Getting Real With Rob

Real Estate & Building Industry Coalition (REBIC)
  • 5.0 (3)
  • BUSINESS

Getting Real With Rob is the official podcast of the Real Estate & Building Industry Coalition in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hosted by Executive Director Rob Nanfelt, Getting Real With Rob features real conversations with industry leaders about real estate, housing and community.

  1. SEP 16

    Sagar Rathie | Managing Director - Office at Crescent Communities | 2025 President NAIOP Charlotte

    “You can have an impact!” states Sagar Rathie as he deftly handled our questions from host Rob Nanfelt. As our latest podcast guest, he approached the interview with enthusiasm and a plan. Immediately endearing and always prepared, Sagar has made a meteoric rise in the commercial development industry here in Charlotte. He also calls himself a bit of a Renaissance man but also stated that one of the mobile apps he couldn’t live without is his GPS (…so he knows where he’s going!). Then he explained how, given a choice between being the smartest person in the room or the funniest, he would choose to be funny. Cementing our impression of him as a man who balances discipline and structure, with sheer persuasion. Schooled as an engineer, his focus for NAIOP in 2025 and beyond is establishing a robust advocacy connection between Charlotte’s commercial industry and our representatives at the state level. Moved deeply by the magic that happens when a concept and dream of a development becomes tangible and real, he is also committed to helping those even younger than him get a start in the commercial industry with a good mix of wonder and dedication to engagement.  Here's more information about our podcast guest: Sagar Rathie joined Crescent Communities in 2016 and currently serves as Managing Director, Office for the Commercial division. He leads all aspects of the Company’s office acquisitions and developments throughout the Southeast and Southwest, with an active investment and pipeline development portfolio totaling 2.5 million SF and representing $1.3 billion in capital deployed. Sagar is responsible for sourcing, entitling, designing, financing, and executing on new and value-add office and mixed-use developments across the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Central Florida, Texas, and Arizona.  Sagar has extensive capital markets experience, having collectively raised nearly $4.0 billion in third party equity and debt throughout his career. Previously, he was Crescent Communities' Director of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, where he played an integral role in the company’s financial forecasting and planning efforts, assisted with the investment committee process, and led numerous strategic initiatives for the company. Prior to Crescent Communities, Sagar was in Investment Banking with Piper Sandler, and a Manager at GlaxoSmithKline. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Discovery Place, President for the NAIOP Charlotte Chapter, active with ULI as a member of the Capital Markets Committee, a recent graduate of Leadership Charlotte, and heavily involved with the community. Sagar received his master’s in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s in engineering from Duke University, and Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering also from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    25 min

  2. AUG 26

    Bobbi Jo Lazarus, Shareholder with Elliott Davis

    We thought long and hard about the first few lines of our editorial for this podcast, in the hopes we’d successfully ignite some curiosity with our audience. It was decided that leading with “Tax Talk” might not be the hook needed. But after our interview with Bobbi Jo Lazarus, Shareholder with Elliott Davis, we changed our minds. Because spending 25 minutes on this podcast is going to be more entertaining and interesting than you would think. And extremely (yes, extremely) educational. In a short amount of time, we unpacked the top elements of the new implications of the Big Beautiful Bill with the addition of perspectives about its place in the landscape of previous bills. Bobbi Jo mentions she feels this work is like ‘solving a puzzle’ and you need to ‘always think ahead.’ In our opinion, no one should make a move in the tax world without a professional like Bobbi Jo.  In addition to her deep knowledge of her craft, Bobbi Jo is the incoming Charlotte NAIOP President. She is a driving force in their initiative around amplifying the boots on the ground voices at the state level. The goal is to establish a coalition that can generate real-time discussions with lawmakers and get more traction around ‘what happens next’ planning. And with the passing of The Big Beautiful Bill, there is so much to parse through, especially as the guidance needed to implement these new laws trickles in. A translator is surely needed.  Our GRWR lighting round, clearly one of our guests’ favorite parts of the interview, gave us a glimpse into what makes Bobbi Jo tick. She’s transparent and funny. Articulate and engaging. Confident and competent. You’re listening and laughing and nodding for so much of the interview that you don’t even realize that we’re talking about …yes…Tax Talk. Just click “listen” and learn for yourself. Bobbi Jo's Professional Bio: With over 20 years of experience, Bobbi Jo Lazarus has established herself as a respected leader within the real estate industry. Utilizing a forward-thinking approach, her expertise extends beyond advisory and tax services, as she consistently delivers value-added solutions supported by the full capabilities of Elliott Davis’s real estate and consulting teams. Her impact is marked by a strong commitment to staying ahead of regulatory changes and market dynamics, ensuring customers remain competitive in an ever-evolving landscape. As the previous Real Estate Industry Specialty Group leader, she spearheaded initiatives to align customer needs with team strengths, resulting in higher satisfaction and measurable business impact. Bobbi Jo’s influence also extends into the non-profit sector, where she has demonstrated exceptional leadership and service, including executive roles supporting organizations focused on real estate development, emergency management, and advocacy. Her ability to navigate complex challenges and foster collaboration has driven success across both corporate and non-profit initiatives, ensuring sustainable growth and positive impact.   Education, Credentials and Special Training Certified Public Accountant B.S., Accounting with an Economics minor, Plymouth State University   Civic & Community Activities  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation Board, Treasurer Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Type III All Hazards Incident Management Team, Member Hopeway, Advisory Board Member   Leadership Charlotte, Class 44   Professional Affiliations NAIOP Charlotte, President-Elect   NAIOP, Tax Policy Committee Member NAIOP Nashville Women Executives of Charlotte  Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Urban Land Institute  CREW Charlotte - Past National Delegate, Past President  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants  North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants   Awards Charlotte Business Journal Women in Business Award Recipient 2025 Career Mastered Emerging Leader Award Recipient 2018 Charlotte Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award Recipient 2016 Mecklenburg Times 50 Most Influential Women Award Recipient 2015 NCACPA Women to Watch, Emerging Leader 2014 CREW Charlotte, Sponsor of the Year 2012 Business Leader Women Extraordinaire, Award Recipient 2011  CREW Charlotte, New Member of the Year 2010

