Georgia Newspaper Features Don Childress '70
Washington and Lee alumnus J. Donald Childress, of the Class of 1970, and his company, Childress Klein Properties, are the subject of a feature story that appeared in the Marietta (Ga.) Daily Journal on Oct. 14.
Don is the senior managing partner and co-founder of Childress Klein, which has offices in both Atlanta and Charlotte.
As the Daily Journal reports, the privately held real estate development company has a $1 billion property portfolio.
Don, who serves as the rector of W&L’s Board of Trustees, has worked in commerical real estate for his entire career, starting with Trammell Crow and then joining Fred Klein to launch Childress Klein in 1988.
According to the Daily Journal, Childress Klein now has 86 properties and manages 109 buildings for third-party owners. Don noted that, as a result of the recession, the company has not built a new building in Atlanta in eight years. He added that the recession has, however, forced the company to look at different opportunities, and so it has added two new market segments: “large-scale, climate-controlled self-storage and multi-family apartment complexes.”
Don’s advice to the next generation: “Get a good education, get involved in your community through volunteer support and leadership, and treat all people with respect and dignity.”
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