TESSIER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Real Estate Advisor
Amy joined Tessier in February 2001. She has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 15 years of restaurant ownership and management in Asheville.
She has designed and developed numerous business enterprises and brings those inherent skills to the Tessier brokerage team. In addition to sales and leasing, Amy oversees the management of some development and rehabilitation projects. Amy hails from a real estate development family in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Real Estate Advisor, Business Broker
Bill is a seasoned broker having sold multi-million dollar assets, negotiated several professional office leases, contracted a major sale-leaseback with Opportunity Zone benefits, and researched dozens of development land projects. His strengths are communication, negotiation, knowledge of essential service providers, and his proactive approach.
Raised in North Carolina, schooled at UNC-Chapel Hill, he set out to see more of the world. He worked for Marriott Hotels in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and New Jersey. He then became an entrepreneur in the event production and management field, creating major private and public events in Houston and winning international recognition. Ultimately, he and his wife built a home and moved to their dream location near Asheville, NC.
Bill is an avid woodworker and carpenter, cook, reader, hiker, and traveler, and he enjoys kayaking and fishing.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Corporate Accounting & HR
Carrie joined the Tessier team in 2018 after moving to Asheville from Gurnee, IL. She has a bachelor's degree in Marketing and has been conducting property accounting for our sister companies in Illinois and Florida for the past 19 years.
Job Titles:
- Maintenance Technician
- Member of the Support Team
Chad Joined the Tessier team in 2021 bringing with him over 17 years of experience in the role of property maintenance. Chad has specialized mostly in multi-family communities and is excited to bring his customer service and vendor relationship skills with him to Tessier and continue with multi-family properties while also expanding into the commercial property sector.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Support Team
- President
Chris, one of the owners of Tessier, received his Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in Economics from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. While working in commercial banking, he specialized in real estate development and in financing of income producing properties. He entered DePaul University's Masters of Business Administration program and received his MBA with an emphasis in real estate in 1995.
In 1998, Chris founded Riverside Management and Leasing to provide professional management services to both residential and commercial properties. In 2012, he expanded into the Florida Gulf Coast area with 30A Local Properties, Inc. 30A Local Properties has been named the "Hottest Real Estate Firm on 30A" for three years in a row and currently has 53 agents.
Chris joined Tessier on January 1, 2018 when he and Jack Emerick purchased the firm. He is responsible for the overall day to day operations of the company; including management, finance, marketing, and sales. In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, being outdoors, and working on DIY projects.
Job Titles:
- Maintenance Technician
- Member of the Support Team
Christopher is a Florida native, and a true jack of all trades. He has a rich background in flood and fire restoration, basic construction and holds at least 1 ASE certification as a mechanic.
In 2022, he left southern Wisconsin and came to Asheville to join Tessier. In doing so, he brings with him several years experience in property maintenance, mostly in the multi family setting. Outside of work, you can usually find him enjoying the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Planning Director
- Director of Planning, Development and Special Projects
Possessing a BS Engineering and a Master of Urban Design from NC State University, Chuck was the Director of Planning for Buncombe County for 10 years prior to establishing Tessier in 1985. He sold the firm to Chris and Jack in January of 2018.
As planning director, Chuck created the county's first community-based planning program, helped create the Asheville-Buncombe Water Agreement, crafted the county's subdivision ordinance, rehabilitated land-fill sites, and facilitated expansion of the Asheville airport. As the founder of Tessier, he is widely recognized for his key role in the redevelopment of downtown Asheville. He has planned, developed and brokered numerous new and rehab projects across the region and has served as a planning and development consultant in the Southeast for cities in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. Chuck spearheads the development and investment services divisions of Tessier.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Support Team
- Executive Vice President / Property Management / Real Estate Advisor
Craig, who is one of the co-owners of Tessier, joined the team in 2007. He has over 20 years of experience in management, systems development and customer service. Craig currently manages the Property Management Division of Tessier, where he is responsible for the oversight of the 80+ properties managed in the Tessier portfolio.
