Grant Center Advisory Board
Michael King, Chairman, President/CEO, KingOne Properties International
Michael King is the founder and CEO of KingOne Properties International, an International real estate and development firm that specializes in the sale and development of residential and commercial real estate.
Growing up in Myrtle Beach, SC King and his family have always been very involved in the North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach communities. He has played a major role in transforming Myrtle Beach from a sleepy little beach town back in the early 80’s to an International real estate and vacation hot spot. He has been responsible for selling more than $2.5 Billion worth of real estate putting developers and communities in the national spotlight.
Mr. King is the Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics at Coastal Carolina University. There he won the Ammons Free Enterprise Award given to individuals that excel in entrepreneurial excellence and responsible citizenship. He also is the Co-Chairman of fund raising that’s building a safe home for mothers and children experiencing domestic violence in Horry County. King is also the Sr. Vice President of the Italian American Heritage Charitable Counsel that raise money for local underprivileged children and is on the board of the McLeod Seacoast Health Foundation.
KingOne Properties has won Best Real Estate Company in the Myrtle Beach area for past seven years, Best Residential Developer, as well as Best Commercial Developer. Mr. King was also the winner of the Business Innovation Award and the Entrepreneur of The Year by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors awarded him The Realtor’s Image Award where he reminds his fellow realtors that this award is one to strive for. He won the Realtor’s Good Neighbor Award which recognizes 1 realtor in the entire state of South Carolina for helping their community through charitable organizations and is now up for the National Award. He was also featured and on the cover of the national magazine The Top 100 People in Real Estate. And lastly, King was nominated by Inc. Magazine as one of the Countries Top 100 Most Influential Realtors in America.
Continuing his "Out of the Box" business mentality, Mr. King and KingOne Properties has its corporate office in Myrtle Beach SC but also have offices that cover the southern coast of North Carolina, the entire coast of South Carolina & Savanah Georgia, and their south Florida offices cover from Palm Beach south to Miami. King also lists and sells property in Mexico & the Caribbean Islands and continues to seek out other well-known destinations to open offices.
Contact Michael King
843-455-2323 | mking@kingoneproperties.com
Rox W. Pollard Jr., Vice Chairman, Vice President/Director of Retail Services Team, Colliers International
As Vice President and Director of the Retail Services Team for Colliers International | South Carolina, I specialize in the sale, leasing and development consultation of retail properties across the state. I manage the retail team, which delivers retail brokerage and consultation services to clients through Colliers’ three South Carolina offices.
I pride myself in my ability to maintain excellent communication with my clients throughout the entire real estate process and even after a transaction is completed. I find that success in my work is defined by making sure that when it is all said and done my clients had an enjoyable and profitable experience. I consider my relationship with my clients as a partnership where I help them achieve their goals.
Originally from Greenville, SC, I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing and Management. I always knew that I wanted to be in a business that allowed me to help shape communities and have an impact on the commercial real estate landscape. What led me to retail brokerage was my desire to duplicate the feeling that people get when they travel to a new place. I realized that this feeling is largely based on the role retail spaces play in creating that atmosphere or sense of place in a community.
