//Georgia’s historical trust elects six new board members

Georgia’s historical trust elects six new board members

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Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Elects New Trustees

Prominent figures from across the state commit to excellence in preservation

ATLANTA, June 16— Six new members were elected to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Board of Trustees. The new trustees are Michael J. Egan (Atlanta), Robert Hancock (Newnan, Ga.), John W. Lundeen (Atlanta), John B. Shepard (Atlanta), Wes Walraven (Rome, Ga.) and Jan Beeland (Macon, Ga.). Beeland, chair of the Hay House, will serve as an ex officio member of the board.

Michael J. Egan of Atlanta recently retired from his position as senior vice president and general counsel for the AMB Group, the holding company for the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Egan also provided executive oversight for the construction and operational readiness of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and The Home Depot Backyard. Prior to joining the AMB Group, Egan was a partner in the Corporate Practice Group of King & Spalding for 25 years. He received a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School. Egan remains an active board member of the Woodruff Arts Center, the Westminster Schools and the Honors College at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Robert Hancock of Newnan is a partner at the law firm of Glover & Davis PA. Previously, Hancock practiced at Alston and Bird in Atlanta. He received a bachelor’s degree from Furman University and his J.D. from the University of Georgia. In addition to his career in the legal industry, he served as the president of Newnan’s Artist in Residence program, which helped commission the installation of large-scale photographs of diverse Newnan residents, a project that gathered national attention in the New York Times.

John W. Lundeen of Atlanta founded Coro Realty Advisors, LLC and currently works as a managing partner. With over 40 years of experience in real estate, Lundeen has worked on the development of multiple historic properties, including Excelsior Mills, and is currently working on a project located in Hapeville’s historic district. In 2019, Lundeen and his wife, Sherry, chaired the Georgia Trust’s annual Preservation Gala at the Biltmore Hotel. He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in real estate planning and development. In addition to his work in real estate, Lundeen serves on the boards of the Georgia State University Foundation, JH Holdings Inc. and the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts. He has worked with multiple non-profits, including the ARCS Foundation, Joachim Herz Foundation and the Shepherd Center.

John B. Shepard, originally from Atlanta, is a portfolio manager, a member of the Investment Policy Committee and a director with the ZWJ Investment Counsel. With over 30 years of investment management experience, he has worked for First Wachovia Investment Management, Wellington Management and the Shepard Investment Counsel. Shepard graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in economics and classical studies and earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with a concentration in finance. Shepard is active in the community serving as an elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church, a board member of Trinity School and Buckhead Christian Ministry (BCM) and a volunteer with Boy Scouts Troop 232 and Pack 12. He also serves on the investment committee for Columbia Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Peggy, currently live in Atlanta and have a son and a daughter.

Wes Walraven of Rome is the head of the Global Industrials Group of Citi Global Markets & Banking and is a member of the firm’s Global Leadership Committee. Walraven has over 30 years of experience in the industry as a mergers and acquisitions banker and has managed several multi-billion dollar transactions. With a longstanding appreciation of historic preservation, Walraven has restored multiple historic homes in Los Angeles and Northwest Georgia. In 2020, he hosted the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation during the Fall Ramble in Rome at his historic home, Rose Hill, and the closing reception at his property, Lyons Bridge Farm. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business at Northwestern University.

Jan Beeland of Macon retired from her position as the director of marketing at HCA Healthcare in 2014. After more than 30 years in the health care industry, Beeland served as the executive director of the Macon Arts Alliance for five years. She currently volunteers and serves as chair of the Hay House and is the vice chair of the Macon Bibb County Urban Development Authority. She received a bachelor’s in business administration and an MBA from Mercer University.

About the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country’s leading statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. The Trust works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use. The Georgia Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust honors preservation projects and individuals with its annual Preservation Awards and recognizes students and professionals with the Neel Reid Prize and Liz Lyon Fellowship. The Trust offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, provides technical assistance to property owners and historic communities, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts, and manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House). To learn more, visit www.georgiatrust.org.