played in bringing the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County in 2017. This historic move and precedent setting public-private partnership is a game changing development that will positively impact Cobb County for decades to come. Lee is an energetic champion of growing Cobb’s economy. Since he has been Chairman, more than 13,000 jobs have been created or retained and there has been more than $2 billion of private investment.

Mike Plant is in his 15th season with the Atlanta Braves, and in 2018 was named President and CEO of Braves Development Company. Plant joined the organization as Executive Vice President of Business Operations in November of 2003. As part of the Braves executive leadership team, Plant was instrumental in the Braves’ efforts to secure and oversee construction, leasing, financing and management of SunTrust Park and the adjacent mixed-use development, The Battery Atlanta, which opened in Cobb County in April 2017. Plant joined the Braves after having served as Executive Vice President of Turner Sports since February 2002. In that position, he was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the division, a $500-million acquisition, promotion and production company that at the time broadcast approximately 1,200 hours of sports programming on various Turner networks. Before becoming Executive Vice President of Turner Sports, Plant was President of Ted Turner’s multi-sport event, The Goodwill Games, and Vice President of Events for Turner Sports. He was responsible for the overall direction and management of The Goodwill Games, as well as all sports properties acquired by Turner Sports. Prior to joining Turner Sports, Plant was Owner and President of Medalist Sports, a full-service sports marketing company he founded in 1988. Medalist Sports created and operated premier professional cycling events in the United States and China. In addition, Plant was the Associate Executive Director of the United States Cycling Federation in Colorado Springs, Colo., from 1986 to 1988 and the Executive Director of the Canoe and Kayak Team from 1985 to 1986. Plant was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic speedskating team in Lake Placid, NY, and a six-time member of the U.S. World Championship speedskating teams. Since 1980, he has been appointed to numerous committees and boards for the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), the U.S. International Speedskating Association, International Cycling Federation, and USA Cycling. Plant served on the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games (ACOG) Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees for the Salt Lake City Olympic Bid Committee for the 2002 Winter Games. Plant served two eight-year terms on the USOC’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee (1984-1992 and 2003-2011). He was Chairman of the USOC Athletes Council, and Chairman of the Athlete Performance Group (1992-1996). Plant was President of USA Cycling, the National Governing Body for Olympic cycling, from 1995 to 2002, and is the current President of U.S. Speedskating. Internationally, Plant served on the International Cycling Federation’s (UCI) Executive Committee for 20 years, and was President of three different commissions. In 2009, Plant was elected U.S. Olympic Chef de Mission for the Olympic team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. He and his wife Mary have two daughters, Erika and Maddie, and a son, Drew.

Jeffrey S. Fuqua is the founder of Fuqua Development, LP. He was previously Board Member, Partner & President of The Sembler Company. In his nearly 25-year tenure there, Fuqua developed in excess of 14 million square feet in over 80 projects valued at $4 billion. During Jeff's tenure with Sembler, The Atlanta Business Chronicle named The Sembler Company Top Developer for eleven consecutive years since 2000. Major real estate projects include The Prado, Town Brookhaven, Edgewood Retail District, Lindbergh Plaza, Perimeter Place, Lenox Marketplace in Atlanta. In Florida, Fuqua developed Legacy in Palm Beach Gardens, and Boynton Beach Town Center.

Malaika Rivers is the Founder & President of Pontem Resources. She helps businesses and governments work together to imagine and build great places. She works with a wide variety of changemakers — from CEOs to city mayors — to find cost-sharing strategies for pressing development needs. With a focus on transportation, mobility, connectivity, and placemaking, Malaika’s work builds physical infrastructure as well as sustainable organizations to support it. Having worked for and with real estate developers, consulting firms, governments, and planning organizations, she crafts strategies that bring vision, process, funding, and politics together to achieve healthy ROIs. Malaika’s work includes the billion-dollar, sports-anchored, mixed-use development models of Centennial Yards (Atlanta Hawks) and The Battery Atlanta (Atlanta Braves). She is the foremost expert on Community Improvement Districts (CIDs). Having formed and led CIDs over decades, Malaika advises on how these development tools effectively channel infrastructure funding into commercial centers. Malaika is a 100 Influential Women to Know, a Georgia 500, and a 25 Power Women to Watch. She received her B.S. from Virginia Tech and her C.M.E. from Harvard Business School. She frequently contributes to various media outlets and publishes forward-thinking reports, including how CIDs may be positioned at the forefront of smart cities and digital transformation. Malaika’s drive to conquer challenging terrain for her clients extends to her personal life. Whether hiking mountains or exploring deserts, Malaika is in constant pursuit of the way forward.