    32 min

  3. JUL 22

    Rodney Faulkner & William Haygood III | Boundary Street Advisors

    This month on Getting Real with Rob, we welcome West Charlotte schoolmates Rodney Faulkner and William Haygood III, founders and partners with Boundary Street Advisors here in Charlotte. Established in 2018, this full-service commercial real estate firm is dedicated to some pretty big, bold ideas when it comes to commercial development. And because of that, Rodney, an alumnus of Appalachian State University and William, an alumnus of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill helped us record an episode that inspires just as much as it informs. Boundary Street Advisors is nothing if not committed to economic and cultural expansion. They love and celebrate everything about Charlotte. A powerhouse of financial acumen tempered by friendship and faith, their company is named after the street that used to mark the edges of the thriving Black business and residential community of Charlotte, Boundary Street, which is now tucked in and around the southwest loop of the I-277. But that’s just a tip of what inspires them.  Let’s start with the term, “Lean in.” Words Rodney and William believe are the key to the way we should approach every venture. They see our region as a landscape of people and businesses that are knitted together like a beautiful quilt. Even though those are simple terms, they take very seriously the idea of insisting that we define our city’s targets for the future, not just have them. Additionally, they believe you should “Lean in” to expansion, to the arts, to transportation, and especially to small businesses.  They also believe that it isn’t the organizations that move us forward, it's the people in those organizations. “Who’s being loud?” Was the question posed by Rodney when we asked him what REBIC can do to help. “What are each of your individual members doing to help?” And with that, we see why these gentlemen are conspicuously unique and refreshing.  Another fascinating response surfaced when we inquired about their strategy to bring more collaboration to the table between developers and policy makers. Wherein they suggested we need a commonsense committee to help us get to the right things; an overlay of friends and caring experts for each development on the table, who can help resolve burdensome and illogical regulations that are preventing something positive from happening.  They also boldly shared what they feel is missing in planning, zoning laws, and developer perception, stating their best advice is to simply ask a policy maker or staff member to lunch and get to know them. “Reach out your hand, Rob.” Rodney invited, and then they shook hands. “I just gave you a gift. We are now friends.” That kind of personal approach is what they feel is their ‘secret sauce.’  Listen to this interview now!