Before joining Tessier, Craig worked as Corporate Systems Manager for Campus Crest Real Estate Management based in Charlotte, NC, and prior to Campus Crest, Craig oversaw the physical plant management of nearly 2,000 residential and commercial units during his three-year tenure at another local real estate company. He has an AAS in Adventure Sports, a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Warren Wilson College and an MBA from Western Carolina University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
David joined the Tessier Property Management Team in 2023. He has been a professional in the Property Management industry for over 20 years, specializing in multi-family asset management and condominium associations. David was the 2016 President of the Apartment Association of Western North Carolina and is originally from Tampa, Florida. When he is not working, David enjoys interior design, swimming, and kayaking. His favorite quote is from Warren Buffett, "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago".
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- in 2021 As a Property Manager
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Diane joined Tessier in 2021 as a Property Manager specializing in Commercial division property management for Tessier. Diane has over 30 years of experience in commercial property management including retail, high-rise office, office parks, and industrial sites for private, individual owners to REITs throughout the mid-west, northeast, mid-Atlantic and south. Diane has earned the prestigious CPM designation from IREM.
While not a native to Atlanta, she claims it as home as most of her life and career was centered here. GO BRAVES! She moved to the Asheville area in 2015 and is thrilled to live in the mountains and enjoy all the area offers. You can generally find her hanging with her dog at the dog park and driving the back roads of Western North Carolina. She loves waterfalls and photographing them!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Service Manager
Living in Western NC for over 26 years, Don brings 33 years of leadership creating positive client/customer experiences to the Tessier team. With a passion for building relationships and exceeding the expectations of his customers he brings a unique perspective to our organization. Don oversees the general maintenance team of Tessier's diverse portfolio with a focus on providing professional, timely and quality service.
He is the father of 7 beautiful children and married for over 26 years; enjoys experiencing the beauty of our state through spending time with family, camping, and motorcycling.
Job Titles:
- Property Manager and Real Estate Advisor
Glenn is a North Carolina native with over 15 years of experience in real estate investment and management. Prior to joining Tessier in 2021, he served as managing partner and Broker In Charge of another local real estate firm, Rent A Home of Asheville. Actively engaged in CREIA, he has taught real estate classes as well as been invited as a property management expert for panel discussions.
Glenn is currently responsible for the brokerage and management of a portfolio of our downtown commercial spaces and residential communities. In his free time he enjoys traveling and playing golf.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Accountant
Heather joined Tessier in 2020 and brought with her over 10 years' experience in Property Management and Property Management Bookkeeping. She relocated from New York where she managed and executed bookkeeping for a diverse portfolio of properties.
Jack, along with Chris, purchased the firm on January 1, 2018. Jack is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of real estate experience in property investment and management. He has more than 28 years of commercial banking experience as well where he worked his way up from bank teller to President to board member. Jack currently runs 30A Local Properties, Inc., located east of Destin, FL, and acts as executive advisor and board member of Tessier.
Job Titles:
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Jason joined the Tessier Property Management team in 2015. He has over twenty years of property management experience that includes work with Biltmore Park Town Square in South Asheville and Crosland, LLC, a regional real estate development firm based in Charlotte, NC.
Jason has a BA in Business Management from Belmont Abbey College, and is a U.S. Navy veteran. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife Andrea and his two children, Kyle and Kendal.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Manager Assistant and Office Manager
Julie joined us in 2021 and brought with her 20 years of experience in office administration, client services and property management. She received a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies & Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Accounting Manager
- Senior Property Accountant
Katie Farrar joined Tessier in 2008 and brought with her five years of office management experience in the real estate industry. She relocated from Savannah, GA where she was most recently the Market Center Administrator for a new Keller Williams franchise.
