NAIOP Georgia Names 2008 Award Winners

---Regent Partners, LLC, IDI, VeenendaalCave, Inc. and Don Childress (top right photo) receive awards.

=---Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré (Ret.) (bottom right photo) delivers keynote speech.

ATLANTA, GA-– The Georgia chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) honored three Atlanta real estate firms and one of the community’s leading executives at its 20th Annual Awards Program on December 4.

The event which had over 220 in attendance, was also highlighted by a keynote speech from Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré (Ret.), best known for his take-charge style leading relief efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

The 2008 recipients of NAIOP awards are:

· Regent Partners, LLC, honored as Office Development Firm of the Year. The firm received recognition for its development of the 3344 Peachtree building in Buckhead, called Sovereign, a 50-story signature tower featuring residences and office space, as well as for its community involvement and participation in NAIOP.

· IDI, recipient of the Industrial Development Firm of the Year award. The company was honored for its sustainable development, including two facilities in Atlanta and Savannah totaling 1.2 million square feet that have been registered to receive LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The company also was recognized for its commitment to volunteerism, which included its sponsorship and underwriting of two charity golf tournaments that raised more than $200,000 for organizations benefiting children’s health and literacy.

· Don Childress, (top right photo) co-founder and managing partner of Childress Klein Properties, received the Carter/Mathis award, recognizing individuals or firms for contributions to the community. Childress’ volunteer efforts included organizing a capital campaign that raised more than $50 million for the Lovett School and heading a campaign to build a sanctuary for Cumberland Community Church.

· VeenendaalCave, Inc., honored as the Associate Firm of the Year. The interior design and planning firm was recognized for the volunteer efforts of its employees for organizations such as The Study Hall at Emmaus House, Midtown Assistance Center, Kreate 4 Kids and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as for its service to NAIOP.

The event also featured a keynote speech from Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré (Ret.), (bottom right photo) who mixed no-nonsense advice with humorous anecdotes while delivering a message on the importance of disaster preparedness. He is the former 33rd Commanding General of the U.S. Army at Fort Gillem, Georgia.

“It’s important that you take time to prepare your employees, your families and your companies,” he said. He said the country must re-prioritize and move from its current condition of “zero preparedness” to a “culture of preparedness.”

Honoré said the key items needed in every home to prepare for an emergency are: an evacuation pack, a weather radio and a back-up generator. He added that the real estate community must take steps to plan for disasters, suggesting that county planners could help matters by requiring developers to receive certificates verifying that their buildings are equipped with emergency generators.

The event also featured short speeches from students enrolled in programs that receive support from NAIOP: Portia Neal, a student enrolled in YES!Atlanta, an organization that provides programs for at-risk youth, and Willie Thornton and Zharia White, students at the Ron Clark Academy, a school that serves students from a wide range of backgrounds.

Both of these organizations receive support from the proceeds of NAIOP Night, NAIOP’s annual, black-tie fund raiser.

NAIOP also elected its slate of 2009 officers, including new chapter President Lisa Dunavin, (top left photo) senior leasing director at Cushman & Wakefield of Georgia, who replaces outgoing president Jeff Mixson.

The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) is a professional organization for developers and owner of commercial real estate. Over 16,000 real estate professionals belong to one of the 59 NAIOP chapters located in the United States and Canada.

CONTACT: Lisa Ward, VP- Communications, NAIOP Georgia Chapter, 770 866 1115, lward@idi.com