Building Places for Life
Proven expertise
Trusted leadership
Successful projects
Creating Positive Change One Real Estate Project at a Time
True North Companies is a full-spectrum real estate development and commercial construction company, specializing in building communities with lasting impact. With 60 years of combined experience in the commercial real estate industry – ranging from finance to general contracting – True North has the knowledge and know-how to provide our clients with innovative solutions that will positively change how they design, build, and finance their projects. Our team's dedication to customer satisfaction is evident through every step of each project we lead.
Comprised of a diverse group of real estate industry professionals with backgrounds in architecture, construction, consulting, development, education, hospitality, and finance, our team specializes in development projects for multifamily, senior living, mixed-use developments, hospitality, office, retail, and education market segments.
A Company Built on Values
Safety
We believe that prioritizing safety prioritizes what we value most – people.
Respect
We believe all people have value and should be treated with dignity and professionalism.
People
We believe that creating spaces and opportunities for our team, our partners, and ultimately the patrons of the places we build to live their best lives is the touchstone of our business.
Gratitude
We believe gratitude – in both our successes and our challenges – helps us value where we are and maintain a grounded perspective towards growth.
Integrity
We believe that doing the right thing requires unflinching commitment. We’re honest, transparent, and dedicated to doing what’s best for our customers and our company regardless of challenges and circumstances.
Fun
We believe that the most fun aspects of our culture are the joy, humor and camaraderie we share together as we drive the growth of our business.
Advancing Community is Our Priority
Proven expertise
The leadership of True North has over 60 years and $2 billion of combined real estate, development, and construction experience.
Trusted leadership
True North Companies has built a reputation for their experienced and principled leadership and dedication to creating communities that thrive.
Successful projects
True North Companies has completed over 300 projects in various commercial markets including education, mixed use, senior living, office, hospitality, retail, and multifamily housing.
Meet Our Team
Walt Gill
President
Walt’s career in construction, development and investments spans 30 years. Through Walt’s leadership, True North Companies – founded in 1997 – has expanded its real estate footprint across education, mixed-use, multifamily, retail, hospitality, and office market segments. Walt has successfully completed over 300 construction, development, and investment projects, delivering quality outcomes for clients on time and on budget.
Alisa Henderson
Director of Human Resources
In her role as Director of Human Resources, Alisa brings nearly thirty-five years of experience leading Human Resources, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting, and Staffing functions for evolving organizations across multiple industries. With her broad skill set and results-oriented approach, Alisa creates efficiencies in critical organizational processes and provides her team members with the support and resources necessary to succeed.
Marc Davis
Chief Financial Officer
Marc is responsible for directing and managing all aspects of the company’s financial strategy, planning, and operations. He works closely with investors and the executive team to position the company for continued growth.
Carl Frinzi
Senior Vice-President Construction
Prior to joining True North, Carl led the multifamily housing group for one of the nation’s largest and top-ranked general contractors. Carl’s responsibilities cover pre-construction, project management, recruiting, strategic planning, scheduling, procurement, safety, and business development initiatives.
Joseph Fawole
Senior Vice-President Operations & Asset Management
Joseph has the unique ability to build solid and sustaining teams and strong local market expertise. He works closely with stakeholders, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors, to optimize investment value through rigorous analysis, innovative business strategies, and effective marketing and management practices. He previously served in various roles in a 20-year career with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.
Mickhal Locklear
Vice President Construction
Mickhal oversees the client experience and all facets of True North projects from inception to closeout. His past experience includes work with several well-known general contractors including Arco Construction Company Inc., Lend Lease, and, most recently, Batson Cook Construction.
Joshua Hall
Vice President of Development and Design-Build
As Vice President of Development and Design-Build, Joshua brings over twenty-two years of experience in real estate development, construction, and design to True North, providing consistent success in delivering high-quality assets at all levels of the industry. A problem solver, he is highly experienced in developing, designing, and constructing large-scale commercial and mixed-use real estate projects with a proven track record of successfully delivering high-quality assets. In this role, Josh oversees all aspects of real estate development, from site acquisition to the transfer to operations.