I have served the Central Carolina REALTORS® Association in many ways over the years, including being its Commercial Chair from 1999-2000. I am also an active member in the International Council of Shopping Centers, serving as the State Operations Chair from 2003-2006 and Chairman of the Carolina’s Idea Exchange in 2006. I have served on the Colliers International U.S. Retail Services Group as its National Chairman. I received the Clearly Colliers Award in 2003, Colliers Chairman’s Choice Award in 2004 and participated in the largest retail multi-city assignment in Colliers in 2006. In 2017, I was recognized as a CoStar Power Broker for being a top retail leasing broker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I am inspired by people who share a common interest and come together to support a cause. This is the reason for my involvement in many different organizations. My community involvement includes participating in the Heathwood Hall Episcopal School Board of Trustees as Board Chair, as well as volunteering with the American Cancer Society. I am also Past President of the Columbia Sertoma Club, a graduate of Leadership Columbia, Past Chairman of the Richland County Public Library Board of Trustees, Assistant Scout Master and Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, Sunday School teacher and past Stewardship Committee Chair at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
Contact Rox Pollard
803-401-4242 | Rox.Pollard@colliers.com
Pledger (Jody) M. Bishop, MAI, SRA, Senior Managing Director, Valbridge Property Advisors
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Jody Bishop is Senior Managing Director for Valbridge Property Advisors and has almost 40 years experience as an appraiser. His experience has led to being in leadership with appraisal membership organizations throughout the years. Currently, he serves as president of Appraisal Institute. He has served in numerous roles with Appraisal Institute prior to being president of the organization. He has been the recipient of several awards; including Appraisal Institute Edward W. “Lalo” Adams, SRA, Outstanding Board Services Award, and 2017 Recipient Appraisal Institute President’s Award.
Jody is also involved with the local community; Member Charleston Trident Board of Realtors, Former Member of Charleston Trident MLS Board of Directors, Former Member of Charleston Trident Board of Realtors Professional Standards Committee, Former Chairman Charleston Trident Board of Realtors Grievance Committee, and Former Member Charleston County Board of Assessment Appeals.
Jody is a prolific author as well. His works include “Appraising Commercial and Complex Properties in a Historic Area,” “The Lender Client and the Appraiser – You are on the same team,” and “Appraising Historic Homes.”
He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina- Columbia and is based in the Mount Pleasant office of Valbridge Property Advisors
Contact Jody Bishop
843-856-2000 | jbishop@valbridge.com
Adam Cates, CCIM, Senior Advisor, Tradd Commercial
Adam Cates serves as Senior Advisor and President of Tradd Commercia land focuses on the commercial brokerage market in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Beginning his career in 2006, Adam has secured over 300 transactions totaling an excess of $75 million. He focuses on the sale and leasing of office properties, development sites, and commercial buildings, and has assisted many national users with site selection needs to include New York Life, Progressive Insurance, AT&T, State Farm, ITT Technical College, Verizon and Wal-Mart. Since 2010, Adam has assisted 13 financial institutions with their REO disposition needs.
A licensed real estate agent in North and South Carolina, Adam received the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation in 2013. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.A. in Communications and Public Relations.
Adam is a member of Surfside Presbyterian Church, and has participated in various civic organizations. He has been involved in local and state politics and has served as the Chairman of the South Carolina Federation of Young Republicans and on the board of the South Carolina Republican Party. He is a board member of the Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors where he is a founding member of the Commercial Investment Division and serves on the board of directors for the South Carolina CCIM chapter. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics Advisory Board.
Contact Adam Cates
843-333-4190 | acates@traddcommercial.com
Laura Crowther, CEO, Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®
Laura Crowther, CEO of the Coastal Carolinas Association of RealtorsⓇ, joined CCAR in 2009. She was a REALTOR for 11 years in her hometown of Florence, S.C. She then went on to serve as the Senior VP of the South Carolina REALTORS® Association in Columbia. She came to the association with numerous career accomplishments - Graduate of the inaugural class of Leadership SCR, 2007 Graduate of Leadership SC, 2010 Graduate of Waccamaw Area Leadership Academy and 1999 President and 2000 REALTOR of the Year of the Florence Board of Realtors. She is RCE (REALTOR Certified Executive), GRI (Graduate REALTOR Institute), ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative), e-Pro and SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) certified. In her free time you’ll find her boating, exercising or listening to her favorite music.
Contact Laura Crowther
843-626-3638 | laura@ccarsc.org
Dave Curry, MAI, CCIM, Commercial Appraiser, E.F. Hucks and Associates
David Curry is a commercial real estate appraiser/broker/consultant/investor with over 20 years of experience appraising in Horry and Georgetown Counties. David holds the Appraisal Institute’s MAI designation and is a Past President of the South Carolina Professional Appraisers Coalition. In addition to David's experience as a real estate appraiser and in appraiser leadership, David is a licensed real estate broker, holds the CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors. This follows his service as an MLS Committee Member from 2014-2017.