Holly Bass Quinlan became the CEO of Cobb Travel & Tourism in December 2010. She is responsible for the organization’s operations, including strategic planning, finance, sales and marketing. Cobb Travel & Tourism is responsible for promoting and generating tourism, convention, trade show and sports development activity throughout Cobb County. Previously, she was Chief Operating Officer for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Very active in the community, Quinlan is a member of the South Cobb Branding Project and chairing the selection committee for the Tribute to Women by the YWCA. She is also a member of the Marietta Kiwanis Club and is co-chairing Economic Development and Tourism Day for the 2017 Leadership Cobb class. Quinlan was named a 40 Under 40 by Georgia Trend magazine, 20 Under 40 by Cobb Life magazine and has been given the Up and Comers Award by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She has also received the prestigious YWCA of Northwest Georgia Women of Achievement Award. She was a Volunteer Probation Officer for Cobb County Superior Court for 13 years. She is a graduate of the Regional Leadership Institute, Leadership Cobb and Honorary Commanders. A native of Cobb County (GA), she graduated from the University of Georgia. She is a mother of seven-year-old twin daughters.

Mr. Hall is a Senior Vice President for Jones Lang LaSalle in the Southeast Region and is currently leading the development of the Braves new ballpark in Cobb County and providing day to day leadership of the JLL team that is delivering and overseeing the Battery development. Previously he led the development of a 22 acre site in Alpharetta that includes the new city hall, future retail and commercial development. He has provided leadership on the master planning and initial development of an urban project for a private/public partnership in Charlotte covering 6 city blocks that included both the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Mr. Hall was the Development Director for the $180 million Georgia Tech Technology Square Complex in Midtown Atlanta, GA. that completed in 2003 and was awarded the ULI International Project of the Year award. He has developed a 12,000 seat amphitheater for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and was the Project Executive for the Orchestra’s new symphony hall. Mr. Hall has 30 years’ experience in architecture, planning and construction in a variety of project types. He has managed the design and construction of education and cultural facilities, retail and experiential spaces, offices and multi use facilities, research centers and laboratories. His past work includes extensive work internationally. Mr. Hall maintains his license as an architect in the State of Colorado. He holds a Master’s of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado, and a Bachelors degree in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Mr. Hall has been a guest lecturer on multiple occasions at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Clemson University and a guest panelist at the University of Colorado and Atlanta Tribune Magazine.

Prior to forming Greenstone Properties in January of 2005, De was a principal with Pope & Land Enterprises, Inc. from 1988 through 2004. De is a graduate of Wake Forest University and holds a MBA from The Babcock School of Management.

Bob Voyles Principal, Chief Executive Officer Bob Voyles founded Seven Oaks Company in 2004 and is responsible for the strategic direction and deal sourcing for the company. Bob’s portfolio of projects at Seven Oaks and in his former position as Senior Development Officer at Hines, include the following: Developed over 3 million SF of Class A award-winning, mixed-use and office-oriented development throughout metro Atlanta, Developed headquarters facilities for King & Spalding, InterContinental Hotels Group, MCI-SE Region, and HomeBanc, Acquired three Class A office projects totaling 1.7 million SF, and asset managed over 6 million SF of Class A commercial office, Developed land projects in Georgia, Tennessee and Florida totaling approximately 1,800 acres and nearly $1 billion in total development value, Structured finances of nearly $1 billion in real estate projects with institutional partners such as GEAM, GM Pension Trust, Calpers and GE Capital, as well as entrepreneurial partners such as The Brookdale Group, St. Joe and the DeMoss Foundation. Bob holds numerous positions in local civic, community and charitable organizations: Perimeter Community Improvement District (CID) Board; Founder and Chairman (2004-2010), Georgia Regional Transportation Authority; Member; Chair, Land Development, Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Board of Advisors Member, Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Stadium Authority; Board Member; Chair, construction Committee, Metropolitan Atlanta CID Coalition; Co-Chair, Livable Communities Coalition; Board Member, Young Life-Africa; Board Member, Church of the Apostles; former Vestry Member and Church Warden.

Thad, who leads Cousins’ Atlanta, Dallas, and Raleigh office portfolios, has more than 30 years of real estate expertise including development, leasing and property management for the Cousins’ Class A office portfolio. Thad began his real estate career in 1984. He joined Peterson Properties in 1986 and was a senior executive at Carr America through its 1996 acquisition of Peterson Properties. Thad was the Managing Director for CarrAmerica’s Atlanta and Florida offices. At CarrAmerica, Thad was directly involved with the acquisition, disposition and/or development of the office product and was a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. Prior to joining Cousins in 2006, Thad was the Managing Director of GVA Advantis’ Atlanta office and a member of the firm’s executive committee. Community Involvement Thad is an advisory board member and past president of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and is on the board of the following organizations: the Buckhead Community Improvement District, the Executive Committee for the Midtown Alliance, Boys and Girls Club of Atlanta and the Corporate Campaign Committee for Woodruff Arts. He is also the past Chair for Washington & Lee’s Annual Fund. Education Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington & Lee University.