In three years, she and the leadership team successfully grew the company to become the number two real estate office in the Savannah area. Katie attended the University of Missouri and received her BS in Environmental Design. Katie and her husband spend their free time gardening and backpacking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- in 2013 As the Property Manager
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Kelee joined Tessier in 2013 as the Property Manager for the Grove Arcade. She has been a professional in the Property Management industry for nearly 30 years, managing large and diverse portfolios throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom.
Her management experience includes residential, commercial, industrial warehouse and retail properties. After living in Chicago, Boston and Washington DC, Kelee returned to her native state of North Carolina. She graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Degree in Administration of Justice/Paralegal Investigation. When she is not managing the Grove Arcade, Kelee enjoys sailing, photography and sightseeing.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- HVAC Supervisor
Kraig joined the Tessier team in 2023. He is an accomplished, strong leader with extensive knowledge of heating, cooling & refrigeration equipment. He has over 25 years of experience in HVAC design, estimating, equipment installation, start-up, troubleshooting and repair of residential, commercial and industrial heating and cooling equipment.
Larry joined Tessier from Keller Williams where he specializes in investment properties, development, land and commercial buyer representation. Prior to KW he was a successful Commercial Agent in NYC with Douglas Elliman. Larry is nationally certified in Commercial and Investment Real Estate and is a member of CIRA, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Real Estate Investment Association.
Prior to real estate, Larry had a long and successful career as a senior media and advertising executive having delivered well over $1 billion in transactional value to his clients. He is also the Founding Chairman and board member of the John A. Reisenbach Foundation - a 25+ year-old organization dedicated to making New York City a better and safer place to live and work. Larry currently lives with his wife, Nancy, in Fairview, NC.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Real Estate Advisor
Marcus has over 30 years of commercial real estate experience in development, finance and brokerage, primarily with mixed-use and urban assets throughout the Southeast. He has closed an extensive array of deals in and around Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and the Mayfair/Landfall area of Wilmington.
Marcus will be focusing on both The Research Triangle and the Asheville markets. Joining Tessier gives Marcus the ability to serve his clients, tenants, investors, and developers wanting access to all the major downtown markets along the I-40 corridor between The Research Triangle and Asheville.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Senior Real Estate Advisor
Bringing over 30 years of real estate experience and leadership to the team, Michael leads and manages the company's team of commercial and residential brokers.
Michael began his real estate career in 1986 in Tampa, Florida where he worked for The Paragon Group, a privately held commercial real estate developer. The Paragon Group was later acquired by CBRE, and Michael served as First Vice President, Asset Services, for more than 15 years until moving to North Carolina in 2011.
Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Muskingum University. He currently holds real estate licenses in North Carolina and Florida. Michael brings the strategic focus, vision, and mature judgment gained during a successful career in commercial real estate resulting in a comprehensive understanding of the entire commercial real estate process. He is the recipient of numerous awards and recognition for his real estate expertise and success including the prestigious Co-Star Power Broker Award. Over the course of his career, Hoffman has been involved in real estate transactions totaling more than $1 Billion.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Pamela is a native to the Western North Carolina area, having grown up in the Fletcher/Arden area before moving to Boca Raton, Florida with her family. She lived in the South Florida area for many years and recently decided to move back home to beautiful Carolina! She was in healthcare as a Surgical nurse for most of her life, until going into Real Estate sales and Property Management as a LCAM for the past 15 years. Pam's experience includes HOA, COA, Multi-family, Construction, Leasing, Resort Management, Vacation Rentals, Mobile Home and RV Park management. When not at work, Pam's other passions include cooking for family and friends. She enjoys live music and outdoor activities and spending time with her family and fur babies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Service Coordinator
Rachel joined our team in 2022 after relocating to Asheville from Georgia. She has a background in theater production at Iowa State and customer service which allows her to juggle many tasks at once while focusing on customer needs. In her free time she enjoys anything creative.
Being that Rita is native to the area, she knows this market well and has worked in real estate and property management in Buncombe County since 2006. She looks forward to understanding your personal needs, advocating for you, and finding creative solutions to challenges. Allow Rita to help you find your next home or sell a current one. The pleasure is hers!