After graduating High School as a Junior, Dave began working as an appraisal researcher and was certified by the State of South Carolina in 2005. David was hired on at E.F. Hucks & Associates, Inc. in 2010 and strives to help keep the company on the cutting edge of technology, systems and education which led him to serving on Coastal Carolina University's Grant Center for Real Estate's Advisory Board. Dave has adjusted his focus to more than appraising and is now focusing on real estate consulting for attorneys, medical users, due diligence assistance for buyers, site selection for investors and end users. Brokerage focus is residential and commercial development tracts as well as medial office site selection. Dave's goal is to provide the knowledge and insight for clients to make major financial decisions with confidence.
Contact Dave Curry
843-443-3159 ext. 402 | davec@efhucksinc.com
Will Davis, Vice President and Broker in Charge, The Litchfield Company
Will Davis is the Vice President and Broker in Charge of The Litchfield Company. As the leader of this large real estate sales organization, Will oversees 5 offices in four counties and over 100 real estate professionals. Will and The Litchfield Company are actively engaged in the general brokerage real estate business as well as the company’s longstanding tradition of developing high quality residential neighborhoods.
Contact Will Davis
843-357-6940 | willd@thelitchfieldcompany.com
Robert Killins, Ph.D., Department Chair/Professor of Finance, E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration
Robert Killins, Ph.D. is the chairman of the department of finance in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration. He has been a member of the Wall College faculty since August 2019, and is a great role model for students interested in pursuing careers in finance or economics, and he offers some helpful advice and resources for those looking to strengthen their research skills, and we are excited to showcase his research and for the CCU community to get to know him.
Originating from a farm outside of Toronto, Canada, Killins moved to the United States to play baseball on a scholarship at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. There, he earned his bachelor’s degree, MBA, and a Ph.D. with an emphasis in finance. He has several years of experience working in the banking and logistics industries, as well as teaching at universities throughout Canada and the United States.
Soon after joining the Wall College of Business, the COVID-19 pandemic placed a hold on in-person teaching, which forced college faculty around the world to teach and collaborate using virtual platforms. Although Killins was unable to meet with his colleagues in person, he was able to connect with them virtually to collaborate on research projects. He and Sourav Batabyal, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics, worked together on, “The Influence of Oil Prices on Equity Returns of Canadian Energy Firms,” which was published in the Journal of Risk and Financial Management as well as several other published articles. He also worked with Hongxia Wang, Ph.D., associate professor of finance, on “Goodwill Impairment and CEO Overconfidence” for the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance.
Killins enjoys collaborating with other professors, “Because everyone has their own unique skills and expertise and can take on individual roles they are most passionate about.” In the world of finance and economics, he is most enthusiastic about investing and how certain factors can impact a firm’s assets or stock prices. Specifically, he is focused on the Canadian equity market and its financial institutions, transportation companies, and energy markets.
Contact Robert Killins
843-340-2519 | rkillins@coastal.edu
Edward Gilmer, Director of Capital Markets, passiveinvesting.com
Ed Gilmer is the director of capital markets with passiveinvesting.com. His passion for the real estate industry has led him throughout the state in the real estate development, brokerage and advisory fields. He earned his undergraduate degree in Finance and Real Estate from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Clemson University. Ed and his wife, Summer, and their son Edward III reside in Murrells Inlet, SC.
Ed is a board member with The Outreach Farm, a Pawleys Island based non-profit that provides protein to local soup kitchens and other feeding ministries.
Contact Edward Gilmer
843-455-6900 | ed@passiveinvesting.com
Tony Grant, Honorary World President, FIABCI (The International Real Estate Federation)
Tony Grant was born in London, UK in 1942 and has spent a lifetime in the real estate profession. He founded Grant & Partners (Property Advisers, Appraisers, Surveyors and Estate Agents) in London in 1965. The firm initially specialized in industrial and warehouse agency, but later diversified into office property, devel-opment and investment consultancy as well as project management and property management.
