Nate joined Huffines Communities in April 2022 as the Director of Special Projects and has since transitioned into the role of Chief Financial Officer. One of his primary initiatives before assuming his current position was overseeing Lakesong, a 2,700-acre master-planned community spanning Grand Prairie and Midlothian. This ambitious project includes over 6,000 single-family homes, 2,000 multifamily units, 40+ acres of commercial space, multiple fishing lakes, resort-style amenities, and miles of nature trails.
Before joining Huffines Communities, Nate spent more than six years as a consultant with PwC’s Deals group, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. His expertise includes due diligence, financial analysis, project management, and managing complex transactions. Nate brings this wealth of experience to Huffines, overseeing accounting and finance operations, debt structuring, and deal valuation for the company’s diverse portfolio of projects.
Nate earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University. A native of Marion, Iowa, and the son of a fifth-generation farmer, he continues his family’s farming tradition today.
Though not a Texas native, Nate got here as soon as he could!
Creating an organization built on integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail, Phillip Huffines has worked tirelessly to create a legacy that will be spoken about for years to come.
Continuing a practice of three generations of business and community work in the Dallas area, Phillip and his twin brother, Co-Owner Donald, have developed their Land Development and Land Investing legacy by creating superior master planned communities and multifamily community living styles. The firm has developed over 15,000 single family homesites, 2,800 multifamily units in the DFW metroplex, and invested in thousands of acres of land. The Huffines name has become widely esteemed within the industry and the State of Texas. Huffines Communities has assembled over 100 limited partnerships, created hundreds of jobs in North Texas, and generated billions in asset values. In 2021 alone, Huffines Communities invested over $120 MM in land.
Phillip has established an unblemished reputation of high integrity. He brings to every project undaunted enthusiasm, a commitment to excellence, and an unwavering dedication to success for everyone involved. He has been married to Holly Hartwell for more than 36 years; they have three adult children, Haley, Hayden, and Garrett. Phillip graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981 with a BBA in Petroleum Land Management. Phillip enjoys exercising, skiing, biking, hunting, and mountain climbing. He is passionate about teaching business classes at local high schools as a volunteer with Junior Achievement, where he serves on the Board.
Brittney is a dynamic accounting professional who brings a wealth of expertise to Huffines Communities. With a robust background in tax accounting & advisory services, audit, and hospitality accounting, Brittney has honed her skills at one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms and in the hospitality industry in the Caribbean.
She holds a BCom in Accounting from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. This, coupled with her Trinidadian roots, allows Brittney to bring a unique global perspective to her work.
Outside the office, Brittney enjoys spending time by the ocean, trying new restaurants, and advocating for animal welfare.
As Community Relations Director, Terry serves as the operational leader for all homeowner associations, from conception to transition. With over 30 years of successful business leadership within the hospitality and property management industries, Terry brings vision and support to build and strengthen association operations, enhance community culture, and deliver exceptional customer service. She collaborates with project managers, builders, property management, volunteer leadership and homeowners to implement results-oriented strategic plans that cultivate community involvement and establish the foundation for the long-term success of each community.
Previously, Terry served as a senior executive within the property management industry providing direction, continuing education, and leadership to Community Managers, Directors and Boards. She has also served the private club and resort industries in executive and consultant leadership roles specializing in revenue growth and customer service excellence.
Terry has authored articles on customer service and marketing for The Boardroom and Club Management Magazines, and served as a Speaker/Trainer for Crittenden, The Professional Marketing Association and Club Manager’s Association of America.
As a Project Manager, Edward’s responsibilities include financial analysis, due diligence, scheduling and budgeting, and construction management, among a variety of other roles. Prior to starting at Huffines Communities, Edward worked as a Project Manager for Lee Lewis Construction. Edward has an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Southern Methodist University and a BS from the University of Texas at Arlington. His construction experience, coupled with an MBA, has led Edward to the development side of real estate, where his passions lie. In addition, Edward enjoys fishing, hunting, playing golf, and trying out new restaurants in his free time.
As a construction manager, Jerry is responsible for contractor coordination to maintain the production schedule and ensure that Huffines Communities continue the tradition of developing first class family-centered Signature Communities.
