Ackerman & Co. Strengthens Capital Markets Platform

March 25, 2026

Ackerman & Co. Strengthens Capital Markets Platform

Commercial real estate veteran Charles Pledger joins Ackerman to lead new Investment Sales Division

ATLANTA, MARCH 25, 2026 - Continuing to expand its Capital Markets platform, Ackerman & Co. today announced it has hired commercial real estate veteran Charles Pledger to lead a new Investment Sales Division providing services across multiple asset types, including retail, medical-office, office, industrial and self-storage.

The Investment Sales Division will play a key role within Ackerman's growing Capital Markets platform, offering property owners and investors comprehensive advisory services for the disposition and acquisition of commercial real estate assets. By integrating investment sales with the firm's debt and equity placement capabilities, Ackerman aims to provide clients with a full spectrum of capital markets solutions for investors to efficiently deploy capital across key markets in the Southeast and beyond.

"I'm looking forward to leading the growth of the firm's Investment Sales services," said Charles Pledger, Managing Director for Ackerman Brokerage. "Our team will serve a wide range of investors, from private equity firms and family offices to high net-worth individuals and owner-users. We're building a team of property specialists who will take an integrated approach to investment services, helping connect investors to real estate opportunities while providing strategic guidance to maximize their return on investment."

Joining Ackerman from Sands Investment Group, Pledger has more than 20 years of commercial real estate transaction expertise. His prior roles also include Managing Director at Newmark Knight Frank and Vice President at NAI Brannen Goddard. He received a BBA degree in Business Management and Marketing at the University of Georgia, where he was a three-year letterman and a two-year starting defensive back for the Georgia football team.

New additions to the Investment Sales team include:

Nick Stockton, Senior Vice President, who specializes in medical office and multi-tenant retail investment sales. He joins Ackerman from AiCRE Partners, where he served as Senior Investment Advisor.

Ryan Ball, Vice President, focuses on the sale of multi-tenant retail properties. He joins Ackerman from Sands Investment Group, where he specialized in investment sales across the Southeast.

Thomas Allen Farr Jr., Vice President, specializes in industrial investment sales. He previously served as Senior Commercial Associate at Swartz Co. Commercial Real Estate.

Craig Taylor, Senior Vice President, represents buyers and sellers in multitenant retail investment sales. He joined Ackerman from CBRE, where he was a Senior Vice President in its Capital Markets group.

Taylor Wagner, Vice President, set to join the firm in April, will serve as an investment officer focused on retail acquisitions within the Ackerman Investment Division. He joins the firm from Brownsboro Hill Capital Partners and also previously worked at Ziff Real Estate Partners.

Lawson Hull and Dade Stewart, Associates, recently joined the Investment Sales team and will support brokerage efforts through market research and client development initiatives.

The Investment Sales team also includes Sean Patrick, Senior Vice President, who has been with the firm since 2009 and represents buyers and sellers in commercial real estate investments, with a strong focus on retail and medical office assets.

"We're thrilled that Charles has joined our team," said Leo Wiener, President of Ackerman Retail. "He has already made significant strides in building our investment sales capabilities with the addition of a talented team. His extensive experience in investment transactions combined with his proven leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow our platform and expand the services we provide to investors and property owners."

The expansion of the Investment Sales team is part of Ackerman's broader strategy to strengthen its Capital Markets platform, which provides clients with integrated solutions for investment sales, debt placement and equity sourcing. By aligning these services, the firm is able to offer clients a comprehensive advisory approach.

Jonathan Rice, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets, joined Ackerman in 2025 and specializes in arranging a wide range of financing solutions for third-party clients, including construction loans, bridge financing, permanent debt and joint venture equity. The firm's investment sales and capital markets professionals work to help clients structure transactions, access capital and execute successful acquisitions and dispositions across multiple property types.

About Ackerman & Co.

Ackerman & Co. is a privately held, full-service commercial real estate firm focused on providing quality investment, brokerage, management and development services across the South. The company, founded in 1967, retains an expert team of 100 real estate professionals. To date, Ackerman & Co. has developed and acquired 44 million square feet of office, medical, industrial, retail and mixed-use space, has 7 million square feet under management, and maintains an investment portfolio valued at $1 billion.