By 1987 Grant & Partners had grown to a total of 12 partners and 140 support staff. In that year, Tony Grant was invited by one of his firm’s major clients, Ladbroke Group PLC(later Hilton PLC), to head up their United States property subsidiary, London & Leeds Development Corporation.
He ended his executive involvement in Grant & Partners and moved to New York on a five year contract. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of London & Leeds with direct responsibility for a 4.7 million square foot office development program in Boston, New York, Washington D.C. and Miami representing approximately $1.5 billion of investment.
Tony Grant returned to London at the beginning of 1993. In June of that year he joined the Board of Olives Property PLC as Chairman & Joint Chief Executive, having purchased a substantial interest in the company. Olives was a small UK based public property investment and development company whose shares were quoted on the main London Stock Exchange.
During the subsequent five years the gross assets of Olives Property grew from approximately £5.6 million to £58 million. Olives was sold to Hemingway Properties by means of an agreed takeover transaction in May 1998 and Mr. Grant left the Board to take up the World Presidency of FIABCI (the International Real Estate Federation) for a one year elected term. In 2003 he was elected lifetime Honorary World President of FIABCI.
Between 1999 and 2002 Tony Grant was active in the UK as a real estate investor and developer utilizing his private familytrust funds. This activity was transferred to South Carolina in January 2003 when heand his wife, Carrie, moved to the USA as permanent residents and continues to the present time. He became a U.S. Citizen in 2007.
Tony Grant has been a Fellow of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) since 2001. He served as Chairman of RICS USA between 2006 and 2007 and Chairman of RICS Americas between 2007 and 2008.
Commencing in 2014,Tony Grant represented FIABCI on the Board of Trustees of the International Ethics Standards Coalition and served as the Coalition's Vice Chairman until 2016. In 2017 he was invitedbyFIABCI-USA to serve as Chairman of the Statutes Task Force for the purpose of creating new regulations for the Chapter, a task that was completed in November, 2018 when the new Statutes were unanimously adopted by the Chapter Board and General Assembly.
The Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics at Coastal Carolina University was launched in January 2016 through a major gift from Tony and Carrie Grant of Murrells Inlet.
Contact Tony Grant
843-421-5715 | tonygrant@sc.rr.com
Karl Finkelstein, MAI, Vice President of Marketing and Development, Valbridge Property Advisors
Karl Finkelstein has been in valuation and advisory services since 1998. His specialties include commercial, multi-family, and resort properties. He is past president of the South Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute and currently serves on the Admissions and Designation Qualifications Committee for the Appraisal Institute. He is a licensed real estate broker and member of the Urban Land Institute. Karl is a state-certified general appraiser in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and the State of New York.
Contact Karl Finkelstein
843-654-7560 | kfinkelstein@vabridge.com
Keith C. Hinson, President, and Broker in Charge, Waccamaw Land and Timber Company
Keith Hinson, is the owner and founder of Waccamaw Land & Timber Company, a commercial real estate firm he formed in 1981. Keith is the President and Broker in Charge of Waccamaw Land & Timber Co., and has been involved in the sale and development of commercial real estate and residential subdivisions throught the Carolinas. Keith specializes in the sale of historic plantations, recreational tracts, timber tracts, shopping centers and call centers.
A native to Conway, SC, Keith and wife Dixie reside in Myrtle Beach and enjoy spending quality time with their three children and three grandchildren. Keith was educated at The Citadel, Coastal Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina. Keith was a member of the Board of Directors of the Carolina First Bank for 15 yeas, and has served as Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the Coastal Carolina University Wall School of Business.
Currently, Keith is serving on the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Board representing the Seventh Congressional District. Keith also serves as an Executive Committee member of the Coastal Educational Foundation Board at Coastal Carolina University, is on the Advisory Board of the MUSC Hollings Cancer Cdenter, and serves as a regional ambassador, and is on the Advisory Board of the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics.