Kirsten Stultz
Marketing Manager
As the Marketing Manager at True North Companies, Kirsten has established herself as a results-driven marketing professional, with experience managing projects from concept to completion. Her expertise in researching & implementing effective marketing strategies and creating compelling multi-media content has helped meet the needs of market segments and stakeholders through partnership development and strategic sales & marketing efforts.
Tom Underwood
Project Executive
With over twenty-six years of experience in commercial construction, Tom has established a reputation for providing successful projects to valued clients in multiple industry sectors. An open-minded innovator with a proven track record of leading the preconstruction and construction process, as True North’s Project Executive, Tom ensures that all project quality, schedule, cost control, safety, and customer satisfaction objectives are successfully and efficiently met.
Walter Puckett
Director of Finance
From budget management to maintaining financial records for audit, Walter manages the financial and administrative functions here at True North. With over ten years of accounting and finance experience in the real estate development and construction industries, his close involvement with all levels of organizations allows him to identify and drive needed improvements and achieve buy-in and ownership of results from the ground up.
Mark Graffagnino
Senior Development Project Manager
With over 35 years of invaluable experience, Mark is a distinguished Senior Development Project Manager in the construction industry, showcasing a prolific career in steering complex projects to fruition. With profound expertise in delivering strategic solutions, he consistently elevates property endeavors while leaving a lasting imprint on the industry.
Venus Kendall
Director of Development Services
Venus currently serves as our Director of Development Services. A seasoned professional in real estate development, Venus is renowned for expertly guiding projects to success from initial concept to final execution. Over the years, she has developed a mastery of strategic planning, stakeholder collaboration, and pioneering approaches that optimize property value and foster positive community outcomes.
Jerry Kenny
Senior Project Manager
Jerry brings over 25 years of experience in general contracting, project management, construction management, and development to True North Companies as Senior Lead Project Manager. He will oversee areas of construction management including budget planning, cost-estimating, pre-construction, quality and cost control, subcontractor negotiations, construction schedules and health and safety. He has managed the development and construction of over 10,000 units of multi-family and hospitality developments.
Sonny Schwab
Chief Estimator
Sonny manages True North’s estimating strategy and planning, including pre-selection of subcontractors and pricing. Sonny’s experience has run the gamut in his 30+ years in the construction industry, from working in the field to project management to estimating. Sonny served as Vice President of Osborne Construction Co. Inc. before joining True North Companies in 2006 as Chief Estimator.
Makayla Kennedy
Operations Manager
Makayla is an accomplished Operations Manager currently serving at True North Companies, where she is responsible for developing and executing operational strategies to drive growth and improve organizational performance. In her current role, Makayla leads the charge in researching developing operational opportunities and plans to streamline processes and increase efficiency.
Patrick Nesbitt
Project Manager
A dynamic and experienced professional in the commercial construction industry, Patrick is responsible for the overall delivery and successful execution of True North projects. He brings a wealth of experience in project management, working for major general contractors such as Winter Construction and Batson-Cook Construction.
Joe Jackson
Project Manager
As a seasoned project manager in the commercial construction industry, Joe Jackson brings extensive experience in leading complex projects from conception to completion. With a keen eye for detail and a collaborative approach, Joe has a track record of delivering successful projects on time and within budget.
Jeff Fincher
Program Director
Jeff is responsible for the financing, approvals, and design of infrastructure, multifamily, townhouse, education, and mixed-use development markets. In addition, he oversees all third-party relationships including consultants, public funders, private lenders/equity providers, community organizations, architects, construction managers, and government liaisons.
Evan Thomas
Project Manager
Evan is responsible for the management and oversight of projects in True North’s construction division, including estimating and bidding new work and managing construction projects from conception to completion.
Will McDonald
Education Project Director
Will’s career in construction, account management, and operations spans 38 years. He has held responsibility for building projects throughout the Southeast including high rise buildings, government, hospitality, medical, education facilities, churches, highway, bridges, sport complexes and sport fields. At the heart of his tenure is the recognition of his dedicated customer service skills, ensuring a seamless client experience for True North’s partners.
Stephaine Croff
Senior Project Accountant
Stephaine brings over 23 years of experience in accounting to True North and its partners. Her early career in the banking industry led to her gaining invaluable experience in freight forwarding and construction. She attended Kaplan University and is recognized for her talents in project accounting and customer service.
