Cord Butler
Jacksonville native and seasoned real estate professional Cord Butler is the President of The Cordell Group, a boutique commercial real estate brokerage and consulting firm he founded in 2006. With more than 38 years of experience in commercial real estate and finance, Butler has been involved in transactions totaling more than $200 million.
His expertise spans all critical areas of the industry, including commercial sales, tenant representation, site selection, investment sales, disposition, valuation, and complex assemblages. Prior to founding The Cordell Group, Butler brokered with CBRE and served as Director of Real Estate for First Coast Energy (Shell Oil/Daily’s), a joint venture with Motiva. Earlier in his career, he worked in mortgage banking and as a Commercial Real Estate Appraiser with The Rogers Appraisal Group, giving him a well-rounded perspective across virtually every facet of the business.
Butler’s depth of experience and established network of 3rd party consultants enables him to maximize value for clients in all areas of commercial real estate, while significantly reducing occupancy costs for those leasing, buying and/or selling property through strategic market knowledge, detailed financial analysis, and skilled negotiation.
Professional Experience
Principal | The Cordell Group
Jan 2006 – Present
Founder and principal of a boutique commercial real estate firm specializing in all facets of brokerage, including:
- Tenant representation, commercial sales, site selection
- Disposition of bank-owned properties and complex assemblages
- Urban revitalization and adaptive reuse projects
Vice President/Principal | Metrovest Properties, Inc.
Aug 2004 – Dec 2006
Partner in a brokerage firm focused on sales, tenant representation (office/industrial) and consulting for infill and urban revitalization areas, including San Marco, Riverside, and St. Augustine.
Director of Real Estate | First Coast Energy, LLC (Shell Oil/Daily’s)
Jul 2002 – Aug 2004
Directed real estate operations for a portfolio of 200+ retail, convenience store, and service station properties. Responsibilities included site selection, negotiation, contract administration, due diligence, permitting, zoning compliance, and strategic disposition. Managed transactions valued at $20M+ and developed alliances with major national retailers including Lowe’s, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walgreens, and CVS.
Industrial Associate | CBRE
Jan 2000 – Aug 2002
Represented owners and tenants in sales and lease negotiations for industrial properties ranging from 1,000 SF to 120,000 SF. Awarded “Rookie of the Year” in 2000 with over $6M in listings.
President | Gulfstream Financial / Hometrust Financial Services, Inc.
Jan 1995 – Dec 1999
Owner , manager and principal of mortgage brokerage operation across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Colorado. Oversaw budgeting, business development, compliance, and operations.
Commercial Real Estate Appraiser | The Rogers Appraisal Group, Inc.
Sep 1987 – Dec 1994
Completed 250+ narrative appraisals across retail, office, industrial, multifamily, hotel, and land. Gained experience in all major valuation techniques, completing required education and experience credits toward the MAI designation.
Education
- BBA, Real Estate & Urban Land Economics | University of North Florida, Coggin College of Business (1987–1990)
- Episcopal High School of Jacksonville (1980–1983)
Licenses & Skills
- Florida Licensed Real Estate Broker
Core Skills:
- Tenant Representation, Lease Negotiation, Commercial Sales, Contract Negotiation, Due Diligence, Disposition of Bank Owned Assets, Valuation Advisory, Investment Analysis, Complex Assemblages, Environmental Risk Navigation, Lease Negotiation, Strategic Problem-Solving
Affiliations
- Board Member, Jacksonville School for Autism (2020–Present)
- Board Member, Beaver Street Enterprise Center / Fresh Ministries Initiative (2018–2022)
- Coach, Atlantic Beach Athletic Association Little League (8 seasons, including All-Stars & State)
Personal
Cord lives in Atlantic Beach with his wife, Joy and their two golden retrievers, Hank Clyde. They have two adult children, Ella an FSU graduate who works in Miami and C.J. , who is a junior at the University of Florida. In his free time, Cord enjoys all things water, traveling with his family, snow skiing, inshore fishing, and golf.