Contact Keith Hinson
843-449-0441 | keith@wacclt.com
EF "Buddy" Hucks, MAI, SRA, President, Hucks and Associates
EF "Buddy" Hucks is the President of EF Hucks and Associates and manager of EF Hucks Consulting, LLC. Buddy has over 40 years of commercial and residential real estate appraisal experience, of which 5 plus years he was the vice president of Bay State Appraiser Corp (a subsidiary of Loyola Federal Savings and Loan, Baltimore Md), where he served as review appraiser for the bank’s Grand Strand portfolio of residential loans. In 1991, Buddy founded EF Hucks and Associates, an independent appraisal company in Myrtle Beach, SC specializing in appraisals for Lenders along the coast of South Carolina. Through EF Hucks Consulting, LLC, and over the past 30 years, he has monitored the market by tracking all real estate activity to assist in conducting market studies for clients such as developers, land owners and lenders in the area. Buddy is the recognized authority for real estate trends along the Grand Strand. He maintains that he is “not just a pencil pushing appraiser”, but a knowledgeable market participant in the area.During the past 25 years, Buddy has consulted and advised developers and has been actively involved in the sale and development of over $400 million of real estate along the Grand Strand. In the early 1990’s, he partnered in an investment group that bought and sold approximately $20 million in RTC troubled assets. His personal investment partnerships have developed, bought and sold almost $70 million in real estate along the Grand Strand. He has developed and sold 230 condominiums and residential lots along the Grand Strand over the past 25 years. He has owned and sold over 500 acres of development land in the area. He acted as a Consultant and Broker on one of the largest Real Estate Transactions in Horry County History for over $60,000,000 known as North Beach Plantation.
Notable Consulting projects include:
- North Beach Plantation-60 Acres Ocean Front Resort www.scaliserealtyatnorthbeach.com
- Prince Creek -2,700 Acre Master Planned Community
- BarefootResort-1,000Acre Master Planned Community www.myrtlebeachbarefootresort.com
- Bay View Resort-181 Unit Ocean Front Resort www.bayviewresort.com
- South Winds-90 Unit Ocean Front Resort www.thesouthwind.com
- Island Vista Ocean Front Resort www.islandvista.com
Buddy holds an active Certified General Appraiser (CG) license and his license in “good standing” in South Carolina and North Carolina, he holds a South Carolina Broker’s License and he is also a member of the Appraisal Institute holding the MAI and SRA designations. He graduated from Francis Marion University with a BS in Business Administration.
Contact Buddy Hucks
843-443-3159 | efhucks@efhucksinc.com
Justin Lee, Chief Lending Officer, Coastal Carolina National Bank
Justin M. Lee is the executive vice president and chief lending officer at Coastal Carolina National Bank. He is a graduate of the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration; Lee is also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the prestigious Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Lee has a strong record of service within the community. He served as campaign chair and chairman of the board for the United Way of Horry County, and he serves on the board of directors for the Coastal Carolina Sertoma Club.
Lee has a passion for the banking industry and has more than 20 years of banking experience along the Grand Strand. His hard work, determination, skills, and personable nature have propelled his career and reputation within the local business community. “Helping current and prospective business owners is what makes the hard work and sacrifices worth it,” says Lee. “I thrive in fast-paced, competitive, but rewarding environments like commercial lending. At the end of the day, I do what I do to serve the community, the bank, but most importantly, my clients.”
Lee is an avid outdoorsman, and enjoys activities such as golfing, surfing, and most outdoor recreational sports and activities.
He is married to Wendi Lee, and they have a son named River; they reside in Carolina Forest.
