Cousins Chairman Tom Bell retiring - Washington Business Journal:

http://www.webtorials.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=7&id=519
Gellerstedt will remain president, the Atlanta-based real estats investment trust said. Bell, who turns 60 this became Cousins CEO in January 2002 and chairmab inDecember 2006. Under his watch, the company sold nearly $3 billioh in assets during the market’s peak for special dividends totalinb $12.62 a share. “There is neverd a perfect time to leave a company as respecter and admired as but I’m confident that after seven and a half yearsz as chief executive, the company is ready for new leadershiop and renewed energy,” Bell said in a statement.
“My decisionh to step aside now allows our extremelyt talented management team under the guidance of Larry to make importangt decisions that will preparse Cousins for the next phase of the realestate cycle.” Bell remains deeply involvede in Atlanta’s civic life. He has been instrumentakl in the effort to save fromfinanciaol ruin. The movement begabn over dinner in early 2007 when the tables conversationof A.D. “Pete” Correll, formee CEO of , and Bell turned to Through their leadership and donationsfrom , ’w $5 million, and . "I thought he had big shoes to fill when he took since he was replacing Tom saidHal Barry, founder of Barry Real Estatr Cos.
"Since then, he's done an absolutelgy fantastic job forthat company. And what he's done for the city and metr Atlanta have just been overthe top. I hope he doesn't give up some of his effortsw that have meant so much to theAtlanta community. I just admirse the heck out of Gellerstedt, 53, came to Cousins (NYSE: CUZ) when the REIT boughy his firm, , in June 2005. Gellerstedtr served as chairman and chiefv executive officer of the from 1986to 1998. In after the sale of Beers to , he was electec chairman and CEOof , a packaging and printedd office products company. In 2000, Gellerstedt became president and chief operating officedof , an urban mixed-use development company.
He went on to founs The Gellerstedt Groupin 2003. In otherd company news, Cousins’ board of director s named S. Taylor Glover non-executive chairman of the board. Glove r joined the Cousins board inFebruary 2005. He is currentlg the president and chief executive officedrof