In its half-century in business, Cousins Properties has developed 20 million square feet of office space, 20 million square feet of retail space, more than 4,000 multi-family units and more than 60 single-family neighborhoods. About 65 percent of Cousins' operating assets are in Atlanta. Here are some company milestones:
1958: Founded as a local home builder and residential developer.
1962: Company goes public.
1965: Enters into office and industrial development; first office building at Piedmont-Cain downtown.
Late 1960s: Assembles blocks in south downtown for sports coliseum and hotel, office, retail complex that eventually becomes the CNN Center.
1981: Builds office buildings in Wildwood office park and Lenox Square area.
1985: Forms joint ventures to own real estate with IBM and Coca-Cola Co.
Late 1980s: Builds 191 Peachtree Tower in partnership with Gerald Hines, Dutch Institutional Holdings and NationsBank Plaza.
1992: Returns to retail development with the acquisition of Atlanta-based developer, New Market.
1993: Returns to its roots in residential development, buying land in Cobb, Gwinnett and Cherokee counties.
1996: Enters health care development with the acquisition of Lea Richmond Co., an Atlanta-based medical office developer.
1999: Expands in downtown Atlanta with the purchase of Inforum, joint venture for Crawford Long expansion, plan for Peachtree Street office tower between Georgia-Pacific Center and Ritz-Carlton.
June 2005: Acquires Gellerstedt Group, headed by Larry Gellerstedt III.
2006: Acquires 191 Peachtree Tower.
May 2008: Reorganizes company structure from five to three key divisions.
December 2008: Joel Murphy, chief leasing and asset management officer, retires.
Feb. 17: Dan DuPree, president and chief operating office, is named vice chairman. Larry Gellerstedt III, executive vice president and chief development officer, becomes president and COO. Tom Bell remains chairman and chief executive.
March 15: Vice chairman Dan DuPree leaves to pursue other interests.
June 8: Chairman and chief executive Tom Bell says he will retire July 1, handing the reins to Gellerstedt.
The Gellerstedt file
Name: Lawrence Love Gellerstedt III
Age: 53
Residence: Ansley Park
Family: Married to wife Carol, a violinist, for 31 years. Son, Lawrence IV, 24; daughter, Liza, 23 ; and 18-month-old grandson, Calvin.
Hobbies: Golfing. Attending his wife's violin concerts. Spending time at the family's North Georgia lake house. "There's this turn (in the road) where I can feel the weight lift off my shoulders."
Lessons learned: "Be conservative. Focus on quality. Treat people right and put back into your community."