Jerry is a second generation veteran of the construction industry with 40 years of hands on experience, starting with working in the ditch as a laborer through supervision and company ownership.
He graduated from Texas A&M Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Technology and one in Business Administration. He also has a Master of Science in Industry and Technology.
As a Senior Paralegal with Huffines Communities, Cheryl is responsible for contract administration, preparing and reviewing contracts and documents, performing due diligence concerning title and survey matters, and coordinating all closings. In addition, she assists in negotiating legal points on contracts and documents and acts as a liaison between the respective parties and their attorneys. Cheryl is also responsible for forming new entities and maintaining corporate books. Cheryl’s background includes years of experience handling transactions that include; single family master planned development, multi family development, office acquisitions, office development and retail projects located in Texas and throughout the United States. Cheryl brings her expertise as a senior paralegal to Huffines Communities with her knowledge, dedication, and natural desire to excel. Additionally, Cheryl supports the Owner, Executive Management, Directors and Project Managers. She worked for Huffines Communities from 1994 – 2011 and has rejoined Huffines Communities in 2021.
As a Project Manager at Huffines Communities, Israel is responsible for delivering master planned communities throughout the DFW area. He oversees projects starting from conceptualization through the delivery of the final product.
Israel previously worked as a Civil Engineer for seven and a half years focusing on single family residential design. His projects ranged from single phase subdivisions all the way to master planned communities. Israel worked in the construction side of Real Estate during High School, which led him to pursue a career in Land Development.
He graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and is currently a Licensed Professional Engineer. In his spare time, Israel enjoys exploring the outdoors and working on restoring his 1953 pickup.
As Construction Manager, Dewayne is responsible for single family development projects. He spends his days working closely with project managers and community managers to deliver the Huffines Communities vision for high-quality, family-oriented communities.
With over 15 years of experience, Dewayne has worked in construction from home building, excavation, hardscape and utilities. Mr. Grissom has worked for such companies as Ratliff Hardscape and H3 Construction.
His attention to detail and hard work make for a great fit in this role. Dewayne is a native of North Texas who enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Garrett joined the Huffines Communities team as a Project Manager in 2018. As a project manager, Garrett oversees all aspects of development from project inception to completion. Garrett’s responsibilities include due-diligence, civil-coordination, contractor management, budgeting, scheduling, on-site construction management, design and master-planning, and jurisdictional and regulatory coordination.
His love of nature and penchant for practicality enhance his developments, incorporating green space and outdoor elements in an intentional functional design.
Ultimately, Garrett’s job is to implement the vision of his projects ahead of schedule successfully and under budget.
Garrett began his real estate career as a Development Associate with a national real estate development company, Foremark, Ltd., where he worked closely with national clients such as Saltgrass Steakhouse, Studio Movie Grill, and Primanti Brothers in site feasibility analysis and entitlements. While at Foremark, Garrett was promoted to Project Manager and worked with Foremark’s affiliate company, Palio Partners, where he served as a project manager and oversaw the design and entitlements of a 35,000 sf commercial entertainment building.
Garrett graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance and Certificate in Energy Management from the McCombs School of Business.
Ongoing Projects: Aspen Meadows, Heritage Trails
Barry Jameson is responsible for managing the Huffines Communities’ involvement with the special districts in which several of the company’s developments are located. These districts are political subdivisions of the state, with various water, wastewater, drainage and road powers, or public improvement districts within municipal boundaries or extraterritorial jurisdiction that impose assessments to pay for specific improvements. As a liaison to the many entities involved with each district, he helps form, coordinate and manage these special districts.
His extensive background includes public accounting with a big-4 firm, financial reporting with a real estate company and professional placement services. Committed to excellence, he strives for the highest service level in all he does.
Mr. Jameson graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master’s in Accounting and has held certifications as a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Personnel Consultant.
Ben is a dedicated finance professional with roots in Dallas and a degree in Real Estate Finance from Southern Methodist University, where he graduated in the spring of 2024.
After graduation, Ben began his career at Billingsley as a Financial Analyst. During his time there, he underwrote potential acquisitions, performed loan analysis, reconciled tenant ledgers, engaged with property and construction managers to ensure smooth development timelines and operational efficiency, and assisted asset managers in reforecasting and budgeting for the Plano office and retail portfolio.
