State of the Collin County Market

George Fuller was elected Mayor of McKinney in May 2017. He is currently a builder and developer of custom homes and commercial properties with George C. Fuller Contracting. Mayor Fuller is the managing construction partner for Adriatica, a 46-acre mixed-use development in McKinney. He has developed community infrastructures, retail shopping centers, condominiums, business centers, and some of the most award-winning and decorated homes in North Texas. Mayor Fuller has been honored with the Builder of the Year Award six years in a row by D Magazine while also receiving honors from the National Home Builder Association Awards, including “Best Craftsmanship,” “Best Overall Home,” “Best Floor Plan,” and multiple “People’s Choice” awards. Mayor Fuller also has had several ventures outside of construction including Body Quest, Inc., an international exercise equipment manufacturing and distributing company. He co-created Everide Automotive Parts, Inc., an automotive heating and cooling parts company with national distribution. He also founded Airtech Heating and Cooling, Inc., a Dallas-based commercial and residential general contracting company. Currently, he owns The Guitar Sanctuary, a high-end guitar and music equipment boutique recently named one of the Top 20 Coolest Guitar Shops in the country by Premier Guitar magazine, along with The Sanctuary Music and Event Center and the Sanctuary Performance Academy. Mayor Fuller serves as President of the Stonebridge Ranch Commercial Association. He and his wife, Maylee, are co-founders of the Love Life Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing awareness of the many tragedies inflicted upon children and identifying and supporting agencies and groups that bring relief and comfort to the young victims and their families. He is also a member of the McKinney Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a Board Director for Meals on Wheels. He previously served as Chairman of the McKinney Community Development Corporation. Mayor Fuller studied Business Management and Business Law at Norwich University, the nation’s oldest private military academy. He and his wife live in McKinney and have four children.

Lucy Billingsley has spent her career in real estate, developing and managing commercial developments. She, and her husband Henry, started Billingsley Company in 1978 to manage their growing real estate portfolio. The company specializes in developing office buildings, multi-family, retail and industrial properties, and master- planned communities, which include: Cypress Waters, International Business Park, Austin Ranch, and the Arts Plaza campus in Dallas’ Arts District. Prior to Billingsley Company, Lucy was Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas Market Center and the Crow Design Centers in Dallas, Houston and Boston and Wyndham Jade Travel. Lucy has been inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame, the Junior Achievement of Dallas Business Hall of Fame, the NTCAR Hall of Fame, and she was awarded the 2013 H. Neil Mallon Award. Born and raised in Dallas, Lucy is a graduate of The University of Texas with a B.B.A. in finance. She lives in Dallas with Henry and has 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

From a young age, Scott Turner demonstrated exceptional leadership skills both on and off the field. Raised in Richardson, Texas, he consistently excelled in academics and athletics. Scott attended the University of Illinois, where he achieved outstanding success as a dual-sport athlete in track and football. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Scott pursued academic excellence, earning a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Illinois. As the Chief Visionary Officer at JPI, Scott is responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive strategic vision to drive the company's growth and expansion. His role involves working closely with the Executive Leadership Team to devise and execute corporate strategy, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with local, state, and federal entities, reinforcing JPI's position as a thought leader, and promoting a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement. Scott's impressive background includes senior leadership roles in both public and private sectors. Notably, he served as the Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC) under Dr. Ben Carson, where he coordinated 15 federal agencies and three regional entities while supervising the implementation of over 200 federal policy actions. Before his tenure at the White House, Scott represented House District 33, including Rockwall County and parts of Collin County, in the Texas House of Representatives for two terms. He also enjoyed a nine-year career in the NFL and currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the NFL's Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Outside the boardroom, Scott is committed to making a difference in his local community. As the founder and President of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), he aims to revitalize America through sports, mentorship, and economic opportunities. Additionally, he serves as the Chair of the Center of Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute. Outside of work, Scott and his wife, Robin, actively participate in their church and community affairs. They also enthusiastically support their son, Solomon, a student-athlete at the University of Illinois.

