Jo Ann Chitty

Chief Operating Officer

Since 2005, Jo Ann has lead Acquisitions, Development, and Project Finance for Selig Enterprises. During this time, Jo Ann has acquired more than $90 million of land and improved properties; sourced more than $300 million in project financing; and is in the process of leading Selig’s partnership interests in developing $270 million in new projects, including a joint venture between Selig and Carter to transform Sandy Springs through the retail and multifamily development portion of the new Sandy Springs City Center project.

Jo Ann is very involved in the company’s strategic operations and planning. Each year she plans and leads the company’s off-site strategic planning meetings, which include a full portfolio review and identification of financial resources to implement the company’s new investment efforts.

Prior to coming to Selig, Jo Ann served as the founding Executive Director and President of the University of Georgia Real Estate Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit created to acquire, development and finance real estate projects to enhance the university. In only five years, her team acquired 16 properties totaling 90 acres, completed $200 million in tax exempt financing, and developed more than 1 million square feet of new properties on campus.

From 1985 to 1999 Jo Ann was Senior Vice President and COO of TriNet Corporate Realty Trust and iStar Financial [NYSE:SFI] the successor company of the 1999 merger of TriNet and Starwood Financial Inc. During Jo Ann’s tenure she was responsible for all asset management and operations responsibilities including leasing, dispositions, risk management, and acquisition underwriting of the company’s 30 million sf equity portfolio valued at approximately $2.5 billion.

Jo Ann is an active volunteer in the community. She currently serves as Chair of the Kennesaw State University Foundation. Previously, she served as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, Chair of the Real Estate Committee, and Vice Chair.
Jo Ann is past Vice Chair of the Capital Improvements Committee for the Piedmont Park Conservancy and was a member of Piedmont Park Conservancy’s Executive Committee.

Jo Ann serves on the Managing Board of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) of Atlanta. From 2011 to 2014 she served as Chair of ULI’s Urban Land program. The Urban Land program goes into high schools and universities and facilitates a complex real estate development competition for students in government, economics, real estate, and business classes. Jo Ann has and personally mentored students through program at several institutions. She has spoken to classes in Georgia Tech’s MBA and real estate programs, and been a frequent panelist and speaker at ULI’s Center for Leadership.