    39 min

  4. JUN 24

    Michael Foess, Founding Executive of Montrose LLC, 2025 REBIC Board President

    Michael Foess (pronounced Fess) is a highly accomplished executive leader with over 25 years of experience in engineering, development, and project management. He is serving as the REBIC Board President of 2025 and brings with him a packed agenda for progress. It is during this episode that he shares his deeper visions for REBIC and for members of the entire Real Estate community. Within the context of regulatory and growth push-back as key elements bogging down housing affordability momentum, Michael sees the way forward by using human strategies as much as a logistic one. With an admission of the missteps taken by policy makers he places the pivotal responsibility for improvement on the shoulders of leaders in our industry. And encourages them to explore the effectiveness of creating a more open and cooperative atmosphere at all levels of negotiation and entitlement. Reinforcing the idea that neighbors, policy makers and elected officials are all fellow share holders in a new development, he parses through the rhetoric and brings the narrative straight back to us. The interview here is a fascinating dialog that leaves no room for confusion and makes progress tactile: Be better at communicating the why, communicating the process, and then really listen. In addition to these human agendas, Michael takes a long look at the positive side of the sweeping changes AI will make in our world, especially its effects on our industry. And encourages us all to meet the moment so we can use this tool wisely and urgently as we envision a more efficient future for development. By way of background, Michael has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC. He is a registered Professional Engineer and licensed general contractor in North Carolina and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Michael is currently on the Board of Directors for the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte and the 2025 Chair for REBIC’s Board of Directors. He is also a subcommittee member for the National Home Builders Association’s Subcommittee on Land Use Policy and the past Chair, Land Development Council for the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte. As the Founding Executive of Montrose LLC, a real estate development consulting firm providing tailored portfolio management, program management, and project management services to developers, builders, investors, and family offices. Montrose is currently managing the entitlement and development of 2,761 residential lots, 3 commercial projects, and a beach front resort community in Central America. Mr. Foess’ achievements include successfully launching an in-house land development platform for a privately held, regional builder, entitling, developing, and delivering 6,645 single-family lots across in four years. Michael has also successfully delivered more than 16 commercial and industrial development projects, including a 152,000 ft² retail center and the most advanced automated mixed materials recovery facility on the east coast.

    31 min

  5. MAY 19

    Dr. Richard J. Buttimer, Dean of the Belk College of Business

    A little-known fact about the important role played by UNC Charlotte in helping the city to attract large industries and corporations is its status as an R1 University (according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education), meaning is a doctoral-granting institution with the highest level of research activity.  It cannot be understated how important that status is to REBIC’s work and success. We rely heavily on their regional housing data to bolster our efforts to steer policy makers towards positive decisions that help ease the housing crisis. That’s why we were thrilled to welcome Richard J. Buttimer Jr. as this episode’s powerhouse guest. He returned to Charlotte in July of 2024 to the Belk College of business as their dean, following four years as dean of the Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. There he led the process for UNF's successful renewal of the AACSB accreditation and created a new master's in the business analytics program.  Raised in Georgia and as much at home in the classroom as he is in the leadership positions that have dominated his career, we are pleased to share that Richard was the John Crosland, Sr. Distinguished Professor of Real Estate and Development at UNC Charlotte and also served the Belk College as senior associate dean, associate dean for faculty and research, director of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate and in other leadership roles. Earlier in his career, he was the Gould/Mayfield Scholar in Real Estate and director of the real estate master’s degree program at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also has served on the Board of Directors for the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association. Buttimer's academic research examines mortgage finance, real estate development and housing markets. He has been published in multiple scholarly journals such as Real Estate Economics, The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics and Regional Science and Urban Economics. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in real estate finance, real estate capital markets, financial management, corporate finance, financial derivatives, and fixed-income derivatives. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.  Buttimer has a bachelor's degree in finance and earned his Ph.D. in business administration with a focus on real estate from the University from the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business and is a Phi Kappa Phi honor society member.  Our conversation with Richard helped inform our understanding about what UNC’s Belk College of business is doing behind the scenes to meet their goal of becoming one of the top 25 business schools in the country in the next decade.

    27 min

  6. APR 29

    Alyson Craig, Assistant City Manager for the City of Charlotte

    As we welcome Alyson Craig back to the podcast booth, we get a chance to not only celebrate her advancement to the position of Assistant City Manager for the City of Charlotte but reconnect on so many issues that important to our members. By way of background, Craig joined the City of Charlotte in 2018 as the Charlotte Planning, Design & Development Deputy Director and managed the Land Development, Entitlement Services (Rezoning/UDO), and Design and Preservation divisions as well as the department's human resources and budget operations. Craig also led the city's "one stop shop" initiative and the creation of the CLT Development Center. Previously serving as the Co-Director of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate and the Director for the Master of Science in Real Estate program at UNC Charlotte. She taught several courses within the UNC-Charlotte graduate real estate program including planning and real estate development and has been an active member of the Charlotte community, committing her time to the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and several other professional and community organizations. Craig is also a certified planner with the American Planning Association and received her AICP certification in 2009. Alyson has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has two master's degrees, one in sustainable development and conservation ecology from the University of Georgia and another in real estate from UNC Charlotte. With over 25 years of experience in land use planning, real estate development, public policy, and education, Alyson is one of the few in her field with experience in both the public and private sectors. That ‘savvy’ reaches across all sectors including land use planning, entitlements, community outreach, budget and staff management, and communications. As far as the cadence of the interview, both Rob and Alyson were full of humor that belied her full transparency into her intentions and vision for Charlotte. She shared her recommendations for helping to continually improve and refine the “living document”; her reference to the Charlotte UDO, her desire to truly streamline the permitting process, to push forward on exploring church owned property collaborations for developing attainable housing, and even a clever idea to help mitigate tree canopy metrics while helping to maximize lot yield. And the positive buzz she is hearing across the country about our great city of Charlotte makes our buttons burst. In summary? Alyson is constantly pushing against the norm, finding cracks in the ‘box’ so she can break it wide open and find real solutions. Thank you, Alyson, for your willingness to update our REBIC members with this episode!