David Craig is a visionary and works tirelessly to push the boundaries of his development projects. The proud son of a retired Air Force colonel, David learned the value of hard work and dedication at a very young age. He founded Craig International, a commercial brokerage and development company more than 40 years ago in McKinney, Texas and the company has grown to control and/or develop well in excess of 10,000 acres in Collin and Grayson Counties since it was founded. David’s motivation and passion are evidenced by the success of Craig Ranch, a McKinney, Texas award-winning master-planned community that he founded more than 20 years ago with a current ad valorem value in excess of $4 billion. He began with 1,125 acres of farmland and it is now a thriving, 2,200-acre community with commercial, residential, and mixed-use retail anchored by the TPC Craig Ranch, which is currently the new home of the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic. David is the Chairman of the Board of Governors of TPC Craig Ranch and is Chairman of the TPC Craig Ranch Host Committee for the AT&T Byron Nelson. Craig Ranch knows no limits and the development has always been on the cutting edge, way before New Urbanism was embraced. David’s vision has been realized in the 500 acres of parks and green space, the 270-acre employment district, the McKinney Corporate Center Craig Ranch. One of David’s current projects is District 121, a destination retail, corporate, and restaurant development adjacent to Craig Ranch. The biggest benefit of having David involved in the day-to­day activity of the firm’s development projects is that he is laser-focused on detail, and he makes sure every project is built in the best, most innovative and efficient way possible. David’s passion for business carries over to the many cause-related issues Craig International supports including the Love Life Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club of America - Collin County; The Family Place; Habitat for Humanity; The Samaritan Inn; Smiles Charity; and American Heart Association, only to name a few.

Barry serves as a Mixed Use and Urban Design Practice Area Leader within the firm, and leads one of Gensler's Lifestyle studios carefully calibrated to improve the places we live, work, play, stay and learn with a focus on mixed use, planning and placemaking projects. He brings decades of diverse and deep architectural and planning leadership experience in local and international markets where he has developed an expertise directing large teams and complex placemaking projects. Keen attention to client service, design, project budgets and technical/jurisdictional requirements are the foundation of his management approach; and allow him to successfully orchestrate complex project processes and components.

Daniel Bowman is a native of Allen, Texas and was named Executive Director/CEO of the Allen Economic Development Corporation in 2014 after 10 years with the organization. He was recognized in the Top 40 under 40 by the Dallas Business Journal (2021) and the International Economic Development Council (2013) and has been instrumental in recruiting corporate projects including NetSCOUT Systems, Credit Union of Texas, WatchGuard Video and KONE Elevators. Bowman was also instrumental in structuring the public-private partnership for the Watters Creek and The Farm in Allen mixed-use developments. His background and focus on community collaboration led him to several community leadership roles with the Kiwanis Club, Leadership Allen and other civic organizations. He is a graduate of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) CFL Leadership Class and recently earned his CCIM pin. Bowman is a graduate of Trinity University and the University of Texas at Dallas, where he earned his MBA.

Michael Kowski was appointed President & CEO of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation on October 1. Kowski is a Certified Urban Designer (CUD) and a credentialed urban planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). He holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also holds Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Art History with a concentration in architecture and urbanism from the University of Illinois in Chicago. Prior to joining the City of McKinney, Kowski worked for the City of Orland Park, Illinois, where he managed various site planning, transportation, and economic development activities and negotiated land swap details and capital improvements associated with city facilities. Kowski also played a key role in Orland Park’s downtown Main Street redevelopment project involving the University of Chicago Medical Center and the construction of associated public infrastructure improvements that helped expand the community’s portfolio of public-private partnerships. He also served on the Land Use Committee for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. He most recently served as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of McKinney, where he oversaw projects like the creation of the $11 million indoor tennis facility at The Courts of McKinney, the $25 million renovation of the McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch, and the acquisition of 230 acres of parkland within the Painted Tree development that will be used for recreational facilities, and future community and economic development projects.