Donald Griffith Maurer, Jr.
Sales and Leasing
Beau Maurer – was born, raised and educated in Jacksonville, Florida. Ever industrious and opportunistic, his first post-college career stint began at the bottom of a small manufacturing company, Ocean & Earth USA, and working his way up to eventually run and buy it, understanding that relocating it to California was a necessary step to ensure its ultimate success. Eventually selling the company, Beau began a long, productive career with O’Neill, a Californian surf wear and wetsuit brand that has been flourishing since 1952. As a retail marketing manager and special events coordinator, his intuition and people skills taught him how to transform vanilla box spaces into profitable operations. This experience provided a foundation for continued career growth with O’Neill as Beau eventually moved back to Jacksonville and, for 25 years, covered the entire eastern seaboard from Virginia to Key West, and Central America, seeing double-digit sales growth every year. Despite a transitioning retail environment that was quickly moving into an online atmosphere, long-standing relationships formed with trust and honesty continued to work in his favor. In 2017, Beau brought his retail and business expertise to the Cordell Group’s brokerage team with an emphasis on Buyer and Tenant representation. Out of the gate, Beau leveraged a previous relationship where he learned of a pending bank merger, and was able to turn a shuttering bank branch into a $2MM transaction. In addition to helping several law firms find ideal locations, he has worked with Orthotic & Prosthetic Centers, Callaway Roofing, Peterbrooke Chocolatiers and Salt & Fire, achieving remarkable success in a short period of time.
Career Highlights
• O’Neill - Ranked #1 Nationally for Core Accounts 2018
• O’Neill - Ranked #1 in Florida for Core Accounts 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017
• O’Neill – Ranked #1 out of 33 Nationally for all product brands 2009
• Future Fins – Ranked #1 in overall sales growth 2017, 2018
• Ocean & Earth USA – 110% sales growth 2000
• Ocean & Earth USA – 100% sales growth 1999
Clients:
• K T Carter Contracting, Inc.
• Impact Medical
• Orthotic & Prosthetic Center
• Hard Core Cycles
• Poohbear’z Day Care
• 1800 Striper
• Wm. B. Barnett Lodge #187 Masons Lodge
• Peter Brooke Chocolatier
• The SOMA Collective
• Van Dyke Development, LLC
• Inspection Depot
Andy Lee
Sales and Leasing
The value of having a real estate agent that grew up in Jacksonville is critical to understanding and appreciating the uniqueness of this area and all that it has to offer such as it’s vibrant, but quiet personality, it’s eclectic, yet traditional lifestyle and especially the beauty of it’s mix of old and new. This area is a true community, in the heart of this growing city.
Andy is your real estate agent that keeps his finger on the pulse of the market and the city. Let him help you with your real estate needs. Whether buying, selling or investing, he guarantees focused, personal attention to his clients and detailed, professional execution of your transaction.
Steve Carey
Director of Marketing
Steve has been a resident of Jacksonville since 1978 and has lived in Atlantic Beach for the last 38 years. He has worked for the Cordell Group since 2006 as the Director of Marketing.
Having run a successful web development firm for the past 24 years with hundreds of clients, he has created an integrated network of long-standing relationships with real estate agents and brokers, land developers, home inspectors and mortgage representatives.
These relationships and his understanding of the local marketplace provide a strong foundation to properly evaluate current market conditions to determine the right marketing course for the Cordell Group.
