Interview with Brian Leary of Highwoods Properties in Raleigh, NC

Summary: 
Brian and I talk all about his career history and how to make big ideas a reality. We also introduce a new segment, the “$100M Challenge.”

Big Take Aways:
- What would Brian do with $100M?
- I learned about the practice of “slugging in.”
- “If you want advice, ask for a job. If you want a job, ask for advice.”
- What is the secret to sales success? Curiosity.

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About Brian: 
Brian Leary joined Highwoods Properties as executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2019. In this role, he has direct oversight of Highwoods’ eight geographic divisions as well as the development and marketing teams. Brian is ensuring Highwoods’ 28+ million square foot portfolio provides a compelling and competitive advantage to its occupants to return, retain and recruit the best and brightest talent. 

Preceding Highwoods, Brian served as president of Crescent Communities’ commercial and mixed-use business unit from 2014 to 2019 - where he relaunched the commercial division and directed the company’s office, industrial and retail development across the country.

Prior to joining Crescent, Brian held senior management and executive positions with Jacoby Development, Inc., Atlanta Beltline, Inc., AIG Global Real Estate, Atlantic Station, LLC and Central Atlanta Progress. As the managing director of Jacoby Development, a national developer of corporate, mixed-use and retail projects, he launched ONE Daytona, a 4.5-million square foot joint venture with International Speedway Corp. Previously Brian served as president and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc., ‐ the organization executing the implementation of the BeltLine, one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment projects in the United States. When complete, the $3B+ project will provide a network of public parks, multi-use trails, transit, public art and thousands of units of housing along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor circling Atlanta.

Brian is a graduate of Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture with an undergraduate degree in architecture with minor concentrations in land development and real estate, and in addition, holds a master’s degree in City Planning from Georgia Tech. While focusing on transportation and land development in graduate school, he finished a redevelopment plan for the Atlantic Steel property that would provide the basis for Atlantic Station. 

Brian, his wife and their two daughters reside in the City of Raleigh.

Connect with Brian: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Mentioned in the show:
- [BOOK] Where Good Ideas Come From
- [BOOK] The Power of Moments
- Slugging - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slugging

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Show Notes:
Welcome to Dirt NC where we talk all about the places and spaces of North Carolina and the people who make them awesome, I am your host Jed Byrne.

Throughout my career in engineering, construction, finance, and development, I have covered just about all sides of the land use ecosystem. This show creates an opportunity for me to share what I have learned with you as well as introduce you to some of my  friends, both new and old who are doing transforma