Manuel "Manny" Ybarra is the Founder and CEO of Pillar Commercial, a vertically-integrated commercial real estate investment and operating company based in Allen, Texas. In this role, Manny is responsible for managing the investment performance of a portfolio consisting of office and industrial properties. He leads a team of seasoned professionals in implementing strategies related to acquisitions, finance, property operations, project leasing and dispositions. Prior to launching Pillar Commercial, Manny was executive vice president of Dallas-based TPMC Realty Corporation. In that capacity, he oversaw the leasing and management divisions for the company's real estate holdings in Dallas and Houston. Before entering the real estate industry, Manny served as vice president of economic development for the Greater Dallas Chamber. During his tenure, Manny was an active team leader in recruiting Fortune 500 companies to the greater Dallas region. Manny is also active in various civic work and industry-related organizations. He has served on several City of Dallas boards, including the Dallas Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment. He has also been a member of Dallas' Real Estate Task Force, a committee formed by the Dallas City Council to establish long-term strategies on economic development projects impacting the city of Dallas. He has served on the board of directors for Dallas' Downtown Improvement District and Richardson Chamber Board of Directors. He has also successfully completed several community leadership development programs, including The Real Estate Council's Associate Leadership Council and Leadership Richardson. Manny is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas (1990). He is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation in 2002. He was the 2009 president of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR). He has served on the board of directors for The Real Estate Council (TREC) and was appointed chairman of TREC’s Government Affairs in 2010-2011. He has also achieved several noteworthy accomplishments including multiple year awards of the Dallas Business Journal’s Heavy Hitters and Best Real Estate Deal, including the 2011 Office Deal of the Year. Manny is also the 2011 recipient of the Stemmons Service Award, considered to be the highest honor in the Dallas commercial real estate industry.

CRE veteran Denton Walker joined Transwestern Development Co. (TDC), taking on the role of Regional Partner for the company’s National Logistics Group. Prior, Walker spent 30 years at Trammell Crow Co. (TCC). In his role at Transwestern, Walker is responsible for logistics development projects throughout the Southwest, with a focus on Texas. He operates out of Transwestern’s Dallas office.

Pat McFarland is a Sr. Mortgage Banker with KeyBank Real Estate Capital. He specializes in multifamily loan originations for KeyBank’s balance sheet and off-balance sheet products including Agencies, FHA, CMBS, LifeCo. placement, and other fixed and floating products. KeyBank also provides structured entity financing and CRE Investment Banking.

With over 20 years of commercial banking experience, Demetris Adekanmbi brings a wealth of expertise to her role as a Business Banker at the Credit Union of Texas (CUTX.) Building solid relationships is Demetris' superpower. She excels in fostering long-term partnerships with her business members by leveraging her extensive experience in the commercial banking industry. At CUTX, we focus on strengthening communities through strategic development and competitive financing specific to the needs of our business members. We are all about helping entrepreneurs succeed with top-notch business solutions and resources.

Since 2018, Maher has been a Principal in site selection and business incentives at Ryan, the largest firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business tax. With more than 20 years of economic development experience in the public sector, Mr. Maso supports Ryan clients to improve profitability through business growth and development. Previously, Maher Maso served as the CEO of the Prosper Economic Development Corporation. Maher Maso also proudly served as Mayor of the City of Frisco from 2008-2017, named by the U.S. Census Bureau as the fastest growing city in the country in the last decade. Under Mayor Maso’s administration, the City of Frisco has received dozens of awards and attributions including Money Magazine “Best Places to Live List” and Allstate’s “Safe and Secure Communities List” Maher Maso works to represent small and large companies to create public/private partnerships and to create jobs in communities by negotiating incentives and focusing on site selection. His initiatives as Mayor positioned the City of Frisco as a hub of first-class entertainment, sports and sports medicine including the home of the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars, FC Dallas and the world headquarters of the PGA. He has been interviewed by Newsweek, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, and others. Maher is a regular keynote speaker and has spoken globally for government, trade associations and corporations.

Dustin is the Managing Director responsible for land and residential development build-for-rent, acquisitions and dispositions of projects within the Southwest Region of the U.S, focusing on the greater DFW area and Central Texas. Since joining Hines’ Dallas office in 2012, Dustin has worked on over 20 single-family development projects in cities across the Southwest USA totaling over 20,000 lots. He is leading Hines’ efforts to enter into the new single-family build-for-rent product type. Dustin has specialized in the DFW metroplex and Central Texas. He is responsible for sourcing financing, both equity and debt, and has been directly involved in over $1.8B in revenue of projects.

