Our Team

James A. Walker

Jim Walker, Managing Director of The Advisory Group, has spent over 40 years in real estate management and development. He has participated in the management and development of over $750 million in real estate investments. Mr. Walker has also been involved in more than $500 million in sales or acquisition transactions. He serves as an office leasing tenant representative and provides advisory services for bankruptcies and litigation support.

As a former Partner-in-Charge, Private Business, of the Raleigh office of KPMG Peat Marwick, Mr. Walker combined his financial management skills with sophisticated real estate investment decision-making.

His formal training includes the Business Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Ron Fowler

Ron Fowler brings 40 years of successful, demonstrated experience in financial services and real estate to The Advisory Group. Mr. Fowler currently specializes in providing services to banks and to borrowers who have real estate assets which need special attention. He also provides real estate advisory services, land sales, asset leasing, and tenant representation.

As a regional president for First Union National Bank, Mr. Fowler assembled commercial and corporate banking sales teams in the Maryland market, assisted with First Union’s merger with First American National, and supervised over 300 people in twenty-seven offices. As a regional Executive VP, Mr. Fowler had responsibility for sixty-five offices in First Union’s Eastern region, where he directed 650 people in all aspects of commercial, corporate, and general banking, including commercial real estate lending.

David Goracke

David Goracke brings 15 years of extensive public and private financial analysis and modeling along with the acquisition/disposition, entitlement and development of over $400 million worth of commercial real estate throughout the southeast to the Advisory Group, LLC.

Mr. Goracke began his career with Homewood Development Corporation and quickly rose through the ranks to lead the Acquisition and Development arms of the 1st American Land, a private startup company which he sold in 2001, and Westfield Homes which later merged with Stand Pacific of the Carolinas. While a founding partner of 1st American, Mr. Goracke led the organization to a top three developer status and a dollar volume in excess of 100 million within four years. In 2001, Mr. Goracke assumed the Vice President role at Westfield of the Carolina’s LLC.

Under his leadership the development arm grew revenue by over 300% and he was responsible for over $250 million worth of asset production. In late 2007, Mr. Goracke was tapped to lead the southeastern expansion of Kolter Land Partners. In this role, he had direct oversight and responsibility for operations of a $45 million multi-asset buyout and repositioning of a bankrupt entity. Mr. Goracke has been instrumental in modeling, designing, and bringing to market innovative concepts that continue to be utilized and have been proven efficient and effective within multiple markets.

Mr. Goracke is a Licensed General Contractor and holds Real Estate Brokerage Licenses in both NC and SC. He holds BBA and MBA degrees from Campbell University.
 

Larry J. Woodlief

Larry’s focus with The Advisory Group is on land brokerage and capital sourcing.

Larry has worked in the field of investments for the past 25 years. Before joining The Advisory Group, Larry worked at the investment firms of Interstate Securities, Carolina Securities and Prudential Securities. Larry’s focus has been working with small business owners to navigate the complex world of investments.

As a member of the Franklin County Board of Economic Development and other local committees, Larry is committed to bringing progress and opportunities to the area where he lives and cares about.
 

D. Steven Carraway

Steve Carraway has more than twenty years experience in real estate industry. He supervised the accounting and reporting for North Hills, Inc. and affiliated companies with assets in excess of $250 million. He was responsible for all the financial internal controls. Additionally, he was the primary preparer of pro forma cash flow models for potential acquisitions and investments.

At Thetford Property Management Mr. Carraway was the primary liaison between Thetford and both HUD and Farmers’ Home in all financial reporting matters for thirty-six subsidized housing projects.

Previously, Mr. Carraway was a manager with KPMG Peat Marwick. He is a Certified Management Accountant and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 

Mariellen De Lellis

Mariellen’s career with The Advisory Group, LLC as support staff began in 2000. A licensed North Carolina Real Estate Broker for five years and former property manager, Mariellen’s experience with office space leasing and active participation in occupancy costs review saves a significant amount of money for our clients each year.