Former Ginn Sales Team Out – Another former Ginn Executive in at Cliffs Communities
The team of Wilson Greene, Jim Matoska, Craig Wheeler, John Pinter, Jennifer Kelly, and Sean Barrett gone but Jeff Davis is in.
Palm Coast, FL – January 14, 2010 – The Cliffs Communities apparently has an affinity for former Ginn Company sales executives. All formerly associated with Ginn, the team of Wilson Greene, Jim Matoska, Craig Wheeler, John Pinter, Jennifer Kelly, and Sean Barrett were brought on in 2008 by Cliff’s owner Jim Anthony to manage sales at his Communities. I’m told that association has ended. At the same time, former Ginn VP, Jeff Davis has joined Cliff’s Communities.
Greene, Matoska, Wheeler, Pinter, Kelly, and Barrett now operate as ESI Living LLC. ISI Living is a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Ginn property owners. The suit claims that ESI Living is a "successor-in-interest" to Resort Management Associates (RMA), the entity under which the group operated when managing sales and marketing for the Ginn Companies. [See page 88 – 94 of the complaint]. Jeff Davis was also a principal of RMA.
Coinciding with ESI’s departure, Cliffs Communities brought on Jeff Davis, a former Ginn VP of Real Estate Sales to manage sales at Cliffs at Keowee. In a sequence of unusual moves, Davis left Ginn to develop The BriarRose, a planned residential golf, hunting, and equestrian community in the Oconee River valley in Georgia. When the development floundered, Ginn and Lubert Adler (Ginn-LA) came to the rescue, buying out Davis, who then rejoined the Ginn Company in his former position. That situation lasted only a few months. Davis was suddenly out of the Ginn organization and directed to stay away from BriarRose. Jim Anthony’s Cliffs Communities is highly regarded. Anthony built up a string of wellness centered communities in the western Carolina Mountains. In today’s economy, it would not be too hard to attract well qualified sales managers. Had Anthony checked with Davis’ BriarRose financial backers (some of them once long time friends), current property owners, and others in the luxury real estate industry, he might have made a different selection.
Jim Anthony’s choices
Good point, Toby, that Mr. Anthony should have lingered longer over his choice of a real estate exec with a spotty performance background. But this is the same developer who paid $20 million to Tiger Woods, a great golfer but a totally unproven golf architect, to design a course on a property for which Anthony reportedly paid more than $120 million. That fee is 15 to 20 times what Nicklaus and Fazio earn. Even before Tiger’s issues, The Cliffs sold just 30 lots at about $1 million each. Desperate actions could signify desperate times.
thank you
Toby,
I applaud you for your diligent work on reporting the truth to the public. I find it perplexing just as you do that The Cliffs has hired on Jeff Davis to represent their company after his failure at The BriarRose which has left many scratching their heads…Simple math – with over 200 lots sold for an average price of $200k, no infrastructure completed much less really started, where did all the money go? Many would like an answer to that question. In these economic times, consumers looking to choose a retirement or second home with hard earned money, want to be dealt with fairly and honestly. It is paramount that developers today treat their prospective buyers with professionalism and complete transparency. Sales teams of developers today don’t need ‘coaching style tactics’ to achieve sales. Sales teams today that are professional need good information from their developer that can be conveyed to prospective buyers who are in the market now and have wised up to the shenanigans of years past. Davis being hired by The Cliffs for any role, let alone a sales management role, is an unfortunate decision.
ESI leaving cliffs is a big loss to the cliffs
I know that Echelon (ESI) did a very good job at the cliffs. They not only improved the long negative culture at the cliffs they also had a tremendous successful year. Over 120 sales for over $80,000,000. I dont know anyone doing that in the whole country. The reason that ESI is no longer there is a cliffs financial situation and the fact that ESI put them in such a good position. ESI will be sorely missed at the cliffs.
Jeff Davis….
I have worked for Jeff in the past and am embarrassed to say so. He is a crook and all who know him will agree with me. He has stolen millions from BriarRose property owners and left us out to dry. I am shocked Jim Anthony would hire such a low life.
Comments
Just to clarify, anyone can post on this website using anyone’s name and pose as that person. I’m not saying the posts are true or false, just letting you know that the "signee" of the posts isn’t always who it seems to be. 😉
yesterdays
I used to wait tables at the local restaurant in Greensboro called Yesterdays. I remember Jeff came prancing in with his big group of loud sales guys and his cheap ass skipped out on my tip! He acts like he has all this damn money and can’t even remember the real workers in this country!
Jefferson Davis
Jeff Davis used to tell the sales team at BriarRose to shut up when we asked when the golf course would be finished.
The mighty JEFF DAVIS…
I worked for Jeff at The BriarRose and thought we were building a special community. In hindsight, I don’t think he EVER planned to build any amenities at all. No roads are paved, no amenities are in except for the same 9 holes that have been there for 3 years, all while no water or electricity can be found on property. However, Jeff’s greatest screw up was keeping his old buddy Gerald Whitley on staff for years, paying him a rather handsome salary for absolutely no work. If any of you have ever met Gerald, I’m sure you understand how crooked these guys are. BriarRose had 60 mill in sales, no amenities are in…..where did all the money go folks? Shame on you Jim Anthony, times really must be tuff for your communities.
Former BriarRose Sales Exec,
Todd Bronzen
I know one thing for sure…
…The broker referral fee when I was there was 10%. Things were moving so fast I didn’t think they would have enough property for me to sell. Did the Jeff Davis and Bobby Ginn machine really just pull a "Madoff-ish" type scheme over the last 15 years?
Hawaii!
I know a few million went towards that phenomenal all expenses paid trip to Hawaii! Thanks Jeff, you’ve got a big heart for a con man.
Some Folks
It’s so amazing how some folks like to bash others just to make themselves feel so much better. Poor ‘ol you guys with the poor me victim attitude. No wonder you’re losers!
Glengarry Glen Ross
These jokers are right out of Glengarry Glen Ross, the movie. Where did all the money go you ask; right into their pockets in the form of commission. I know these guys and worked for them at one point. Their training manuals are taken word-for-word from all the other sales trainers. They use the "billions" of dollars they sold at Ginn Development to beef up their resumes and jump from development to development doing this scam. One of those snake oil sales guys works for Stevens Fine Homes now. From what I hear he doesn’t even have the skills to create a spreadsheet but he’s in a position of managing another sales team. Stevens should put himself far, far away from this group. If you do business with them expect the worst of outcomes…their track record of ripping people off is impeccable!
Theyre still going
Its 2017 and these guys are all still doing the same exact thing. Jim Matoska and John Pinter started “RedEarth corporation” where they do the same exact strategies. Their latest scam is Bear Lake Reserve in Tuckasegee, NC. Huge cash incentives at closing to keep the prices artificially high, leasebacks and fake numbers for rental income to convince people to buy property for investment purposes. They also had a guy names Robert Calder who was the acting VP of Sales when I worked there and the entire time was also the VP of sales for a builder, The Berry Group. Wouldn’t you know it, that builder got picked as our exclusive developer builder!! SO convenient how these guys keep getting work.