Jacksonville, Fla. — Grandbridge Real Estate Capital LLC Assistant Vice President Ryan D. Whitaker received the Emerging Professional of the Year Award from the Northeast Florida Chapter (NEFL) of NAIOP, America's premier professional association of developers and owners of industrial, office and related commercial real estate. An active member of NAIOP since 2004, Whitaker was a member of the charity committee for four years and currently serves on the NAIOP NEFL board as co-chair of membership. In 2008, he implemented and chaired the NEFL Developing Leaders group. Under his leadership the new group’s membership grew to more than 50 young commercial real estate professionals under 35 and now accounts for approximately 17 percent of the chapter’s entire membership.

The Northeast Florida Chapter of NAIOP is the collective voice on critical industry issues in local, state, and national legislative forums. Established in 1985, NEFL’s membership is 300 strong.

NAIOP is the international association of developers, owners and professionals of commercial, industrial and mixed-use real estate. Its members promote responsible, sustainable development that creates jobs and supports diversity within the industry as well as provide education and advocate for legislation that benefits the communities in which they work and live.

Whitaker received his bachelor’s degree in business finance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Florida. He is a licensed Florida real estate broker and holds an elected leadership position as chairman of Leadership Development Workshops for the Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) Forward.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Grandbridge, one of the largest full-service commercial and multifamily mortgage banking companies in the nation, has a broad investor base that includes insurance companies, pension fund advisors, commercial banks, and capital markets investors, as well as a proprietary lending platform. Grandbridge is a top 10* Fannie Mae DUS® (Delegated Underwriting and Servicing) lender, a Freddie Mac Program Plus® Seller/Servicer, and a MAP multifamily and LEAN healthcare approved active participant in multifamily products insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The company arranges permanent commercial and multifamily real estate loans; services loan portfolios; and provides asset and portfolio management and real estate brokerage services. Grandbridge has a servicing portfolio of approximately $24.84 billion representing nearly 100 capital providers.

With $143.4 billion in assets, Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) is the nation’s 11th largest financial holding company. Founded in 1872, it operates more than 1,500 financial centers in 11 states and Washington, D.C. More information about the company is available at BBT.com.

* Grandbridge is the #7 originator of Fannie Mae DUS multifamily debt financing products for 2008.

Contacts

BUSINESS

Thomas S. Dennard
Grandbridge CEO&
704.379.6910

BUSINESS

Ryan Whitaker
Grandbridge AVP
904.652.2206

MEDIA

Patricia Muse
Grandbridge VP | Director of Marketing
205.978.1139