REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE – REAL WORLD RESULTS
Our Team Has Over 100 Years of Cumulative Experience In Real Estate Development and Advisory Expertise
EDDY BENOIT Jr, President & CEO
Thank you for taking time to visit our website. I appreciate the opportunity to share our capabilities, vision, and business model. Our vision for the future is broader than the quality developments and service that we deliver. Our approach focuses on maximizing internal resources, creating asset value, and creating social reform within communities…all while helping clients achieve better outcomes.
Based on our real world experiences, we understand the challenges faced by leaders at executing multi-faceted real estate projects; while navigating the constantly changing economic and political landscape. Our business model provides fully-integrated Development & Advisory services to respond to the varied needs of government, private, and non-profit institutions.
The Benoit Group is committed to providing diversified housing solutions that are positively transforming communities and strengthening local economies. We look forward to learning more about your goals, and welcome the opportunity to apply our management and implementation focus to help you deliver your vision.
Thank You!!!
LISA L. NORDEL, Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Financial Officer for The Benoit Group, Lisa Lepper Nordel is responsible for the executive oversight of the company’s financial administration. Specifically, Ms. Nordel directs financial planning and accounting practices, while managing finance partnerships with lending institutions, investors, clients and the financial community.
Ms. Nordel and her team are responsible for project acquisitions and new development closings for conventional and affordable housing projects, as well as forecasting and management reporting. In this capacity, she is responsible for financial analysis and overall project feasibility, by arranging and negotiating optimal debt and equity financing structures. Ms. Nordel oversees the asset management of projects during development and lease-up, until stabilization and permanent financing is secured.
Ms. Nordel is responsible for all finance related assignments as it relates to the firm’s consulting business for both domestic and international clients. Her extensive experience is applied to evaluate and secure acquisition, as well as conventional and affordable housing development opportunities.
Ms. Nordel has more than 17 years of experience in finance and accounting in the real estate industry. Prior to joining The Benoit Group, Ms. Nordel directed the asset management of a $300 million senior housing portfolio, a $380 million retail portfolio, and various commercial and office properties for Starwood Capital Group. Her role included the analysis of investment opportunities, implementing the most viable refinancing, disposition, partner buy-out, re-development and work-out strategies.
Ms. Nordel has also served as controller, responsible for supervising accounting functions for a diverse real estate portfolio that included 150 commercial, retail, hotel and residential properties; with an estimated value of $3.5 billion.
Her earlier career experiences included, regional controller in the asset management division for a national insurance company; supervising the accounting function for a $600 million real estate portfolio; and managing the portfolio accounting and financial statement consolidation for select, high profile investors.
EDUCATION / AFFILIATIONS:
Ms. Nordel earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ohio State University. She is a certified public accountant, and an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
You can contact her at lnordel@TheBenoitGroup.com
TORIAN PRIESTLY, Executive Vice President
Torian Priestly joins The Benoit Group as a leader with over eighteen years of experience in the development, consulting and construction management of various real estate projects. His experience includes hotels, mixed use condos, multi-family, assisted living, independent senior living, hospitals and elementary schools; as well as, land development, multi-family/independent senior housing, tax credit rehabilitation, mixed use, and public-private partnerships; with housing and development authorities.
As Executive Vice President of Development for The Benoit Group, Mr. Priestly is in charge of day-to-day oversight and management of all Development, Development Advisory and Construction Management Operations for TBG. He also oversees all the operations of affiliate companies such as BDA Global Contracting and Infrasite Management.
Prior to joining The Benoit Group, Mr. Priestly served as Vice President of Development for Ambling Development Partners. In this position, he was responsible for overall development projects throughout the southeast, including the development of 887 units valued at $92 million. He also provides The Benoit Group with expertise in utilizing LIHTC, New Issue Bonds, Tax-Exempt Bonds and HUD221d(4) financing.
Mr. Priestly simultaneously served as Vice President for Ambling International, partnering with the Bermudian Government as advisor to the island’s construction, demolition, environmental remediation and hospitality development projects.
Prior leadership positions include the management and development of multi-family projects for Regent Partners, the construction of over 2,500 units totaling $175 million, rehabilitation and asset management of over 800 units throughout the southeast, and the leadership support in the conceptual master plan and rehabilitation plan that was instrumental in J. A. Jones Military Housing Privatization Group’s award of $150 million in U.S. Army Housing Privatization projects.
Mr. Priestly has also worked for one of the largest general contractors in the country, where he served as project manager for several municipal and private developments in Atlanta and Tennessee.
EDUCATION / AFFILIATIONS:
Mr. Priestly, a native of North Carolina, is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering/Urban Planning. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, a housing committee member with Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partners, and serves as Advisory Board Member for DeKalb County High School Technology. Mr. Priestly is also affiliated with the following committees/organizations:
+ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) – QAP Committee
+ Historic Fourth Ward Conservancy Steering Committee
+ Barrington Trace HOA Board Member
+ Park District Conservancy
+ Cleveland Avenue Redevelopment Plan Committee
+ ACRE Network
+ Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
+ Guide Right Program – Kappa League for Young Males
+ Tri-Cities High School Band Booster and Mentor
You can contact him at tpriestly@TheBenoitGroup.com
SHARON D. GUEST, Senior Vice President of Development
Sharon D. Guest joins The Benoit Group as a leader with over 17 years of experience in the Affordable Housing industry. Ms. Guest has been involved in the financing and development of more than 38 affordable housing projects within the state of Georgia totaling $350M in value. Her experience includes the development of independent senior and family housing, both preservation and new construction financed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), layered financing encompassing private, municipal, state and federal funds. In addition, her portfolio of work with Public Housing Authorities, municipal and state agencies have broadened her experience with affordable housing policies. In her role as Senior Vice President, Ms. Guest will manage the strategic direction, implementation and oversight for all real estate developments for TBG’s Southeast division.
In her previous role as the President of the Housing Development Corporation of DeKalb County, the non-profit arm of the Housing Authority of DeKalb, Ms. Guest was responsible for the ownership and development of affordable housing, as well as partnering with private and public entities to provide services including, project management, construction management, financing application preparation, proforma and feasibility analysis, and overall development planning.
Ms. Guest has also served as Vice President of Real Estate for the Housing Authority of Dekalb County. In this role, she provided strategic direction for all real estate transactions for the Housing Authority, including the repositioning of assets using 223(f)s closing LIHTC transactions, and converting the Authority’s entire portfolio of public housing units to RAD. The Housing Authority of DeKalb County was the first Housing Authority of its size, in the country to convert all of its public housing units under the RAD Demonstration.
Ms. Guest’s expertise includes project management and coordination of affordable housing developments, including intricate layered financing such as, 9% LIHTC, HOME, HOPE VI, AHP and conventional financing.
EDUCATION / AFFILIATIONS:
Ms. Guest earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, and is an active member of The Georgia Affordable Housing Coalition.
You can contact Sharon at sguest@TheBenoitGroup.com