The BJS Team
Richard D. Searles
Chief Executive Officer
Since August 1995, Richard has been active in the senior housing industry working with several of the country’s leading providers of senior housing and assisted living. Richard began working with Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. in its Southeast expansion in 1995. Prior to his senior housing development activities, Richard Searles was the Project Manager for a massive national due diligence contract with Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), an instrumentality of the United States of America. This assignment was to analyze value and prepare for sale over $1.6 billion of hotels, golf courses, land and other assets. Richard Searles is versed in all senior housing aspects such as design, development consulting, specifics of operations, legislative actions to promote the industry, licensing and permitting issues. Also, he oversees preparation of market feasibility studies, competition analysis, caregiver criteria, projections and business plans.
Rick’s development company, CRT Realty & Development, initiated the foundation of the Beverly J. Searles Foundation in 2007. His expertise in the Georgia Department of Community Affairs housing program has led to the development of over 2,000 housing units as of 2020.
Philip E. Searles
President
A native of Atlanta, Philip is our leader for the next generation. After earning a degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama, he began his career working at the Reznick Group as an auditor of affordable housing properties, routinely compiling financials from both construction and operating general ledgers. Answering the call to be with his family more, Philip joined Searles Foundation in 2008. He has become an advocate for providing affordable housing choices for Georgia residents, while encouraging programming that enhances resident’s health, wellness and spiritual growth through the Beverly J. Searles Foundation Resident Services.
One of his communities, Myrtle Terraces I in Gainesville, GA, was awarded the Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award in 2016. Philip joined the Searles Foundation Board of Directors in June 2008. Philip currently serves as one of the foundation Project Managers.
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David S. Searles Jr.
Chief Financial Officer
After Fort Benning in 1968, David was an MBA student and then junior faculty member at Harvard Business School., David Searles began his real estate career in 1971 developing an office in New Canaan, CT. Beginning in 1973 he served as the CFO for a SEC registered land development company based in Miami, FL. In mid-1975, David moved to Atlanta to oversee management of a 625-acre golf course planned community in Roswell, serving the 14 banks that had become land owners.
Starting in 1976 as a general partner, developer and owner, David owned and developed apartments and land in Tennessee and Georgia. David and former business partner were general partners for 10 years in a partnership with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. David was a Director of Tucker Federal Savings and Loan Association, a $320 million thrift institution, and its parent holding company, Eagle Bancshares, Inc. (now part of PNC Bank). He is president of Phoenix Associates, Inc., and a manager of CRT Realty & Development, LLC, Chase Properties Associates, LLC, Searles Realty Associates, LLC and others in Atlanta.
Debbie A. Gallogly
Chief Operations Officer
Debbie joined the BJS team in charge of Operations in April 2009 and was awarded the title of Chief Operations Officer in 2011. She joined the CRT Realty & Development team in March 2004. Other work experience includes work in the non-profit sector. Debbie began work for Wildlife Action, Inc., a nonprofit sportsman group, in 1983 as the head of Public Relations for the National Chapter headquartered in South Carolina, and served as the Environmental Chairperson for a chapter in Columbia, SC, working with state agencies, state legislature and other sportsmen/environmental groups on state and local issues.
She joined the Lancaster County School District as the Volunteer Coordinator in 1997 for a school of 850 students and 60 faculty members in Fort Mill, SC. Debbie’s education includes study as a voice major/English major at Francis Marion University, North Greenville College and USC Spartanburg. Debbie currently serves on both the development side of the foundation and the resident services side.
David Russell
Project Manager
David Russell is the principal of River North Development and contracts with BJS as a project manager responsible for providing development services. Previously as development officer for Sunrise Senior Living and vice president of CRT Realty & Development, David has been instrumental in the development of 22 senior housing properties with development costs in excess of $250 million as he continues to build his portfolio of experience with BJS Foundation.
David’s expertise entails the planning, site selection, design, entitlement and construction related processes unique to the senior housing arena. David earned a B.S. in Political Economy at Tulane University and a M.B.A. in Finance from Emory University.