Pat Burgess
Project Accountant
Pat will lead multiple accounting roles across True North’s portfolio including budgeting, supplier contracts, production pricing and general accounting. He recently held the role of Staff Accountant with EFACEC, USA and Workshop Advisor with RBM of Atlanta.
Colton Collins
Project Manager
Colton is a highly accomplished and results-driven Project Manager with a strong track record in commercial construction and real estate development. He has proven expertise in delivering complex projects on time and within budget, with a keen eye for detail and a commitment to quality. Colton received his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at Colorado State University.
Ashley Waefler
Assistant Pre-Construction Manager
In this role, Ashley supports managing projects through the pre-construction phase while coordinating with our in-house Development, Design, and Construction departments to ensure a successful project is handed over to the Construction team. She closely partners with the Pre-Construction Manager to manage budgets, construability reviews, and the buyout process.
Donald Marke
Project Engineer
In his role, Donald will partner with construction and project teams in the planning, directing and coordination of technical aspects of each project that effectively and safely turn blueprints into finished structures. He brings experience to True North in commercial, residential and heavy highway construction and is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in Construction Management.
Richard Hilton
Senior Project Superintendent
Richard leads True North’s dedicated efforts to project design and delivery for Charter Schools in South Carolina. He brings over 21 years of experience in the construction industry from conception to completion in residential, multi-family, education, commercial, and nuclear plants. He is known for exceptional project management skills in the delivery of client goals and results.
Matt Slay
Superintendent
Matt brings over 30 years of experience to True North Companies from multiple fields in the construction industry. He holds responsibility for managing on-site account construction projects, planning, scheduling, budgets, supplier contracts, evaluating production costs, participating in pre-construction strategy sessions, coordinating subcontractor work and providing leadership in managing schedules.
Mike Kiker
Superintendent
As a Superintendent for True North, Mike will invest over 30 years of expertise gained across the construction industry including retail shopping centers, medical buildings, multifamily, condominium, townhomes, schools, and churches into our growing portfolio. He has worked on notable retail projects for Kroger, Publix, and JC Penney’s. In his new role, he will oversee teams in the design and delivery of on-site account construction projects including planning, scheduling, budgets, supplier contracts, evaluating production costs, participating in pre-construction strategy sessions, coordinating subcontractor work, and providing technical expertise to ensure the quality and timely completion of the project.
Tim Kiker
Superintendent
Tim has over thirty years of experience in construction and has been a part of medical, multi-family, office, and commercial builds. Tim manages on-site account construction projects including planning, scheduling, budgets, supplier contracts, evaluating production costs, participating in pre-construction strategy sessions, coordinating subcontractor work, and providing technical expertise to ensure the quality and timely completion of the project.
Jason Paterchak
Superintendent
Jason is a seasoned Superintendent, boasting over 17 years of hands-on experience within the construction industry. With a demonstrated history of delivering successful projects, he excels in coordinating teams, optimizing resources, and adhering to strict safety and quality standards. Jason’s expertise and leadership contribute to consistently achieving on-time and within-budget project completion, earning him a reputation as a trusted professional in the field.
Richard Harrison
Assistant Superintendent
Richard brings experience to True North in the specialty fields of electrical contractors, welding, and structural steel project management, as well as working with multifamily apartment renovations. He also served for ten years in law enforcement. Richard attended West Georgia Technical College with a focus on welding and iron works. He holds responsibility for supervising on-site construction projects ensuring each project is constructed according to design, budget and schedule, while interfacing with clients, officials, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.
Evin Patten
Project Engineer
Prior to joining True North, Evin held roles of Junior Estimator and Project Lead while accumulating four years of experience specializing in rebar and structural steel estimating. He will soon graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Construction Management. In his new role, he will collaborate with True North’s construction and project teams in the planning, directing and coordination of technical aspects of each project that effectively and safely turn blueprints into finished structures.
We Plan. You Succeed.
With decades of combined team experience under our belt, we understand the high stakes involved across the ever-changing commercial real estate landscape.
You have a vision for maximizing your risk-adjusted returns while finding the right partner to get you where you want go – further and faster. With so much on the line, you need a partner with the right skills and relationships to navigate this complex market.
Hundreds of companies have trusted True North to guide them in creating and delivering a real estate roadmap that leads to successful results.
Schedule a call to get your custom project started today.
