HENRY WARD Vice President, Operations

Over his five-year tenure with the company, Henry has leased and managed over 1,000,000 square feet of retail properties in the Triangle. Henry is responsible for day-to-day direction of operations for the company, including subsidiary companies York Security and Bloomsbury Landscapes. He assists the president in developing the strategic direction and manages the implementation of all business and marketing goals.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Urban Land Institute (ULI)
  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  • Board Member, Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR) and Tacquire.com

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science, North Carolina State University
  • Masters of Science, North Carolina State University
  • Juris Doctor, University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill

Community Involvement:

  • Past president, NC State Young Alumni Council
  • Co-Chair, Heart Ball, American Heart Association
  • Treasurer, Capital City Clauses
  • Graduate, Leadership Raleigh

JOHN KERR, SIOR, President, York Commercial

As President of York Commercial, John focuses on the successful strategic growth of the division, management of the brokerage team and in providing knowledgeable service and proven results to clients He has been with York Properties for over 23 years.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR)
  • Past Board of Directors, Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)

Education:

  • Bachelors Degree, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Community Involvement:

  • Board of Advisors, Central YMCA
  • Board of Directors, Council for Entrepenurial Developement (CED)
  • Past Board of Directors, Contemporary Science Center and the Nature Resource Center

JOHN KOONCE, Vice President, Retail Services

With York Properties since 2007, John has 15 years of experience in the industry and specializes in all aspects of retail commercial real estate including landlord and tenant representation, acquisition, market analysis and feasibility, development and general consultation. In 2002 he was named one of the Triangle's Heavy Hitters, a designation given annually by the Triangle Business Journal to select local commercial brokers.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, English and US History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Community Involvement:

  • YMCA of Raleigh
  • Board of Directors, Council for Entrepenurial Developement (CED)
  • Past Board of Directors, Contemporary Science Center and the Nature Resource Center

AMY WATKINS, Broker, Retail Services

Amy has over 10 years of retail brokerage experience and specializes in restaurant and retail tenant representation, shopping center and mixed use property leasing, land sale and investment property sales.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  • Board Member, Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW)
  • Member, NC CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) Chapter

Education:

  • Meredith College

Community Involvement:

  • Raleigh Leadership Council
  • American Cancer Society
  • Member, Junior League of Raleigh

SHELTON GRIFFIN, Aquisitions

Shelton joined York Properties in 2002 and focused on business development for the company. Since 2005 he has led the acquisitions and asset management for York's various private equity partnerships.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Research Triangle Chapter, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  • Urban Land Institute , Young Leaders Group

Education:

  • North Carolina State University

Community Involvement:

  • Graduate, Leadership Triangle
  • Member, Downtown Raleigh Rotary Club

AMY BUSH, Vice President, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Amy joined York Commercial in 1996. She has developed a specialty niche in the sales and leasing of office/flex buildings and condominiums.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Raleigh-Wake County Board of Realtors
  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)
  • Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW)

Education:

  • Bachelor's degree, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Master's degree, University of Louisville

Community Involvement:

  • Professional Advisory Board Member, Raleigh-Cary Jewish Federation
  • Board Member, Raleigh-Cary JCC
  • Board Member of Hillel of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • Member, NC Autism Society
  • Member and volunteer mentor, North Carolina Roadrunners Club (NCRC)

TAD THORNHILL, Broker, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Tad has been with York Properties since 2001 and specializes in office and industrial leasing and sales. Every year since 2006 Tad has been recognized by the Triangle Commercial Area Realtors as a member of the Million Dollar Club for industrial leasing.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)

Education:

  • Bachelors of Arts, Economics, Hampton-Sydney College, Virginia

Community Involvement:

  • Raleigh Boys and Girls Club

JUDSON MCMILLAN, Broker, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Judson joined York Properties in 2006 and specializes in retail, land development, and industrial sales and leasing for both landlord and tenant. Judson brings experience from his previous career in the mortgage industry for two Fortune 500 companies, where he learned valuable skills in real estate, finance, sales and marketing.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)
  • Triangle Area Office Building Association

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, Economics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

BRIAN WALLACE, Broker, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Brian joined York Commercial in December of 2007, where he came from practicing investment real estate for a Raleigh based student housing developer. Brian's focus ranges from office and industrial properties, to investment, land brokerage and retail representation.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • National Association of Realtors
  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI)

Education:

  • College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

KELSEY DICKERSON, Marketing Assistant

RON SCHWARTZ, Senior Vice President of Leasing

Ron Schwartz has been involved with commercial real estate brokerage in Raleigh for over 23 years and has been a member of the York Commercial team for over a decade. In addition to commercial brokerage, Ron owns and manages several commercial properties in Raleigh and Cary that he also developed. He is actively engaged in direct mail marketing as well. Ron was President of the State Distributing Corporation, a wine and beer distributor for 22 years. He is the leading broker of office condominiums in the Raleigh/Durham area.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Completed all Certified Commercial Investment Member courses for CCIM designation

