People

“This talented team of individuals delivers incredible value for our partners, residents and tenants. I’m very fortunate to be working with them” observes Baynes, a lifelong entrepreneur who founded the company with his Columbia partners in 2013. With a diversity of commercial real estate experience outside affordable housing, he establishes markets and opportunities for the company, overseeing development activity and also focuses on the human aspect of Columbia Ventures. His early career in hospitality informs his approach to community development today, seeking to delight and attract new stakeholders to Columbia Ventures projects while maintaining the fabric and ties into the existing neighborhood. “The ultimate compliment we receive is that we have created a great place”, he notes. Baynes graduated from Georgetown University and splits time between Atlanta and Savannah.

Jake is primarily responsible for the successful operations of Columbia Ventures as well as for strategic and financial planning for the company. This extends down to the project level and includes fostering and maintaining relationships with the capital markets to ensure alignment and liquidity in project capitalization, recapitalization and investment disposition. Jake is on the Columbia Ventures Investment Committee.

Jake grew up in Charlotte, Vermont and met his wife, Betsy, while attending Boston College where he earned a BS in Finance. Jake also holds a Certificate in Real Estate Finance from Boston University and a Masters in Real Estate Development (MSRED) from the MIT Center for Real Estate. Jake lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife and three children and enjoys distance running in his free time.

Jim Grauley is a founding Partner and Investment Committee member of Columbia Ventures. He is the President and Chief Operating Officer for Columbia Residential, managing development, finance, asset management, and corporate operations.

Jim brings more than 20 years of experience in the successful urban development of 15,000+ housing units throughout the U.S. Since joining the Columbia family in 2008, Jim has led the development of more than 2,000 affordable and mixed-income multifamily units in Georgia and Louisiana. His commitment to purpose-built, sustainable revitalization has resulted in numerous LEED® and EarthCraft distinctions and the industry’s most coveted awards, including the ULI Award of Excellence, NAHB Pillars of the Industry, and the Edson Award of Excellence.

As a true cradle-to-grave development manager, there are very few aspects of a project that Josh is not responsible for. From feasibility, financing, and design through construction, closeout, and transition — Josh takes pride in executing at the highest level on every Columbia Ventures deal via a hands-on approach. With an extensive construction and design background, he also enjoys mentoring the broader team and supporting much of the Columbia Ventures pipeline.

Josh is one of those rare Atlanta natives, while currently residing with his wife and three boys in Cobb County. He holds an undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech and a graduate degree from George Washington University. When not working, you will find Josh and the Thigpen family either camping, hiking, beaching, or generally just traveling.

Projects include:
Spoke
Decatur East
Studioplex Alley
Beacon Station
Quill
Edgewood Park
Citizen

Ryan is responsible for the end-to-end management of the development lifecycle for multiple Columbia Ventures projects, from acquisition through disposition. This includes, in close collaboration with the Columbia Ventures team, the assembly and orchestration of the professionals for due diligence, design, financing, construction, marketing, and property management while serving in whatever capacity is necessary along the way.

Ryan grew up in Florida and holds degrees from the University of Florida (BSME) and Georgia Tech (MSME). He is a graduate of the 2023 class of the ULI Atlanta Center for Leadership and holds a certificate in Commercial Real Estate Finance and Development from MIT. Ryan and his family live in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta. He serves on the board of Noble Clay Fitness, a local non-profit gym. Ryan enjoys learning new skills, building relationships, adding value through driving processes, financial modeling, and collaborating with experts in their respective fields throughout each project lifecycle. Outside of the office he enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising, getting outdoors, and playing lacrosse.

Projects include:
Pittsburgh Yards
Union Terminal Warehouse
Lennox on Park

Amy is primarily responsible for the financial and business operations of Columbia Ventures. On top of the daily business transactions, she handles the financial reporting, budgeting, insurance, human resources and asset management functions for the entities in Columbia Ventures portfolio. She works to keep our online presence up to date via the website and social media. Amy also provides support to partners and development managers along with maintaining outstanding vendor and investor relationships.

Amy joined the team at Columbia Ventures in 2021. She holds degrees in Accounting and Psychology from Georgia Southern University. She is a native Texan but has lived in Savannah for 9 years. Amy has three teenagers and two spoiled rotten fur babies. She and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors along with traveling, food and playing tennis.

Ben is responsible for the successful execution of market rate, select mixed-use, and custom commercial projects in the Mountain West Market.  With unique experience as an Architectural Designer, General Contractor, Owner-Representative, and Developer he utilizes these various perspectives for strategic execution of all project types.  He has successfully managed large-scale, multi-phase, developments ranging from Hospitality, Residential, Retail, and Institutional projects.

Ben grew up in Silver Spring, MD and holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Maryland. Since then, he has worked in various markets spanning from projects in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, Miami, FL, and currently Denver, CO. He enjoys all activities outdoors, from hiking, camping, rock climbing, to snowboarding.

Auraria Campus – Residential & Mixed-Use Projects – Denver, CO
Vina Senior Residences – Denver, CO

Austin supports the entire CV team with financial analysis related to acquisitions/dispositions,
development planning, asset management, and more. Additionally, Austin serves as the head of
research for the organization, providing market and economic analysis related to markets and
submarkets where CV is active.

Austin holds degrees from the University of Texas (BA, Economics) and the University of Utah
(MBA). He is a native Atlantan with unreasonable faith that one day the Falcons will win a Super
Bowl. Outside of work, Austin enjoys spending time with his Golden Retriever, playing tennis,
snow skiing, driving with the windows down, and dreaming of more effective public transit.

Renée Black is based in Denver and serves as Senior Real Estate Operations Manager, overseeing operations for Columbia Ventures’ Colorado multifamily portfolio. She works closely with our third-party management partners to ensure strong asset performance and brings an operations lens to the full development cycle; from early design through stabilization.

With a diverse background in property and asset management, Renée has successfully led multiple lease-ups and managed communities across a range of housing types. At Columbia Ventures, she draws on this experience to shape resilient, well-run communities and to advance the company’s commitment to service-enriched housing and meaningful local partnerships.

Projects include:

Los Altos – Aurora, CO
Viña Senior – Denver, CO

Yonas supports the Development Manager across all phases of the real estate development lifecycle, handling relationships and scopes of work for key project stakeholders and vendors. His background in real estate investment management provides a valuable perspective when underwriting potential deals and assessing their financial feasibility.

A graduate of Harvard College, Yonas recently returned to his hometown of Denver and is excited to contribute to impactful development projects in the community while helping the team expand into the broader West and Southwest regions.

Projects include:
Auraria MSU Student Housing – Denver, CO
Viña Senior Housing – Denver, CO

Thomas supports Columbia Ventures’ accounting and financial operations, assisting with
financial reporting, budgeting, reconciliations, and maintaining accurate records across the
company’s development and operating activities. In his role, he helps ensure financial data is
organized and reliable while supporting the team in achieving the company’s strategic goals.

Thomas earned a BBA in Accounting with a minor in Finance from Georgia Southern University.
A native of Atlanta now residing in Savannah, he enjoys exploring new destinations, cultures,
and cuisine. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and tennis.