CHARLOTTE, NC – Northwood Office announces it has named John Barton as president. With 23 years of experience in commercial real estate as a principal, intermediary, lender and lawyer, Barton will focus on further enhancing Northwood’s office leasing and operations, integrating more mixed uses into its Ballantyne investment in Charlotte, and growing the company’s management platform in other markets.

Most recently, Barton served as managing director and co-head of HFF’s Office Investment Advisory Group in Atlanta, where he handled sales of office buildings in the Southeast. Prior to joining HFF, Barton served as senior vice president and managing director of Parkway Properties, an office REIT controlled by private-equity firm TPG, where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s Atlanta and Philadelphia markets. During his 16-year career at Parkway, Barton was directly involved in asset repositioning, leasing, operations and joint ventures in multiple Sunbelt and Mid-Atlantic markets and facilitated more than $2.2 billion of office acquisitions and dispositions totaling approximately 10 million square feet. During his last four years at Parkway, lease-transaction volume in Barton’s markets exceeded $500 million. Before joining Parkway, Barton served as an asset manager for approximately two million square feet of office buildings, underwrote and negotiated CMBS loans totaling $300 million, and practiced business law, including commercial real estate.

Barton is actively involved in community activities. In Atlanta’s Buckhead submarket, Barton served as a member of the Buckhead Coalition and the board of directors of the Buckhead Community Improvement District. In addition, he served as vice president and secretary of the West Paces Neighborhood Association. In Atlanta’s Central Perimeter submarket, Barton served as a member of the board of directors of the Central (DeKalb) Perimeter Community Improvement District. He is also a member of the Georgia State University Real Estate Honorary Board. Barton is a graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson and former member of the board of directors of Downtown Jackson Partners, the management and economic development agency for the Downtown Jackson Business Improvement District.

Barton graduated from Southern Methodist University (bachelor’s degree in political science; minor in business), magna cum laude, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law. He resides in Charlotte.

“This role at Northwood speaks to my passion for working on the principal side of the business,” said John Barton, president of Northwood Office. “It’s such an exciting time to join Northwood Office, and I am thoroughly enjoying working with our outstanding team to enhance Ballantyne even further and expand the Northwood Office platform into multiple markets.”

“John’s background fits perfectly with what we are trying to accomplish platform-wide. John’s expertise focusing on the customer, leasing and asset management, coupled with his long-standing industry relationships, make him uniquely qualified to help us build out this vitally important platform for Northwood,” said Marshall Nevins, managing director, Northwood Investors.

“In addition to John’s extensive experience and strong work ethic, his positive energy is contagious. John will play a pivotal role in evolving Ballantyne through our master plan effort, and I look forward to working with him as he leads the organization,” said Ned Curran, CEO Emeritus, Northwood Office.

Curran, who most recently served as president of the company, will continue to stay involved in an advisory capacity. Additionally, Tom Pizzo has been promoted to executive vice president and will oversee all operations, including managing more than six million square feet of Class A office space in Charlotte and other Northwood Office markets.

“Tom’s proven track record, approachable management style, flexibility and unwavering commitment to the success of Ballantyne make him an incredible asset to our team,” said Curran.

The platform will continue to expand as it takes on more in-house property management and development projects at Northwood Investors’ assets nationwide.