Contact Justin Lee
854-655-8730 | justin.lee@myccnb.com
John Orr, CCIM, President, broker-in-charge, Carolina Retail Experts
John is the President and Broker-In-Charge managing the retail services platform and day to day operations in the Charleston headquarters of the Carolina Retail Experts. He has successfully completed over 5 million square feet of retail transactions including leases, acquisitions, dispositions and build-to-suit development. He is a Carolina Retail Expert and specializes in the creation of value by executing Retail Commercial Real Estate Strategies for Property Owners, Retailers and Investors throughout the Southeast. Additionally, John, as an expert, provides special asset management and disposition for the courts, financial institutions, individual developers and investors. Inspired by a true love of the work and a commitment to approach every client and property as if it were their own, Carolina Retail Experts provides a return on investment that transcends numbers by translating concepts into communities.
During his three-decade-long real estate career, he has managed all aspects and processes of the development cycle including: site selection, contract and lease negotiation, due diligence, entitlement, design, financing, construction, property and asset management and disposition. He draws from this broad range of experiences to enable himself to handle any situation on any deal. John is a resourceful problem-solver and prides himself on his ability to rally a team and successfully move a project through the commercial real estate process. @JohnOrrCCIM is a pioneer in #CRE Social Media. His activity and engagement on the various social media platforms have led to national recognition and speaking engagements. Follow John for insights and ask any #CRESocial questions you may have.
John’s other passion is education. He earned his CCIM Designation over 20 years ago and is on a mission to create a smarter Commercial Real Estate Community. His South Carolina CCIM Chapter service includes a seat on the Board of Directors, election to the executive offices, and service as Chapter President for 2019. Additionally, John serves at the CCIM Institute level in various capacities including the Strategic Planning Committee and, most recently the election to a Three-Year Board of Directors Term.
Contact John Orr
854-900-3900 | john@cre.expert
Hunter Platt, GAA, Senior Advisor, Tradd Companies
Hunter Platt has been active in commercial brokerage, leasing, advisory/consulting, valuation, management and development services throughout the southeast since 1996. He serves as a Senior Advisor for Tradd Commercial focusing on brokerage/leasing/site selection for retail, office, industrial, and hospitality properties as well as advisory services and development throughout the Carolinas with an emphasis in the Myrtle Beach MSA. His expertise includes but is not limited to investment properties, hospitality, office and medical office, industrial, resort, restaurant, special assets (REO), site selection, retail, development, business brokerage, receiverships, and land to include residential and commercial development tracts. Clients include many prominent national and regional companies to include financial institutions with their disposition needs. In addition to commercial brokerage, Platt is president of Tradd Valuation which provides clients with valuation and advisory services.
Prior to joining Tradd Commercial, Platt was the managing broker and Vice President of Core Commercial – The Pinnacle Group, Inc. He has over 25 years of commercial real estate experience including brokerage, leasing, advisory/consulting, valuation, management and development of over $350 million in commercial real estate throughout the southeast. Prior to pioneering Core Commercial, Platt was the managing broker with the Commercial Division of Prudential Burroughs & Chapin Realty, Inc. This commercial operation was consistently ranked in the top 10% of the Prudential Franchises and won the prestigious Pinnacle Award on multiple occasions, indicating the top ten team performers in the Southeast (U.S.) and Canada.
Previously, Platt was a commercial fee appraiser in the Carolina’s and Florida. His experience includes but not limited to industrial and warehouse buildings; trade zones; manufacturing
facilities; office and medical buildings / campus; retail stores and shopping centers; hotels and motels; timeshare and management contracts; C-stores and gas stations; amusement and mixed use to include bowling alleys, campgrounds, live entertainment venues, amusement parks, putt-putts, and go-cart tracks; hospitals and medical campus; schools, marinas; restaurants; car wash facilities; quick lube/auto repair facilities; cemeteries; golf courses; churches; auto dealerships; residential and commercial subdivisions; multi-family to include apartments and condo complexes; self-storage; condemnation; easements; and partial interest/estate planning.
Platt earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a concentration in Real Estate from Clemson University. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker in both South Carolina and North Carolina as well as a Certified General Appraiser. His career in real estate began in the valuation, consulting and development business in Miami, FL. Platt stays involved with the evolution of the business through continuing education seminars. He is affiliated with the CCIM Institute.