Ben now supports Edward on all tasks related to the Solterra and Goodman projects. He is looking forward to utilizing his previous work experience and learning more about the land development side of the business to gain a holistic understanding of the industry.
As Executive Office Manager, Rebecca oversees the day-to-day operations of Huffines Communities and the Huffines Family.
Rebecca brings over 20 years of experience supporting principals of commercial real estate and architecture/interior design firms in New York City, where she coordinated multimillion-dollar projects.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ambassador College, Pasadena, California. She backpacked in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan upon graduation. She also studied New Testament Greek at Westminster Theological Seminary in Manhattan, served as Audio-Visual Team Leader in her local church congregation in Queens and now volunteers on the A/V Team in the Dallas congregation. She loves history, traveling, horses and motorcycles.
Driven by a passion for real estate and modern marketing, Kellie navigates the dynamic landscape with diverse experiences. Her journey began within a startup real estate tech company drawn to the innovation of online home selling options, mastering the intricacies of RE marketing, sales, and real estate transaction coordination. Kellie also worked to empower nationwide agents with cutting-edge real estate technology towards the end of her previous employer, collaborating with website and CRM platform providers. Now, her focus has shifted to real estate development marketing.
Fluent in the language of CRM systems and automation, Kellie thrives on unlocking efficiencies and streamlining processes, all while staying at the forefront of industry trends. Knowledgeable with SEO, social media, and real estate audiences, Kellie is a great addition to the team.
Kellie graduated from the University of North Texas in 2017 with a bachelor’s in business administration in Marketing and a Real Estate minor.
Fueled by a deep interest in real estate and investments, Nick’s path has been shaped by hands-on experience at prominent firms. Starting at Huffines Communities, he was immersed in the nuances of real estate development, gaining a solid understanding of how projects come to life. Later, he transitioned to the investments team at Trinity Investors, where his focus on new deal underwriting sharpened his ability to assess and structure real estate deals.
His academic background from the University of Texas at Dallas complements this professional experience, providing him with a well-rounded perspective on both the financial and strategic sides of real estate. With a keen eye for detail and an analytical mindset, Nick excels in navigating the complexities of underwriting and development.
Now, he brings his expertise to the intersection of real estate development and investment, channeling his knowledge to identify opportunities and drive projects forward.
Robert Panizo brings over three decades of comprehensive experience in the construction management field, having held senior positions such as Project Executive, Director of Construction, and Regional Division Manager. His impressive career spans numerous high-profile projects, where he consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic planning, and effective team management. At Legacy Partners Residential Development, he led multi-family projects from inception to completion, managing design teams, overseeing land acquisitions, and ensuring the successful execution of construction phases. His tenure at Trammell Crow Residential and Harwood International Development further exemplifies his ability to deliver complex residential and commercial projects with meticulous attention to detail and efficiency.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Construction Sciences from the University of Florida, Robert has consistently demonstrated his commitment to excellence and innovation. Robert is Director of Construction, supporting both the Land Development and Multi-Family teams at Huffines Communities.
Beyond his professional life, Robert is a man of varied interests. A master gardener and a passionate motorhead, he finds joy in cultivating plants and working with engines. His practical experience and hands-on approach, often referred to as his education from the “School of Hard Knocks,” have equipped him with a unique perspective and invaluable skills. Despite the demands of his career, Robert’s ability to balance his professional and personal interests showcases his multifaceted personality and unwavering dedication to both his work and hobbies.
As a Senior Project Manager at Huffines Communities, Casey is responsible for all aspects of developing master-planned communities including, financial analysis, maintaining project schedules, budgeting, and construction management, in addition to a variety of other roles. Casey effectively manages projects by engaging, managing, and coordinating with engineers, architects, contractors, attorneys, and governmental agencies from entitlements through project completion.
Casey is a licensed professional engineer with 10 years of experience as a Civil Engineer focusing on single-family residential developments, as well as municipal projects. Most recently Casey was Director of Land Development for a build-to-rent company developing projects across Texas.
Casey graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. In his spare time, Casey enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family.