Job Titles:
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Ruben Gonzalez joined the Tessier Property Management team in 2022. He has been a professional in the Property Management industry for over eight years, specializing in condominium associations. Before joining Tessier, Ruben worked for one of the largest Property Management companies in South Florida, where he managed a variety of different high-end properties, from fully residential to short-term rental communities.
Job Titles:
- Accounting Manager
- Member of the Support Team
Ryan joined Tessier in 2023 after returning to Asheville, his adopted hometown. Here, he had previously earned a Bachelor's in Economics at the University of North Carolina. Ryan also holds a Masters of Accounting from UNC Chapel Hill. He brings a wealth of experience in Applied Business Accounting to the Tessier team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Sharon brings 30 years of real estate experience to Tessier, encompassing development, brokerage, property management and land use throughout the Midwest and in North Carolina. Prior to joining Tessier Sharon most recently owned and operated a small real estate firm in Asheville, and another in Indianapolis where she and her team provided commercial brokerage and property management services to investment clientele and end users. Sharon has also served as a court-appointed receiver for financial institutions during complex commercial loan foreclosures. In addition to licensure in North Carolina, Sharon is licensed in South Carolina and Indiana.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
Stephanie joined the Tessier Property Management team in 2019. She is a native of Asheville and has over 20 years of Property Management experience specializing in condominium, home and property owners associations and apartment management.
Job Titles:
- Business Broker and Commercial Real Estate Advisor
- Real Estate Advisor, Business Broker
Stephen Blain has been a Business Broker and Commercial Real Estate Advisor for over 20 years.
Originally Born and educated in Florida, Mr. Blain first came to the Asheville region in 2006. After 12 years, he became a permanent resident in 2018. Stephen's strong entrepreneurial background began in 1991 and has provided him with a solid comprehension of the business climate. Stephen's experience with the sale of his own companies and commercial properties gives him the unique perspective of having been both a buyer and a seller. He has used his experience to successfully facilitate the sale of many different businesses, focusing on a broad variety of industries. He has also helped buyers and investors from numerous walks of life achieve their dream of business ownership and successful commercial real estate investments.
Stephen is passionate about business brokerage and commercial real estate, and he is passionate about helping others.
Stephen is active with the BBF, IBBA, and has been elected twice to the Board of Directors for the FBBA. He is also very active within the community through local churches and other volunteer organizations. Whether you are buying or selling a business or a commercial real estate investment, Stephen has the knowledge, experience, and integrity to get the job done right!
Job Titles:
- Facility Manager
- Member of the Support Team
An Asheville local, Steve brings 35 years of facilities management experience to the Tessier team, with a wide background including commercial offices, homeowner associations, retail centers, and large historical buildings. Steve oversees the maintenance of Tessier's diverse portfolio with a focus on customer service. He provides clients with expertise in construction, development services, and management of multipurpose buildings.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- Real Estate Advisor / Stem Realty Group
Stoner joined the firm in 2019 as a Residential/Commercial Broker/Advisor/Realtor®. Having lived and worked in Asheville North Carolina for over 20 years, he has formed a strong network of personal and business connections that serves his clients well.
Before embarking on his career in residential and commercial real estate, Stoner was in education, providing him with a unique set of skills that translates into a better client experience. Patience, strong communication, strong organization, strong routines, and an understanding of how we learn and retain information has proven to be essential in forming positive relationships with clients.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Support Team
- NC Real Estate Agent
- Property Manager, Real Estate Advisor
An Asheville native and licensed NC real estate agent, Susan has a BA in Organizational Communication from UNCG and comes to Tessier with nearly 15 years of association management experience. In 2021, Susan achieved the prestigious Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation from the Community Associations Institute and uses her experience and education to provide top-level service for her clients. She is an avid runner and travels the country to participate in various long distance races.
Job Titles:
- Maintenance Technician
- Member of the Support Team