Frank Su is a Vice President of Land Acquisitions for the Dallas Fort Worth market for Meritage Homes and has over 20 years of experience in residential development. Frank leads the Meritage Home’s land acquisitions team in sourcing land, contract negotiations, due diligence, and closing for all land deals. In Frank’s prior experience, he was a Division Vice President for Toll Brothers in charge of land acquisitions, entitlements, and government/community relations for Toll Brother’s Southern California projects in greater Los Angeles and Ventura County. His prior roles with Toll Brothers were as a Division Vice President in homebuilding operations, Director of Land Acquisition, Land Acquisition Manger, and a Project Manager. He was previously a Director of Acquisitions with Gibraltar Capital and Asset Management, LLC in Philadelphia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toll Brothers investing in distressed assets and a Vice President of Development with The Castle Group, Inc in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Frank is graduate from Cornell University with a Masters in Real Estate Development and California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor in Architecture.

Brian Webster joined KWA Construction in 2006, after relocating back to Texas from California. Having started in the construction industry at an early age, Brian has served in a variety of roles within both pre-construction and operations. These positions have allowed him to develop a comprehensive understanding of the construction industry and development process. Brian works closely with KWA’s clients to help facilitate the pre-construction and closing process, and works with KWA staff to ensure the company’s promise of delivering the highest value at the right cost to each of its clients. As a leader of the executive team, Brian works closely with the managers of each department to develop strategic initiatives and confirm that improvement programs are implemented effectively. He is active in the Dallas Builder Association, having served as a board member since 2008. Brian is also a member of the Association’s Multifamily Builders Council. He has served on the board since 2008 and as Chairman from 2015- 2017 and again in 2020. Prior to KWA, Brian worked in sales in Oklahoma City, OK and Los Angeles, CA. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing golf, hunting, fishing and spending time with his family.

Nate Pike was first elected mayor of Anna, Texas, in 2017, and in 2021, he was overwhelmingly re- elected to a second term with over 91% of the vote. During his tenure as mayor, Anna has received recurring recognition as one of the “Top 10 Fastest-Growing Cities in North Texas” by the Dallas Business Journal, and since 2019 has added more than 60 new businesses with over 300,000 square feet of commercial real estate construction. In addition to serving as mayor of Anna, Pike has over 10 years as a successful financial advisor, born from his business instinct and gift for building long-lasting, meaningful relationships throughout Collin and Grayson counties. As senior vice president – investment officer for nationally recognized Utter Wealth Management of Wells Fargo Advisors, Pike focuses on the planning needs of individuals, families and businesses throughout the region. Pike’s deep commitment to North Texas is reflected in his long history of personal community involvement throughout the region. He was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Dallas Business Journal in 2021. He is a past Board Chairman for the McKinney Chamber of Commerce, an alternate member for the City of McKinney on the North Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council, which is charged with funding tollway and major infrastructure projects, and a Paul Harris Fellow with the McKinney Rotary Club. In addition, Pike is a graduate of Leadership McKinney, a past president of the Grayson County Children’s Advocacy Center, on the board of the Heard Craig Center for the Arts and a member of the Denison High School Alumni Association. He also continues to support his hometown of Denison, contributing to initiatives through the Denison Rotary Club for Denison’s first all-inclusive playground. Pike graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and entrepreneurship. He lives with his wife Lacey and their two children in Anna.

Zach Sams joined Kensington Vanguard in November of 2016 after serving as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Fidelity National Title’s Dallas/Fort Worth division from 2012-2016. Zach is focused on expanding KV’s footprint in the D/FW, Texas, Arizona and National markets. From selling real estate for to business development roles at prominent local and national title insurance companies, Zach has been active in the in the real estate market since 2005. Prior to the title industry, Zach attended The Golf Academy of America in San Diego, then spent two years playing professional golf on various mini tours in Southern California. Zach is a Veteran of the US Army. Zach lives in Argyle, TX with his wife Amber and their two boys 11&13. In his free time Zach enjoys playing competitive amateur golf and traveling with his wife and kids.