Douglas G. Maier
Associate
HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
- Over 30 years of construction and development management experience
- Thoroughly experienced in all aspects of land acquisition, development, and construction
- Key consultant for the approval of Developments of Regional Impact (DRI’s), Plan Unit Developments (PUD’s) and Golf & Country Club Communities
- Extensive knowledge and practice in public (CDD) and private infrastructure facilities
- Hands-on experience as general manager, project manager, superintendent and craftsman
- Repeated success in completing projects on time and within budget while maintaining high quality
- Expertise in land acquisition for improved, unimproved and distressed properties
- Managed and coordinated lots sales to national and regional builders
- Constructed over 3,500 single family homes and multi-family units
- Entitled and/or developed over 15,000 single family lots
- Managed the start-up of three home building operations
- Responsible for the overall profitability of land development and home building operations
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Accomplished in acquisition and management of all phases of development and construction in residential, commercial, and master planned communities. Responsible for engaging all personnel including project management, land brokers, field staff, office administration, suppliers, subcontractors, engineers, and other consultants.
MANAGEMENT OF EXTERNAL OPERATIONS
- Successfully directed projects sized from 10 to 500 million as owner’s representative
- Responsible for the site development activities from inception, entitlement, and permitting through construction and build-out
- Provided due diligence to acquire real estate properties, prepared analyses and recommendations
- Established construction procedures / schedules / quality control / product delivery
- Responsible for product development from conception through sale to homebuyer
- Directed the preparation and processing of architectural and civil drawings
- Negotiated contracts, coordinated contract work and managed daily field activities
- Supervised earthwork, underground utilities, road improvements and public facilities
- Supervised the preparation of engineering drawings / submittals / shop drawings
- Developed model homes / sales facilities / selection centers
- Developed golf courses with all pertinent facilities: clubhouse, maintenance, recreation, etc.
- Coordinated environmental permits: ACOE / SJRWMD / FDEP / EPA
- Successfully coordinated the sale of a private utility to a public entity
- Negotiated developer agreements with governmental agencies
MANAGEMENT OF INTERNAL OPERATIONS
- Participated in forward planning for the entire company operations as a member of the executive management team
- Established and monitored project budgets from land acquisition through development and build-out
- Developed financial model assumptions and projections, evaluated land opportunities
- Provided land planning oversight to optimize land values for highest and best use
- Managed and coordinated land developments for national and regional builders
- Facilitated builder lot takedowns, amendments, lot selections and sales and marketing efforts
- Successfully monitored and maintained company cash flow
- Monthly / annual / project / expenditure forecasting
- Determined bulk delivery of land sales to merchant builders
- Acquired construction financing through bank loans and Community Development Districts
- Monitored project draw requests and financial submittals
SALES AND MARKETING
- Implemented progressive pricing strategy for residential product
- Skilled in identifying target markets and matching product to the end user
- Established sales management & community sales representatives for new home construction
- Monitored completion through statistical analysis & project evaluations
- Designed and managed advertising program including media & signage
- Implemented company purchase agreements / change orders / buyer selection process
- Developed homebuyer warranty manuals and design guidelines and implemented CC&R’s
- Effectively conducted sales transaction negotiations
- Organized buyer upgrade program as a profit center
- Established and maintained successful builder/homeowner association relationship
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Madonna University, Livonia, Michigan
Graduate, United States Naval Officer Candidate School, Rhode Island (Commissioned Officer)
Professional Certificate in Real Estate Development - University of California at San Diego
(1984-1990) – Courses in Real Estate Development, Construction & Environmental Management
PAST & CURRENT PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS & AFFLIATIONS
Licensed General Contractor - State of Florida (Active Status CGC #1510122)
Licensed Inspector - State of Florida (Active Status)
Licensed General Contractor - State of California (Inactive Status)
Licensed Building Contractor - State of Michigan (Inactive Status)
CDD Board Member - Developer Representative – Tison’s Landing CDD (Yellow Bluff Landing)
POA Board Member – Jacksonville Golf & Country Club
POA Board Member - Yellow Bluff Landing
POA Board Member - Old San Jose on the River
Previous CDD Board Member - Moultrie Creek CDD
Previous Board Member - James Island, Sawmill Lakes & St, Johns Golf & Country Club
Member of Jacksonville Northeast Florida Builders Association
Member of Urban Land Institute
Member NACHI - National Association of Home Inspectors
