Greater Nashville Office Market Outlook

Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier A visionary leader and internationally renowned political scientist and management scholar, Daniel Diermeier is the ninth chancellor of Vanderbilt University. Since joining Vanderbilt in 2020, Chancellor Diermeier has led an ambitious program of advancement and growth. During his tenure, the university has risen in stature, successfully launched a record $3.2 Billion capital campaign, topped the $1 billion mark in funding for the first time in the university’s history and reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to free expression and civil discourse. He has driven efforts to become the destination for leading faculty and the most promising students, to create a culture of radical collaboration and personal growth for Vanderbilt’s faculty, students and staff and to expand Vanderbilt’s global presence. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Guggenheim Foundation. He has published five books and more than 100 research articles, mostly in the fields of political science and economics and management, but also in other fields, including linguistics, sociology, psychology, computer science, operations research and applied mathematics. Before arriving at Vanderbilt, Chancellor Diermeier served in leadership and faculty roles at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and at the University of Chicago, where he served as dean of the Harris School of Public Policy. From 2016 until 2020, he was the University of Chicago’s provost, responsible for all academic and research programs across the university, as well as oversight of the university’s $5 billion budget. Throughout his career, Diermeier has been an adviser to governments, nonprofits and leading companies, mostly in the area of crisis management. He has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, technology companies and the Management Board of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a board member of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the Field Museum and Argonne National Laboratory. A native of Berlin, Germany, and a first-generation college graduate, Diermeier earned a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Rochester. He also holds master’s degrees in political science from the University of Munich and in philosophy from the University of Southern California.

Bill Haslam is the former governor of the State of Tennessee. He was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014 with the largest victory in modern Tennessee history. During his two terms as governor, Tennessee students were the fastest improving in the country in academic achievement, and high school graduation rates reached an all-time high. Tennessee became the first state in the nation to offer high school graduates and adults two years of community or technical college free of mandatory tuition and fees as part of the governor’s Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect programs. Tennessee’s unemployment rate reached the lowest level recorded in state history and Haslam worked with the Tennessee General Assembly to simultaneously pass the largest tax cut in Tennessee history and improve the state’s transportation infrastructure. Tennessee also cut more than $575 million in recurring spending, more than tripled the state’s savings account, and helped the state earn a triple AAA bond rating. In 2003, Haslam ran successfully for mayor of Knoxville and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2007. Since leaving office, Haslam has returned to the private sector and continues to be engaged on many local and national issues. He currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Teach for America, Wilson Center, and Young Life. He is the Co-Chair of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, and he serves on the Board of the Institute of American Civics and as Professor at the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee. Haslam is the author of Faithful Presence: The Promise and Peril of Faith in the Public Square and co-hosts the podcast You Might Be Right. Haslam and his wife, Crissy, have been married for 42 years and are blessed with three children and ten grandchildren.

Sheila Dial Barton AIA, LEED AP is a Principal with EOA Architects in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1991, this regional design firm is known for its innovative approach to architectural practice, called humanizing design. EOA’s focus on sustainable and environmental design includes Nashville’s first LEED-Gold high-rise, The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, along with multiple LEED/sustainable projects throughout the Southeast including the $160M Tennessee State Museum. EOA’s current work includes the new Tennessee Performing Art Center (TPAC), the new Tennessee Titan’s Football Stadium, War Memorial and Legislative Plaza Building Renovations, and a new concourse at the Nashville International Airport. First, studying Interior Design at the Art Institute of Atlanta, Sheila later received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Tennessee in 1997 and studied urban planning through UT’s foreign exchange program in Krakow, Poland. Sheila is a member of the ULI (Urban Land Institute), former Chair of Mission Advancement, and current Chair of ULI Nashville’s 950 members. She is an alum of Leadership Nashville, Class of 2023, and has been involved with numerous professional and community organizations including past President of the AIA Middle Tennessee Board of Directors, the Interior Design Advisory Board at O’More College of Design, the Metro Public Arts Committee and former Chair of The DISTRICT.

Jeff Pape has been providing commercial real estate development solutions throughout the United States for over 30 years. At GBT Jeff is responsible for leading all aspects of Real Estate Development for all GBT’s Development platforms. Jeff is very active in Nashville with NAIOP as a member of the Developers Round Table as well as a ULI committee member and part of the Davidson County Development Council. GBT was selected as the NAIOP Middle Tennessee Developer of the Year in 2023 with Jeff leading the development efforts. Jeff has been a faculty member for the John T. Riordan School for Professional Development where he teaches courses in commercial real estate development and contract documents. Jeff served as a member of the ICSC Centerbuild program committee. He is also a licensed professional engineer. Prior to his role at GBT, Jeff formed D&A Development and Consulting, Inc, and held senior leadership positions with several notable commercial real estate companies, such as Regency Centers (NYSE: REG), North American Properties and The Sembler Company. Jeff is a graduate of Bucknell University.

