EMPIRE PROPERTIES - Key Persons
Amy joined Empire in 2021 as the Accounts Payable Lead on the Properties Accounting team. She is responsible for making sure payables are processed timely and accurately. She is a graduate of Purdue University with a bachelor's degree in Dietetics. She has spent the last 15 year years in the accounting industry working with various industries, including property management, oil and lubricants, petroleum, and construction.
Amy joined Empire in 2009 as a server at The Pit. She quickly moved into a management role at The Pit and later moved to Sitti as a manager. In 2015, she became the private dining manager at Sitti, Gravy and The Raleigh Times. She became director of all private dining and event operations in 2019.
Job Titles:
- President
- Chairman and past Treasurer
Andrew Stewart joined Empire Properties in 2003, bringing with him years of experience in city planning and research, economics and analysis. He leads Empire's management team, evaluating current and future projects and managing relationships with debt and equity sources. He is responsible for Empire Properties' financing strategy and asset management of the real estate portfolio.
Andrew is the current chairman and past treasurer of the board of directors of Preservation North Carolina (PNC). In 2017, he and three other parents founded the Lucille Hunter Elementary School Foundation, and he served as the Foundation's treasurer for three years.
In 2008, Andrew was named one of the Triangle Business Journal's 40 Under 40, which recognizes top executives and business leaders in the Triangle who are under the age of 40. As a result of Andrew's financing strategy and execution, Empire Properties received the Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) "Most Innovative Financing Program" Champion award. Andrew also is a regular guest lecturer on Historic Preservation and Development at the University of North Carolina's Department of City and Regional Planning. Andrew served as a city-appointed member of downtown Raleigh's Parking Task Force and has served as a member of the board of directors for Raleigh Little Theater and Downtown Raleigh Alliance.
Before joining Empire, Andrew worked with the City of Raleigh Planning Department and was engaged in the creation and management of the Livable Streets Partnership for downtown Raleigh. He also worked for four years as a research economist for Research Triangle Institute International (RTI).
Andrew has a master's degree in Business Administration and Regional Planning with a focus on real estate development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also graduated with honors from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., with bachelor's degrees in Philosophy and Economics.
Job Titles:
- Board Member of the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association
Emmet Furlong has worked as Empire Properties' tenant liaison since 2016. He is responsible for supporting Empire's tenants in all aspects of their tenancy, including day-to-day logistics and operations, move-ins and move-outs, tenant communications and special projects. He also is Empire's interface with the public, police, and local government on behalf of Empire and tenants, managing vendor relationships and ensuring properties are being maintained in excellent condition. Emmet also assists existing tenants with lease renewals and expansions.
Emmet, a native of Ireland, received his bachelor's degree in International Marketing & Languages from Dublin City University in Ireland and the Technische Universitat in Berlin, Germany. Before joining Empire, Emmet had more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate working at Execustay by Marriott, Regus, and Cushman & Wakefield.
Emmet serves as a board member of the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association.
Jamie joined the Empire team in 2021 as a Maintenance Technician. She earned a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management from Florida State University. Jamie has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. All the years in the industry helped to hone her skills in repairs and maintenance. Jamie enjoys gardening in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator
Karen joined the Empire team in 2022 as an Administrative Coordinator. She supports the Accounting and Leasing departments. She also helps run the day-to-day office operations. Karen has a background working in the retail and trucking industries. She is involved in autism awareness, epilepsy awareness as well as the Hydrocephalus Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Director of Culinary Operations
- General Manager of the Pit Authentic Barbecue
As Director of Culinary Operations, Robert manages the back-of-house training and operations for Empire Eats.
Robert joined Empire in 2016 as the General Manager of The Pit Authentic Barbecue. Before joining the company, he held previous positions as General Manager at McCormick and Schmick's, The Cheesecake Factory as well as Area Director for Houlihan's/J Gilberts North Carolina locations. Robert is a veteran of the hospitality industry with a career spanning more than 30 years in North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and New York. In his free time, he enjoys spending time at Lake Gaston, cooking for friends and family, and working outdoors.
Samantha has an MBA with a concentration in International Marketing from Northeastern University and a bachelor of arts degree in English from East Carolina University. Samantha is a licensed real estate broker with the N.C. Real Estate Commission. She is the president of the Ligon Middle School PTA, and has served as the president of the Hunter Elementary School PTA and is a founder and past president of the Lucille Hunter Elementary School Foundation.