John Oliver
Managing Principal
John has more than 30 years experience in the real estate industry. His career actually began back in college days. He earned a degree in real estate from Georgia State University and, after graduation, began working for a real estate research firm. He sold houses for about a year before deciding he wanted to try the commercial side of the business. He became a leasing and property manager for a suburban office park in Atlanta, and it was there that he realized how much he enjoyed the unique challenges of commercial properties.
After working for a number of companies, including Grubb & Ellis and CBRE, he eventually went on to join the senior leadership team at Wells Real Estate Funds. He had the opportunity to be a part of the tremendous growth during his 13 years there, as they purchased nearly $12 billion worth of Class A office real estate. Initially he joined the firm to run its property management group, which also had a lot of responsibility for the asset management functions. Later, he went on to form and lead their national business development practice, which focused on expanding their relationships with their tenant base of all investment-grade, Fortune 500 companies.
In the past year, he has gone on to form two partnerships focused on these great relationships with corporate America, to help companies solve real estate issues.
John has been involved in a leadership capacity with BOMA/Georgia since 1988, including serving as president. He has played an active role at the regional and international levels, most notably serving as the chair of BOMA’s National Advisory Council for three years. He is currently serving as the 2014-2015 Chair of BOMA International.
John Oliver Jr.
Managing Principal
John has been in the real estate business since 2008.
Starting his journey in 2008, amidst the infamous real estate downturn, was a crash course in resilience and humor. Picture this: fresh-faced and eager to conquer the market, he found himself explaining the benefits of property ownership to squirrels (who were probably more interested in acorns than ARMs).
Jokes aside, those early days taught him invaluable lessons. While others saw challenges, he saw opportunities to hone negotiation skills. Navigating the Great Recession was a rollercoaster, but it shaped him into the adaptable, detail-oriented advisor his is today. It taught him that in real estate, as in life, a sense of humor and a knack for problem-solving go a long way.
With a strong focus on building long-term relationships and understanding client needs, he provides invaluable insights into individual submarkets and current trends.
With 16 years of experience, he excels in acquisition/disposition, market studies, and effective client communication. John is adept at negotiating leases and sales contracts, ensuring projects stay on schedule, and implementing strategic plans tailored to specific client requirements.
Technologically proficient with a keen attention to detail, he navigates challenges with adaptability and problem-solving skills, driving business development through innovation and client-focused solutions.
Jim Bennett
Advisor
President and Owner of Signet Realty Advisors, Inc. a small Commercial Real Estate Brokerage firm.
Mr. Bennett is involved in leasing, sales, and marketing for The Simpson Organization. He started his career when he joined Boyd Simpson in 1977 at the BF Saul Company in Atlanta. After a 26-year career separation from Mr. Simpson he rejoined him at TSO in the Oct. 2005. During this time of separation, he held positions with Wilma Southeast a Dutch based real estate development company, he was a partner with The Oxford Group, Inc. an Atlanta based office and retail development company. He also operated his own business for several years. In addition to land, investment and build to suit transactions, Jim has leased over 50 office buildings and was awarded "Headquarters Move" move of the year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 1989.
He graduated with a BBA degree from Georgia State University in 1975 and earned his CCIM designation in 1987. Presently he is a member of the Board of Directors for the City of Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, and he attends Buckhead Church in Atlanta.