    26 min

  7. MAR 25

    Tim Moore | US Congressman

    Our podcast has welcomed many who have served in our government but our short interview with Congressman Tim Moore proved not only important, but so very timely. Especially for those who are anxious to hear from this respected man about what he’s finding in Washington as he settles into Congress. Listen to his succinct delivery of facts, his philosophy about how to restore accountability in Washington, his time with President Trump, and his unceasing optimism about the future. This episode is relevant and interesting. Don’t miss it. Tim Moore, elected in 2024 to serve in the US Congress, is a lifelong resident of Kings Mountain, N.C. He graduated from Kings Mountain High School in 1988, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 and a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1995. Upon graduating law school and passing the North Carolina Bar Exam, Moore returned to Cleveland County to begin practicing law in Shelby, N.C. He became a partner at Flowers, Martin, Moore & Ditz before opening his own firm in Kings Mountain in 2009. His practice focuses on litigation in areas including criminal law, family law, personal injury, wills and estates, corporate law and civil litigation. He also has experience in administrative and governmental law and previously served as county attorney for Cleveland County and general counsel to the Cleveland County Water Board of Commissioners. Moore represented Cleveland County for over 21 years in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He was elected Speaker of the House in 2015 and has chaired several committees, including the Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House Committee and the House Elections Committee. He sponsored key legislation, including the Jessica Lunsford Act, which increased penalties for child sex offenders, and Laura's Law, which strengthened DUI penalties for repeat offenders. Under Moore's leadership of the Republican majority, the House outlawed sanctuary cities, balanced the state budget annually and enacted one of the largest personal income tax cuts in North Carolina history. Moore also successfully spearheaded efforts to implement voter ID laws, requiring North Carolinians to present identification when voting. While Washington politicians have struggled to deliver on their promises, Tim Moore has demonstrated that conservative leadership gets results. With a proven record in North Carolina, his leadership brings the experience needed to address challenges in Congress. Moore lives in Kings Mountain with his two sons, McRae and Wilson, and attends the First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain.

    16 min

  8. FEB 25

    James Pressly - Builder, Developer, Civic Leader

    As James Pressly took his seat, his tall frame easing effortlessly into the seat opposite Rob, we watched as he opened his iPad to access his notes and listened to him express gratitude for the platform we were providing. Honestly, we couldn’t wait to hit the record button. Poised, prepared, and passionate, James covered topics from politics to his family’s legacy, from stories of angry farmers defending their land rights, to explaining the real origin of the term NIMBY. As we settled into the episode, James mused, “Closed mouths don’t get fed…we have to speak out.” And went on to admonish our entire industry to get more involved. “We need to be asking how we can help you, [Rob]…” Going on to explain that our industry should be communicating more effectively with elected officials and neighborhood shareholders. He then closed his thoughts with: “As builders and developers, we sometimes get a bad reputation, and we have to do a better job of communicating the benefits of our services.”    James Pressly is the managing member of Pressly Residential Group, LLC, which he runs with his father, David Pressly, founder of the organization. They develop and build market-rate and affordable multifamily housing communities located in Statesville, NC. Having served in leadership roles for local, state, and national trade groups, including holding the title of past president of the Iredell County Home Builders Association, James was appointed in 2019, by the North Carolina General Assembly. It is there he serves on the state’s Housing Partnership Board of Directors, working to connect private sector home building initiatives with public affordable housing programs. In 2024, Governor Roy Cooper appointed him to serve on the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors to protect public welfare through the regulation of NC General Contractors. He is a licensed NC General Contractor (License no. 73506) and NC Real Estate Broker (License no. 272033). Professional designations include NAHB’s Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP), Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), and Certified Property Manager (CPM) through the Institute of Real Estate Management of the National Association of Realtors.     James graduated with a degree in History from the University of South Carolina and holds graduate degrees in Master of Business Administration (WCU, 2013) and Master of Science in Real Estate Finance and Development (UNCC, 2016). He is an Eagle Scout from New Salem United Methodist Church Troop 363 and an ordained and installed officer at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. He and his wife, Jessie, live in Statesville, NC.

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Getting Real With Rob is the official podcast of the Real Estate & Building Industry Coalition in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hosted by Executive Director Rob Nanfelt, Getting Real With Rob features real conversations with industry leaders about real estate, housing and community.

Information

  • Creator
    Real Estate & Building Industry Coalition (REBIC)
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved 2022 REBIC
  • Show Website
    Getting Real With Rob

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