Platt is active in the community having served on numerous boards and committees to include the Chairman of the Horry County Planning Commission; the Chairman and Founding Member of the Commercial Investment Division of the Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors; the Horry County Board of Assessment Appeals; the Advisory Board of the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development at Coastal Carolina University; the Grand Strand Economic Outlook Board (Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments); the Vice Chairman of the Zoning Appeals Board for Horry County; the North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission; the North Strand Chapter of Ducks Unlimited; the North Myrtle Beach Economic Development Council; and the Horry County Clemson Club. Additionally, he has been involved in the start-up of several local non-profits
Contact Hunter Platt
843-315-6061 | hplatt@traddcommercial.com
Erika Engel-Small, Ph.D., Interim Dean, E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration
Erica Engel-Small is the Interim Dean of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business at Coastal Carolina University. Erika joined the Coastal Carolina faculty in 2007. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Louisiana State University in 2001 and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in 2007.
Contact Erika Engel-Small
843-349-2675 | esmall@coastal.edu
Robert F. Salvino, Director, Professor/Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics
Robert Salvino is the director of the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics and the Ammons Family Endowed Professor of Free Enterprise with Coastal Carolina University’s Wall College of Business. His research has been published in the Review of Law and Economics, Applied Economics, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, and other journals and books. His most recent research considers economic policies and rules and their effects on behavior and economic outcomes. Dr. Salvino provides economic analysis for various industries, non-profit organizations, and government agencies and speaks regularly for many organizations across the region. His teaching interests include urban economics, real estate, and the economics of entrepreneurship. He developed and continues work to expand the real estate program at Coastal Carolina University.
Prior to his academic career, Salvino worked in Columbus, Ohio, as a geologist for a civil engineering firm and as a large loss property claims adjuster for Nationwide Insurance.
He earned a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts, both in economics, from Georgia State University in 2007 and 2004, respectively. He completed his undergraduate degree in geology at Marshall University in 1997.
Contact Robert Salvino
843-349-2719 | rsalvino@coastal.edu
Robert Shelton, Attorney, Bellamy Law Firm
Rob Shelton is a Myrtle Beach eminent domain lawyer and has represented a large number of property owners in defense of eminent domain actions brought against them by government agencies such as the SCDOT. Rob has also litigated many cases involving questions regarding easements, access rights, wetlands, and land use. Rob is also a certified mediator and has taken part in the successful resolution of many lawsuits by employing alternative dispute resolution principles.
Rob was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1968 but was primarily raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. Rob received his undergraduate degree from Coastal Carolina University, where he was active in the South Carolina Student Legislature, Chanticleer Student Newspaper, Student Government Association, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2000, where he served as the Associate Justice for Writing and Research for the Moot Court Bar and as manager of the National Moot Court competition team.
Rob sesrved as a member of the Chanticleer Athletic Foundation Board of Directors of Coastal Carolina University and on the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts Board of Visitors. Rob is also a past Chairman of Coastal’s Alumni Association and served as the organization’s President from 2004 – 2008. Rob is currently the Chair of the CCU Research Foundation and was recognized as Coastal’s 2009 Alumnus of the Year.
Rob is a strong supporter of Fostering Hope, which is a charitable organization founded by Tabby Shelton to support foster families and the children they serve. He has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tara Hall Home for Boys, and President of the Horry County Foster Parent Association. Rob has also served as Chair of the City of Conway Elections Commission (1997-2004) and as a Judge on the Ecclesiastical Court of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.
Rob currently resides in Conway, South Carolina. He and his wife have fostered many and adopted three children.
