Leadership Team
Meet the visionary leaders driving Georgia's housing reform through strategic policy advocacy and industry collaboration
Meet Our LeadersLeadership Excellence
Our leadership team brings together decades of experience in housing development, policy, and advocacy
Industry leaders driving change
Decades of housing expertise
Track record of delivery
Focused policy initiatives
Our Leadership Team
Dedicated professionals committed to solving Georgia's housing crisis through strategic policy reform
Jay Knight
Founding Member
Templar Development
Legislative Affairs & Policy Development
Industry veteran since 1978 with extensive experience across all aspects of homebuilding. From framed homes to on-site sales, real estate brokerage to land acquisition and sales management. Currently manages Templar Development with family partners including Perry Knight, Scott Knight, Chris Knight, and Amanda Knight Statham.
Key Achievements:
- Founded GRLDC in 2024
- 45+ years in home building industry
Neil Koelbl
Founding Member
Liberty Communities
Homebuilding & Community Development
President of Liberty Communities, a homebuilding company focused on delivering exceptional value in the most desired areas across Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. Under his leadership, Liberty Communities has built a strong reputation for quality construction and customer satisfaction.
Key Achievements:
- President of multi-state homebuilder
- Expanded operations across Southeast
Richard Ferry
Founding Member
Brent Holdings, LLC
Land Development & Municipal Planning
Land Development Manager with extensive municipal planning background. Previously served as City Manager of Senoia, GA for over 11 years and Manager at Municipal Planning Solutions. This unique combination of public and private sector experience makes him an invaluable bridge between GRLDC's advocacy efforts and municipal decision-makers.
Key Achievements:
- 11+ years as City Manager of Senoia, GA
- Municipal Planning Solutions expertise
Chris Knight
Founding Member
Templar Development
Land Development & Construction
Land Developer, Home Builder, and General Contractor involved in building over 10,000 new homes across the Southeast. Operations span Georgia, Alabama, and Florida markets with extensive experience in large-scale residential development. His hands-on experience with regulatory challenges provides crucial insights for GRLDC's legislative initiatives.
Key Achievements:
- 10,000+ new homes built
- Multi-state operations across Southeast
Brent Scarbrough
Founding Member
Brent Scarbrough & Company Inc
Heavy Civil Construction & Site Development
Owner of 100% Employee Owned Full Turn Key Heavy Civil Site Contractor serving commercial, industrial, residential, and specialty markets. His company provides comprehensive services including demolition, clearing, mass grading, and underground utilities installation. The employee ownership model reflects his commitment to empowering his workforce.
Key Achievements:
- 100% Employee Owned Company
- 501-1,000 employees
Jim Chapman
Founding Member
Jim Chapman Construction Group
Build-to-Rent Development & Construction
Owner of Georgia-based development and construction firm specializing in the rapidly growing 'Build to Rent' (BTR) asset class. His team brings over 275 years of collective knowledge to every project. Having successfully built over 3,500 homes including 10 BTR communities totaling over 3,800 lots, Jim is currently developing 11 additional BTR communities.
Key Achievements:
- 275+ years collective team knowledge
- 1,000+ For Sale lots delivered
Join Our Mission
Work alongside Georgia's housing industry leaders to create meaningful policy change