Ms. Engel is an accomplished commercial real estate executive. Her broad strengths include business development and commercial real estate development, personnel management, sales management and product marketing. Ms. Engel’s leadership abilities have been recognized by organizations, corporations and foundations. She is the immediate Past-Chair of the Kennesaw State University Foundation and in 2011 Connie was named Executive in Residence for the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University. Previously she was President of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties of Georgia (NAIOP) and she is a Past President of Commercial Real Estate Women. Ms. Engel additionally has a wide understanding of current issues, obstacles and opportunities facing our country in foreign policy and national security which she has received through her membership in and involvement with Business Executives for National Security. (BENS). Ms. Engel is a Partner in the Atlanta Office Division of Childress Klein Properties and has been in charge of development and leasing at the prestigious Atlanta Galleria, for over twenty years. Responsibilities include lease negotiations (legal and economic issues), development and implementation of advertising, marketing strategy and preparation and implementation of the budgets for approximately 2,000,000 square feet of Class A office space in five high rise office buildings. Ms. Engel has been frequently recognized as a leader in her industry. In 2010, NAIOP of Georgia honored Ms. Engel with the Award of Excellence for dedicated service to the commercial real estate industry. Twice she was the Top Producer in office leasing in the greater metropolitan Atlanta. In 2015, Ms. Engel was inducted into the inaugural Kennesaw State University Business School Hall of Fame in recognition of professional accomplishments, contribution and leadership in the community. Ms. Engel’s community involvement responsibilities include being an elected Board Member in 1998 and Treasurer (2000 – 2008) of the Cumberland Community Improvement District, which is responsible for allocating a special property tax collected from commercial property owners for transportation and other improvements in Cobb County. The CCID has leveraged over $100 million of private assessments to over $1 billion in transportation and streetscape improvements. In 2005, Ms. Engel was selected to serve on the Board of Trustees for Kennesaw State University, the third largest and fastest growing university in the state of Georgia. In 2006, she was asked to increase her involvement by becoming a member of the Executive Committee and in 2007 she became Chair of the Real Estate Committee. In 2008, the Real Estate committee spearheaded the purchase of 100 acres of land for future sports/stadium areas for Kennesaw State University. She has received the Erwin Zaban Award and the Clarice Bagwell Award from Kennesaw State University for outstanding contribution and leadership within the KSU Board of Trustees. In October of 2009 she was elected Vice Chair of the Foundation and in October of 2010 she was chosen Chair Elect of the Foundation. She became Chair of The Foundation in October 2012 and completed her term in 2014. Currently she is immediate past chair of the Foundation. In 2011, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal appointed Ms. Engel to the Georgia Board of Dentistry, consumer representative. Ms. Engel graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Communications and an area of concentration in Public Address. She is an MBA graduate of Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business. Ms. Engel’s interests include golf and flying: she is a certified multi-engine pilot of 18 years. Ms. Engel has been married to Pete Watson for over twenty-five years and has three children: Jacqueline Watson Grech, Esq.; Sarah Oddsen DeCaro, M.D.; and Ellis Watson, a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Alex Demestihas is a Vice President for JLL’s Project and Development Services group in Atlanta. Alex provides leadership for the Variable Project Management Group whose team focuses on commercial interior projects. In this role, Alex is responsible for the team’s oversight in delivering various projects from concept to closeout. He also focuses on new business leads and supporting the Atlanta commercial brokerage teams at JLL. Alex is currently providing leadership on JLL’s Atlanta based projects including the new NCR headquarters (680,000 SF) in Midtown as well as providing support on projects for Interface, an Atlanta based account. Prior to joining JLL, Alex served as a Construction Manager at Jamestown, LP, a national developer with many high profile properties where he oversaw construction on a 44 acre ground up mixed use development in Charleston, SC. He also supported the firm’s adaptive reuse portfolio in the southeast by providing construction oversight on capital improvement and tenant improvement projects ranging from high end retail shops such as Anthropologie, Lululemon, and J. Crew, to restaurants and various office tenants. Alex has also previously worked at CBRE, Inc. where he served as the project management main point of contact for CBRE Global Investor’s Atlanta portfolio for tenant and capital projects.