Moderator

Sims Garrison

Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer, Fairway Investments

Sims joined Fairway Investments in 1997 after a four year career with accounting firm Arthur Andersen.  Over his 25+ year real estate career with Fairway, Sims has participated in acquisitions/dispositions, finance, asset management, accounting, business development and the strategic direction of the company.  Sims graduated from the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business in 1993 with a degree in accounting. Sims continues to serve Harbert via his role on the Advisory Board for the Masters of Real Estate Development (MRED) Program and is a founding member of the Advisory Roundtable for The Winchester Institute for Real Estate Development.  Sims is a member and former Captain of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club (fundraising arm of the Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation), a member and former President and Treasurer of the Spartan Athletic Foundation, former Treasurer of the Ronald McDonald House of Alabama Board of Directors and is active in Grace Church Birmingham.

Event Panelists

Kevin Stacker

Managing Director, Wells Fargo, Manhattan Beach, CA

Kevin Stacker is a Managing Director with the Wells Fargo REIT Finance group (RFG), based in Los Angeles, California. His team has primary responsibility for US public real estate investment trust (REIT) coverage and large privates. His responsibilities include originations, structuring and closing of balance sheet transactions, coordination of investment banking products with the various Wells Fargo Securities teams. Kevin and his team are responsible for delivery of all ancillary bank products. As one of the nation’s leaders in the real estate industry, Wells Fargo provides a comprehensive platform of banking and financing solutions to regional and national owners, operators and developers, real estate funds, and REITs. As part of Wells Fargo’s Commercial Real Estate Group, the REIT Finance Group provides a broad range of real estate financial products to public REITs, including senior unsecured debt, secured project-level debt, bridge financing and, in partnership with Wells Fargo Securities, access to a full suite of investment banking including ECM and DCM. Kevin has been a part of real estate at Wells Fargo since he joined the bank in 2007, starting off as a relationship manager in the then Real Estate Group (REG). Previously, he held various roles at Accenture and in Atlanta and for InvestLinc, a small private equity group based out of Chicago. Kevin earned his B.S. degree in finance from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama and an M.B.A. with an emphasis in real estate finance from the University of Southern California – Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, California. Kevin resides in Manhattan Beach, California where he enjoys spending his time outdoors and with his family.

Rob Carter

President/COO, Westplan Investors, Atlanta, GA

Mr. Carter has been a Partner with Westplan Investors since 2007 and currently serves as President/COO. He provides strategic leadership for the company’s operational functions and oversees all project debt financing. As a member of the company’s Investment Committee he is also responsible for evaluating and approving new investments in addition to overseeing the performance of assets in Westplan’s portfolio. Prior to joining Westplan, Mr. Carter spent 14 years in commercial real estate banking in various origination and risk management roles. He has been an active member in the real estate community as a member of Urban Land Institute and the Atlanta Apartment Association. He currently serves on Auburn University’s MRED Advisory Board and Georgia State’s Real Estate Advisory Board. Mr. Carter received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Auburn University and a Masters in Business Administration from Georgia State University. He lives in Atlanta GA with his wife, Marisa, and has two sons.

Amanda Chivers

Managing Principal, Crown Hospitality Consulting, Johns Creek, GA

Amanda Chivers is managing principal of Crown Hospitality Consulting, an Atlanta-based firm specializing in hotel asset management, operational review, construction and loan administration, and distressed asset turnaround in the upscale and luxury hotel sectors. Amanda has more than 18 years of industry experience which has led to more than $1 billion in transactions representing major hotel brands. Mrs. Chivers also oversees construction loan servicing of new-build development and conversion projects for several clients.

Shawn Roberts

President, Mad Dog Construction, Tallahassee, FL

Shawn is a graduate of Auburn University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Building Sciences. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and is an Honorably Discharged Captain of the United States Air Force. Shawn has led the construction and oversight of many University and K-12 projects in North Florida and South Georgia as well as numerous other commercial projects including offices, retail, industrial, clubhouse/resort, and financial institutions throughout Florida and Georgia. These projects represent over 1,500,000 square feet, 250 plus projects and over $200 million in construction, and over $150 million in preconstruction, development planning, and estimating services.

Ray Jones

Broker/Operating Partner, TSCG, LLC, Birmingham, AL

Ray Jones started in the commercial real estate industry in 2006 and has been with TSCG over 13 years.  He focuses on Tenant Representation, site selection, and working with select Landlord clients in Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle.  In addition, Ray became the Operating Partner for the Birmingham office in 2018 where he oversees 10 commercial agents and is also responsible for business development.  Ray is continually a top producer for TSCG.