CARY, N.C., July 20, 2017 – Columbia Development Group LLC, a Columbia, South Carolina-based real estate development firm, has hired Ron Pfohl as a partner and director of leasing for the Eastern Cary Gateway mixed-use development in Cary, North Carolina. In this position, Pfohl will create a merchandising strategy that identifies the retailers and businesses best suited to serve the Cary community and Triangle region, as a whole. If the Town of Cary approves the firm’s rezoning proposal, the 95-acre development will be located off Cary Town Boulevard and include up to two million square feet of retail, restaurant, office, hotel and residential space.

Pfohl, who is based in Atlanta, has more than 30 years of experience in the shopping center leasing and development business. He has played a key role in more than seven million square feet of power center, specialty center and mixed-use developments throughout the United States.

Prior to partnering with Columbia Development Group, Pfohl was a partner and director of leasing for North American Properties’ Atlanta office. During his tenure in this position, Ron orchestrated and directed the execution of the merchandising and leasing strategies for the turnaround of Atlantic Station Town Center in Atlanta, as well as for the highly acclaimed Avalon in Alpharetta, Georgia. Upon stabilization, Atlantic Station Town Center and Avalon were sold for a combined profit of more than $200 million.

In 1998, Pfohl co-founded Forum Development Group, an award-winning developer of specialty retail and mixed use “places.” Prior to Forum Development Group, Ron was senior vice president of development with Cousins MarketCenters, where he was responsible for site selection and major tenant leasing for power center and lifestyle center developments. He was instrumental in the initial development of the company’s lifestyle center concept, “The Avenue.”

Pfohl earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Southern Methodist University.

To view a 3-D rendering of the proposed Eastern Cary Gateway development, please visit https://youtu.be/Lz5Kcb7FtL4.

QUOTES:

“I am excited to lead the Columbia Development Group team in bringing this phenomenal development to life with the perfect balance of interesting retailers, diverse restaurants and other amenities that will serve Cary residents in completely new ways,” said Pfohl. “This project hits the bull’s-eye in terms of the type of work I’m passionate about, and I look forward to creating a unique, second-to-none destination. This project is going to help transform eastern Cary and I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of that transformation.”

“Ron has a proven track record of delivering highly successful, nationally-recognized mixed use destinations, and we are proud to have him join our team,” said Abbitt Goodwin Jr., a partner at Columbia Development Group’s Raleigh office. “Under his leadership, we are confident that the Eastern Cary Gateway development will provide the same superior level of quality, lineup and experience for all visitors.”

ABOUT COLUMBIA DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC:

Columbia Development Group, LLC is a privately held real estate development firm based in Columbia, South Carolina, with offices in Charleston, South Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina. The Columbia Development Group team is actively engaged in the development of mixed use-projects, regional and neighborhood shopping centers, and single tenant retail assets throughout the southeastern United States, with a primary geographic focus on the Carolinas. Columbia Development Group has vast experience in the areas of site selection, development, capital markets, finance, accounting, construction, marketing, and leasing. For more information, please visit http://www.columbiadevelopment.com/.

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