Education:

  • Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania

Community Involvement:

  • Board of the Raleigh-Cary Federation
  • Board of the Hillel of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

GRETCHEN SAUSSY, Marketing Coordinator

PETER PACE, SIOR, Vice President, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Peter has been with York Properties since 1994 and specializes in office leasing and brokerage, as well as land and investment property sales. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1983, he founded a retail company, which he sold in 1993. Peter owns several residential and commercial properties in Raleigh. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf, going to the beach and spending time with his family.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR)
  • Raleigh-Wake County Board of Realtors
  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)

Education:

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Community Involvement:

  • Active in the local community through his work with Edenton Street United Methodist Church
  • Coached baseball and basketball teams at the Salvation Army and the Jaycee Community Center

JOE KALKHURST, SIOR, Senior Vice President

Joe has over 40 years of real estate brokerage and management experience. He specializes in tax- deferred exchange work involving office and industrial income properties, as well as "build-to-suit" and sale/lease back transactions.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Past President of the Raleigh-Wake County Board of Realtors
  • Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) - retired member, past president of the Carolinas chapter, received Realtor of the Year honor

Education:

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

GENE COWELL, Commercial Land Broker & Retail Specialist

Gene is a seasoned real estate professional with 37 years of active experience in all aspects of commercial real estate. He has been active in full service commercial real estate broker activities in the Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle, NC market since 1985. Licensed in North Carolina, Gene has focused his energies successfully representing property owners, developers and corporate clients in the Triangle market area and throughout eastern North Carolina. Although Gene has been involved in a wide range of brokerage activities, his area of concentration centers on land transactions involving the following:

  • Retail Out Parcels
  • Office Parks
  • Residential Subdivisions
  • Shopping Center Sites
  • Business Parks
Over the past 26 years, Gene has assembled numerous shopping center sites for developers. He has acquired valuable experience brokering a variety of development and business properties for his clients. Gene has been involved in all types of sales and lease transactions including some of the largest dollar-volume land transactions in the Triangle and Eastern North Carolina.

Prior to joining York Properties, Inc. in 2001, Gene was associated with Carolantic Realty, Inc. from 1992-2001. The preceding 5 years he was sole proprietor and Broker-in-Charge of The Cowell Company. From 1985-1987, Gene was associated as a Broker with the Adaron Group. For 6 years, Gene was a Real Estate Manager for a national department store chain that has since merged with Dillard Department Stores. Gene spent 5 years as a Real Estate Lending Officer for two financial banking institutions.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

JOHN BARKER, Broker, Commercial Sales & Leasing

A native of Raleigh, John Barker joined York Properties in 2010. John specializes in retail, office and industrial properties, representing buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants throughout the Triangle. He brings a high level of energy and passion for real estate to the York team and is willing to go above and beyond to provide the best service for his clients.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Urban Land Institute

Education:

  • Masters Degree, Wake Forest University School of Business
  • Bachelor of Arts, Economics and Commerce, Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia

SAM BARNES, Regional Director of Operations

As the Regional Director of Operations for the Morehead City office, Sam Barnes serves as broker- in-charge and oversees its operations. He has 7 years experience in the field of commercial real estate; specifically in management, leasing, and sales of a variety of assets for his clients to ensure that their business goals are met. He has further distinguished himself by not only working in and around the Raleigh/Triangle markets, but has gained intimate knowledge, and a proven track record of success throughout eastern North Carolina. Sam has completed numerous transactions not only for his local clients, but also a host of regional and national accounts. Additional roles and duties have involved new business/client development, team building and management, marketing, public relations, along with financial and transaction analysis.

Education:

  • Bachelors in Business Management, North Carolina State University

RICHARD DAY, Jr. (SKIPPER) Broker, Commercial Sales & Leasing

Skipper joined York Properties in 2012. Having began his real estate career in 1984 with Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Carolina, he has represented owners and users throughout the Triangle area with their commercial real estate needs. In 1998 he received the REDY Award for the top office lease in the market for representing GTE in their lease negotiations for 124,000 square foot office building. In 2002 he was awarded the second top office deal while representing SpectraSite in their negotiations for 113,000 square foot office space.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science, North Carolina State University

Community Inolvement:

  • Active in several charitable organizations
  • Hayes Barton Baptist Church

LYNNE WORTH, CSM, CPM, ARM, Vice President Retail Leasing, Property Management

Lynne has worked at York Properties since 1978 and is highly skilled in property management and retail leasing. She is a licensed real estate broker and specializes in the leasing of Cameron Village Shopping Center.

Professional Designations and Associations:

  • Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)
  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), past Chapter President and received the CPM of the Year award from the Eastern North Carolina chapter in 1998
  • Raleigh-Wake Board of Realtors
  • Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)
  • Raleigh Professional Women's Forum

Community Inolvement:

  • Past Board Member of local YWCA
  • Planned Parenthood of the Capital and Coast
  • Former Board Chairman, The Housing Authority of the City of Raleigh