Contact Robert Shelton
843-916-7163 | RShelton@bellamylaw.com
Ellison Smith, Lecturer of Finance, E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration
Ellison Smith began his professional career at Arthur Andersen, Societe’ Cooperative where he specialized in providing tax and consulting services to clients involved in real estate acquisition and development in the continental United States and the Caribbean. After leaving Arthur Andersen, he focused on the audits of financial institutions including mortgage loan collateral quality and general tax and consulting services. In his capacity as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner, he advises clients regularly on real estate related matters. His personal experience in real estate includes real estate construction, leasing and development in both the commercial and residential markets. He is a licensed general contractor and continues to be involved in the construction of speculative homes in the resort market as well as renovation and restoration of existing commercial and residential properties for sale or lease. As a Lecturer of Finance and Economics for the Wall College of Business at Coastal Carolina University, he teaches an introductory course in real estate investment and finance.
Contact Ellison Smith
843-349-2614 | esmith2@coastal.edu
Steve Powell, President, Venture Engineering
Steve Powell is the president and CEO of Venture Engineering. He holds a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, as well as Professional Engineer licenses in SC, NC, GA, and VA.
After graduating from West Point, Steve spent five years in the military where he attained U.S. Army Infantry Officer, Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger qualifications. In 1984 he began his civil engineering career at R.L. Bellamy & Associates in Myrtle Beach. From 1986 to 1988 he was the City Engineer for the City of Myrtle Beach, and in 1988 he went to work for Castles Consulting Engineers. In 1990, he started Venture Engineering.
Contact Steve Powell
843-347-5851 | spowell@sccoast.net
Bob Rajewski, Assistant Coordinator, Fox School's Real Estate Management, Temple University
Bob Rajewski is an Assistant Coordinator for the Temple University's Fox School’s Real Estate Management Programs. He is a seasoned real estate professional with range, exhibited by broad and extensive experience in asset management (directing property, construction and leasing teams), and project financing in both commercial real estate and multi-family. He has worked as an appraiser, lender, asset manager and CFO. His strengths include the ability to quickly identify issues, dissect those issues into parts, and resolve those issues by use of critical reasoning.
Bob is a visiting scholar with CCU's E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration through the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics. Bob is the instructor for the Grant Center's Argus Training Workshop.
He attained a Master of Science in Real Estate Finance & Development from The Johns Hopkins University. He also received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Baltimore.
Contact Bob Rajewski
410-627-3503 | bcrajewski@comcast.net
Tyler Thurmond, MBA, Tradd Commercial
Tyler Thurmond earned his MBA-Commercial and Investment Real Estate at Coastal Carolina University. He graduated from West Virginia University with a B.S. in business administration in 2020 and was also a member of its football team. After graduation from WVU, he worked as a licensed real estaet agent and property manager in Atlanta, Ga., and Greenville, S.C. Since his graduation from CCU, he is working for Tradd Commercial in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Contact Tyler Thurmond
404-803-7400 | tcthurmon@coastal.edu
Sourav Batabyal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Finance and Economics, E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration
Dr. Sourav Batabyal is an Assistant Professor of Economics in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration at Coastal Carolina University.
Dr. Batabyal grew up in Kolkata, India. He attended Scottish Church College in Kolkata where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He was awarded a Master of Science degree from the University of Calcutta in Kolkata, India. Dr. Batabyal received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconisn-Milwaukee.
Dr. Batabyal has been with CCU since Fall 2019. Prior to coming to CCU, he worked as an Assistant Professor at Missouri Western State University. He also served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Fredonia, Marquette University, and Loyola University Maryland.
Currently, Dr. Batabyal teaches Principles of Macroeconomics, Urban & Real Estate Economics & Real Estate Market Analysis (MBA) courses.
Dr. Batabyal has varied research interests and his research focuses on Real Estate, Financial Institutions, Corporate Finance, Urban & Regional Economics, Development/International Economics, and Applied Econometrics. His research articles are published in Economic Modeling, The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Journal of Risk and Financial Management, Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Progress in Development Studies, and Atlantic Economic Journal.
Sourav Batabyal currently resides in Conway, SC. When not in the classroom or working on research, he enjoys biking, watching movies, NFL, cricket, tennis, etc.
Contact Sourav Batabyal
843-349-2878 | sbatabyal@coastal.edu