MESSAGE 4: GEORGE LEONE

George Leone

Co-Founder & COO, Corner Lot Development Group

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: In these unprecedented times it's hard to focus on what's important (definitely not toilet paper).  I remind myself daily to pray, be thankful for my life and family and to always keep working because it takes hard work to move forward toward better days ahead.

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George Leone began his seventeen-year career in real estate after graduating from Florida State University class of 2001. His ambition quickly led him to real estate development where he began his thirteen years at Toll Brothers ending as the Vice President of Land Development. In 2005 George relocated to Jacksonville, FL, where he oversaw development projects amounting in over $500 million in Central and North Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina where he regularly managed over forty different consultants and contractors. In 2016, George started Leone Development to pursue his ambition of creating a leading real estate development company in the southeast United States. Over the years, George has built a great reputation for understanding development constraints, being solution oriented and building great teams for the successful execution of land development projects. The culmination of George’s experience led him to partner with Andy in creating Corner Lot Development Group wherein it's first year sold 220 lots to local and national builders. In his personal life, George enjoys an active role with his wife Irena in raising their three children; Anthony, Jordan, and Isla.

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Photo: Courtesy George Leone

MESSAGE 1: JUSTIN M. HIGGINS

Justin M. Higgins

Founder, JM-Higgins Realty & JM-Higgins Law

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message:  My message would be that America and its people have always been, and will always be, the most resilient Earth has ever known.  While the dark clouds of COVID-19 currently cover our country, and have frightened many, including me, I know, and all Americans should know, that the sun will soon shine through again, it always does.  In trying times like these, it is important, if not essential, for the most courageous among us to open their hearts and extend their hands to those in need.  I am already seeing this in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, where family members are helping family members, neighbors are helping neighbors, colleagues are helping colleagues, and strangers are helping strangers.  Coronavirus, in all its awfulness, is quickly bringing a divided America together, which to me, is already a sign that things are moving in the right direction.  America will be back again! 

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Justin M. Higgins is the Founder and Managing Member of JM-Higgins Realty (https://www.jm-higginsrealty.com/) and JM-Higgins Law. Prior to founding his own businesses, Mr. Higgins worked for Lendlease, a global real estate development, construction and investment firm, where he held legal, project management and property management roles. Earlier, he was an attorney for Deutsche Bank, a global investment bank, with a focus on servicing the firm’s hedge fund clientele.

In March 2020, he founded a digital questionnaire series called, AMERICA WILL BE BACK!, Messages from leaders to Americans experiencing COVID-19 adversity. The series can be found on Twitter @A_W_B_B.

In 2016, he founded a digital interview series called, The Life Advice Guide, Insights for Young Adults from Stars of Business and Beyond. The series, which can be found at www.justinmhiggins.com, featured: Larry Summers (former Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton); Robert Herjavec (‘Shark’ on ABC’s Shark Tank); Chris Sacca (billionaire venture capitalist); Anthony Scaramucci (former White House Communications Director under President Donald J. Trump); Arianna Huffington (Founder of The Huffington Post); Robert Wolf (former Chairman and CEO of the American arm of global investment bank UBS); and many more.

In years 2014-2017 and 2019, Mr. Higgins was invited to and attended the invitation-only SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference (www.salt.org), the leading alternative investment event in the world, as one of its youngest delegates. In 2019, Mr. Higgins participated in the exclusive SALT Young Leaders Circle (SYLC), which was comprised of emerging professionals from around the world, representing the worlds of business, politics, technology and philanthropy.

Mr. Higgins is a former Division I soccer player and holds Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees. He is a licensed Florida real estate broker and attorney.

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Photo: Courtesy Justin M. Higgins