Cassius Coleman
Development Manager
Cassius is a native of Atlanta, Ga. and currently resides in SW Atlanta with his wife and 2 kids. Cassius has over 30 years’ experience in accounting, taxation, real estate and business development. He began his career as a Corporate and State Tax Analyst for Rollins, Inc. where he gained experience in filing corporate and state tax returns. After 3 years with Rollins, Cassius accepted a position with Arby’s as Accounting Manager with responsibilities over the Southeast Region in which he managed assets in excess of $200M. After an 8-year stint with Arby’s Inc., Cassius went to work for McKinsey & Company for 6 years as Finance & Accounting Manager. For the last 6 years Cassius has focused on developing Affordable Senior, Workforce, Student and Market Rate housing in the Southeast.
Cassius’ 25 years in accounting, tax and finance enabled his career to smoothly transition from accounting to the real estate development space. Cassius began his career in real estate development as an owner’s representative and co-developer, thereby allowing him to gain experience on Low Income Housing Tax Credit, (LIHTC), projects. Cassius has taken projects from conception to certificate of occupancy wherein he was intimately involved in all aspects of the development process, including, but not limited to; zoning, permitting, design, debt/equity financing and construction accounting.
Danielle Johnson
Project Management Intern
Danielle, a native of Atlanta joined The Searles Foundation in November 2019. In 2014, Danielle began working with The Oasis of Vine City, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. She assisted in the development of 105 units of affordable senior homes in The Vine City Community, where her relationship with The Searles Foundation started. During her time with on the development team of The Oasis, a desire to develop more affordable housing and residential communities sparked within her. Danielle is now interning with the foundation in order to gain more knowledge and experience in the development field.
In 2006, Danielle managed operations of The Orange Café (her family owned restaurant) in Decatur, GA. Other work experience includes administrative, management, and event planning for underserved communities.
Victoria Curran
Senior Accountant
Victoria joined the Searles Foundation team in 2016. As senior accountant, she is responsible for the day-to-day accounting activities of the Foundation as well as managing the accounting tasks for all phases of our development projects. This includes the preparation of the construction loan draw requests for many of our developments. A native of Minnesota by way of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she and her family lived in New York for many years before moving to Atlanta.
During her career she has worked for financial institutions, governmental agencies, CPA firms and volunteered with several nonprofits. She joined the Searles Foundation because of her love of helping other people. A graduate of Miami University of Ohio, she became a licensed certified public accountant in New York and is currently a member of the Georgia Society of CPAs.
Joann Costa-Cordero
Accounting/Asset Management
Joann joined the Searles Foundation team January, 2018 as the Office Manager and Bookkeeper upon her relocation to the Metro Atlanta area. Her responsibilities include assist to the Senior Accountant and Project Managers with current and future projects.
Joann holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Marketing and has more than 20 years experience in Accounting, Office Management and in the entertainment Industry. She possesses a diverse array of skills related to her professional career, including production of various media products, organization management and GAAP. Among her past professional experiences, Joann previously worked in the Banking and Financial Institution sectors as well as a freelance consultant for several advertising agencies. Joann enjoys spending time with her family and her 2 dogs and is a fitness enthusiast on a daily basis.
Robin McKiddy
Regional Resident Services Manager
Robin joined the Searles Foundation team in July, 2016, as the Resident Services Director of Myrtle Terraces in Gainesville, GA. She worked to build programming for the residents at this community as part of the Resident Services Programming sponsored by the Foundation. Her early work history included positions in the hospitality industry and business administration. She earned a certification for nursing assistant in 1993 and worked in home health, nursing homes and hospitals for 20 years. While working as a nursing assistant she also earned her real estate license in 1997. In 2013 she earned a BS from Brenau Univeristy in Health & Science. In 2017, she earned a Masters in Applied Gerontology from Brenau University.
Robins role with the Foundation changed in 2018 and she was promoted to the position of Regional Resident Services Manager, and currently holds that position, managing the day-to-day operations of our Resident Services Directors for all of our communities.