Christopher is an internationally recognized, award-winning workplace designer, and serves as a Regional Practice Area Leader for Media and Financial Services Firms. While his projects vary greatly in type, size and aesthetic, each one demonstrates Christopher’s deep understanding of how a workplace can best represent an organization’s unique culture and have a positive impact on people. A voracious reader, Christopher stays abreast of business trends and context; and, as a result, his designs anticipate future challenges and seamlessly bridge today’s needs with evolving workplace expectations. An advocate for true sustainability in our homes, workplaces and neighborhoods, he is a founding member of the North Texas Collaborative of the Living Building Challenge – the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment today. Christopher earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Texas.

How I came to architecture and design... Thinking back, I’ve always had an affinity for the mechanics of things. My dad was a self-taught jack of all trades. Building a family cottage with him, at age twelve, was a pivotal experience for me. I found technical drawing in high school and quickly moved into CAD (for MS-DOS). During college, I found my love for design and all things architecture. My early career was spent working in educational and municipal buildings. Those experiences taught me the process of building while I developed my process of design. Now having spent more than 15 years focused on workplace, I find myself excited by the continuous evolution of the office. My role at EWP... Is first and foremost about creating an environment where my team can succeed. Putting them in a position of success means our clients get our best. Teaching, mentoring, and directing each have their time. As project principal, I’m responsible for the overall direction of the project, keeping an eye on the big picture goals, and helping to navigate challenges. Outside of EWP... Husband and Dad to three boys, I spend an inordinate amount of time sleeping in tents. You need a hobby, said no parent of three boys ever. Life would not be the same without them and I’m grateful for it. When free time presents itself and the world is not a mess traveling is a passion and I’m always looking forward to my next trip.

Kelli is the Director of Interior Design and a Principal at STG Design who brings over a decade of experience in commercial design. As the Director of Interiors, she is responsible for the overall success of projects through staffing and project oversight. Kelli’s project work includes a multitude of clients and various project types including legal, corporate and hospitality As a Principal of the firm, Kelli has a particular focus on business development, by curating and maintaining successful client relationships. She is also involved with the local chapters of several professional organizations including CoreNet and NAIOP, as well as the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the AEC Power Women.

Jenna Muller is a Senior Director of Office Leasing & Transaction Advisory Services for the Cushman & Wakefield Nashville office, specializing in agency leasing and tenant representation. Jenna has brokered $1 billion in office leasing and sale transactions totaling over 3.5 million square feet. With over 15 years as a leader in the office real estate market, Jenna brings 10 years of experience from Washington, DC - representing large corporate and institutional real estate clients - to the Nashville market, where she has leveraged her expertise for the last 5 years. Her work with the largest institutional owners in the country, as well as many publicly traded companies, distinguishes her as a leader in Nashville, as the city undergoes a major transformation with an influx of new companies and residents from around the world. Jenna’s successful assignments range from leasing new Class A office towers to representing high growth tech companies for new offices around the country. Her diverse perspective, combined with deep market knowledge and strong relationships, has translated into a proven track record of executing her clients’ strategic objectives, delivering results that positively impact the bottom line. In addition, she serves on several local boards as well as national committees for Cushman & Wakefield, including Cushman’s Tenant Advisory Group Executive Council. Over the course of her career, she has received numerous honors, ranking among CREBA’s top office leasing brokers from 2013 – 2017 and receiving Costar’s Power Broker Award as a top 5 office leasing broker for Nashville in 2020, among other awards. Representative clients include New City Properties, JP Morgan, Endeavor Real Estate Group, Granite Properties, EQ Office, Blackstone, CIM Group, Clarion, Costar Group, MedStar Health, iHeartMedia, Deloitte, Siemens, and Panasonic.

Zachary M. Baker, CPIA, CPIU, LPIA, is the Principal and Chief Consultant at The David Group, LLC. Armed with over 15 years of nationwide industry experience in successfully navigating complex commercial property insurance claims. Zach has a passion for maximizing carrier settlements to better protect his client’s valuable assets. Zach has been directly involved in numerous high-value claims that have resulted in fully indemnifying the insured, and is also active in the certification and ethical training of other professionals in his industry. Prior to founding The David Group LLC in 2017, Zach obtained valuable discernment and technical experience as the founder of Spartan Public Adjusting, LLC, specializing in successfully handling large loss and complex claims. Zach gained experience at the start of his career with property management and the building trades through early involvement in mixed use tax credit redevelopments. Zach is a Certified Property Insurance Appraiser, Umpire and a Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster in more than ten states. Additionally, Zach is honored to serve the Property Loss Appraisal Network (P.L.A.N.) certification organization as their assistant director. Zach is based out of middle Tennessee, where he resides with his family.