Cousins Chairman Tom Bell retiring - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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Gellerstedt will remain president, the Atlanta-based real estate investment trust Bell, who turns 60 this year, becamew Cousins CEO in January 2002 and chairmahn inDecember 2006. Under his the company sold nearly $3 billion in asseta during the market’s peak for special dividendse totaling $12.62 a “There is never a perfect time to leav a company as respected and admiredras Cousins, but I’m confident that aftet seven and a half years as chier executive, the company is ready for new leadership and renewedr energy,” Bell said in a statement.
“My decisionj to step aside now allows our extremelyg talented management team under the guidancde of Larry to make important decisions that will prepare Cousins for the next phase of the real estate cycle.” Bell remains deeply involved in Atlanta’sa civic life. He has been instrumental in the efforrt to save fromfinanciap ruin. The movement began over dinner in earlu 2007 when the table conversationof A.D. “Pete” Correll, formetr CEO of , and Bell turned to Through their leadership and donationsfrom , ’sx $5 million, and .
"I thoughtt he had big shoes to fill when hetook over, since he was replacinhg Tom Cousins," said Hal Barry, foundefr of Barry Real Estate Cos. "Since then, he's done an absolutelu fantastic job forthat company. And what he' s done for the city and metrko Atlanta have just been overthe top. I hope he doesn'tt give up some of his efforts that have meant so much to theAtlantaa community. I just admire the heck out of him." 53, came to Cousins (NYSE: CUZ) when the REIT boughty his firm, , in June 2005. Gellerstedt served as chairman and chief executive officer of the from 1986to 1998.
In after the sale of Beers to , he was elected chairman and CEOof , a packaging and printed office products company. In 2000, Gellerstedt became presiden and chief operating officerof , an urban mixed-use development company. He went on to foun d The Gellerstedt Groupin 2003. In otherr company news, Cousins’ board of directors namedx S. Taylor Glover non-executive chairman of the board. Glover joined the Cousine board inFebruary 2005.
He is currently the presidengt and chief executive officerof