Crescent Communities Expands Multifamily Development and Operations Teams

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Jul 24, 2013, 11:04 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Crescent Communities has named Jared Ford as senior vice president of construction and Darren Pierce as director of asset management for its multifamily group, reinforcing its commitment to high-quality community building from construction through residential experiences.

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"We take a thoughtful approach to community building, starting with site selection all the way through to the experiences residents have while they live there," said Brian Natwick, president of Crescent's multifamily group, which has 16 multifamily projects with 4,600 units under construction and pre-development. "Jared and Darren are extraordinary leaders and their respective roles help ensure our vision is carried through each step in the construction of our properties and daily management of those investments."

Ford is responsible for all construction under the multifamily group from in-house to third-party construction projects. He is replacing Crescent veteran Ford Cox, who retired after 40 years in the industry.

"We appreciate the integrity and dedication that Ford Cox brought to Crescent, and we wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement," Natwick said. "Jared Ford takes the reigns of our construction activities during an exciting period of growth and opportunity in multifamily real estate development, and we're looking forward to his leadership."

Ford comes to Crescent from Fortune-Johnson Inc., where as group vice president he was responsible for all aspects of many of Fortune-Johnson's major projects, managing large teams and reporting directly to the CEO.

A licensed general contractor, Ford has more than 15 years of construction experience and has been an integral part in the construction of more than 8,000 multifamily units as well as over 525,000 square feet of commercial development.

"It's an exciting time to join Crescent as it meets the high demand for multifamily living across the county with smart, thoughtful building solutions," Jared said. "My experience as general contractor in both multifamily and mixed-use projects ensures I can interact on the development side on a broad platform to help Crescent with new and complex construction opportunities."

Ford received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He was named to Professional Builder magazine's 40 Under 40 and one of his projects earned the 2010 Multifamily Executive Award for Mid-Rise Project of the Year.

Pierce will be responsible for the fiscal and physical management of Crescent's multifamily portfolio, which includes 16 communities under development and in pre-development. Pierce's background includes nine years of commercial real estate experience in acquisitions, property sales, asset management and due diligence.

"Crescent encourages creativity and provides an exciting opportunity to create places of community that differentiate our apartment residences," said Pierce. "Renters have many housing options, so our goal is to create multifamily communities that meet the needs of today's residents. By providing well-designed units, state of the art amenity spaces and organized social activities, we are building communities where renters can become neighbors."

Before joining Crescent, Pierce served as director of investment management at Archstone in Englewood, Colo., and assisted with the management of a $1.0 billion discretionary acquisition fund. Prior to Archstone, Pierce worked in acquisitions for PNC Realty Investors and First Potomac Realty Trust. Additionally, Pierce has been involved in the capitalization of more than $750 million of projects. Pierce is a graduate of American University's Kogod School of Business with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

About Crescent Communities
Founded in 1969 in Charlotte, Crescent Communities is a diversified real estate investment, development and operating company dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people through sustainable multifamily, residential and commercial communities and responsible land management. Crescent's portfolio today includes 27 master-planned communities, including its signature Palmetto Bluff, as well as 16 multifamily projects with 4,600 units under construction or in pre-development. The company owns and manages approximately 72,000 acres, including 1,400 acres zoned for commercial use. www.CrescentCommunities.com.

SOURCE Crescent Communities