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George Hawthorne                                                                                                                                      Diversity Program Advisors Inc,                                                                                                      Chairman/Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Hawthorne is the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of Diversity Program Advisors, Inc. (“DPA”), business consulting, real estate development and program management company.  Mr. Hawthorne is the Principal-in-Charge of Diversity Program Advisors, Inc.’s consulting assignments.  He provides the Company’s strategic vision, construction management expertise, program management and project oversight for the clients and real estate projects of the company.  His duties include corporate management, construction/development principal, strategic planning, business development, program consultant and corporate/real estate finance advisory services on behalf of Diversity Program Advisors, Inc.   DPA’s clients include; general contractors, real estate developers, property owners, financial institutions, local & state governments, federal governmental agencies and private companies.    

In his core business of real estate development and construction, Mr. Hawthorne has been involved in more than $600,000,000 worth of real estate projects in the various capacities of general contractor, construction management, development, corporate management and real estate investment as a principal, consultant, manager and/or advisor.  His professional experience includes program management, commercial construction, construction/development management, tourism/hospitality management, real estate/corporate law, corporate finance, property development, financial analysis and real estate investment.

Mr. Hawthorne has prior professional experience as the V.P. Real Estate Development with H.J. Russell & Co., one of the largest African-American owned construction/development companies in the United States and based in Atlanta, Georgia, were he headed the real estate development division of this company.  He also worked with the Rouse Company as the General Manager for Underground Atlanta, a specialty retail/entertainment facility located in Downtown Atlanta, where he provided management oversight for all facets of the property’s management, accounting, human resources, retail leasing, retail construction and facilities operations.

Additionally, George has international business development experience and has owned and operated South African companies such as Affordable African Travel, Pty Ltd.; Amvesco Pty. Ltd.; the Sunset Beach Villas resort/conference center located on the beachfront in Cape Town; and was a principal and Chief Executive Officer of the 140 all-suite Strand Beach Hotel also located at Strand Beach in Cape Town. 

George has more than 30 years of experience in business development, corporate marketing and corporate finance services.  He has been involved in various capacities of business development, corporate formations, operational management and brand marketing as a principal, consultant, manager and/or advisor.  His diverse professional experiences include professional sports/entertainment consulting, project management, asset management and real estate investment/development.  Mr. Hawthorne has a B.S in Finance with a Real Estate emphasis from California State University at Fullerton.

Accordingly, Mr. Hawthorne also holds various boards of director, corporate officer, ownership and/or professional affiliations with various non-governmental organizations, private companies and civic associations within the South East including, the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-State Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, Joe Raley Builders, Inc., GulfCap Advisors, LLC, Daughter of Soul Productions, Inc., Prestige Sports International, Inc., James Brown Family Children’s Foundation, Inc. and the National Black Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Pensacola NAACP Chairman Economic Development Committee.  He has also served as the Chairman/Founder of the African Trade Center (Atlanta), Multicultural Tourism Coalition (Atlanta) Vice-Chair, Chairman of City of Atlanta Black College Spring Break Planning Committee, Atlanta International Relations Committee and other civic organizations.

Company History and Mission

Diversity Program Advisors was established in 2008 by George Hawthorne, who brings an extensive and varied professional background combined with significant and long-standing experience in working with real estate development in public/private projects, programs and initiatives. The company’s philosophy is based on the principle that real estate development and community benefits agreements are prerequisites to a viable economic development, community development and client profitability.

We are positioned to help clients effectively and efficiently bridge the divide between the needs of a diverse community and public/private sector entities. Our mission is to serve our clients by assisting in the development of effective partnerships among community stakeholders, government and the business community. We bring to any project exemplary professionals with a wide variety of talent and relevant experience.

We offer strategic planning and implementation advice with respect to a broad range of real estate development activities including issue resolution, government and business negotiations, governance, education, social, housing, economic development, and partnership development. As well, we offer services designed to improve the internal operations of community stakeholders thus positioning them to deal more effectively with their local government, with economic development projects and with the business community

Our Philosophy and Principles

At Diversity Program Advisors Inc., we believe that a diverse community has the right to participate and benefit as full partners in projects, programs and initiatives that affect their quality of life and ability to achieve economic growth.

We further believe that the establishment and maintenance of effective partnerships and community benefits agreements among community stakeholders, governments and the business community are essential to meaningful community sustainability and economic development.

With this philosophy as our foundation, we are committed to meeting our clients’ objectives while promoting self-sufficiency, self-determination, and facilitating the development of long term effective and equitable relationships with the appropriate partners.

We serve our clients by:
• building on their strengths;
• addressing the planning and strategic needs of their internal structures;
• assisting with program development and implementation for government and economic ventures;
• participating in issue resolution and negotiation, and;
• facilitating effective partnerships with community stakeholders, governmental agencies and businesses.

We support community involvement in economic development and business opportunities by:
• identifying opportunities for economic development;
• involving communities and their stakeholders;
• promoting joint-ventures, community benefits agreements and inclusion initiatives;
• participating in issue resolution and negotiation;
• by successfully navigating through government bureaucracy, and;
• by identifying viable opportunities for financial institutions.

We support economic and community development by:
• promoting the establishment and maintenance of effective relationships all stakeholders;
• participating in issue resolution and negotiation, and;
• presenting policy alternatives or implementation strategies for public/private projects, programs or initiatives.

Our Team

At Diversity Program Advisors, Inc., our staff and strategic partners have a wide range of experience in a range of areas, including community development, economic development, policy development, governmental programming, business and issue negotiations, construction management, financing, and local land use planning and development. We bring particular insight and effectiveness to the opportunities created by the interactions between unique public/private sector real estate development issues, such as government programs, financing, community roles, investor needs, and the effective marketing of products, programs and services.  Individual project team member’s resumes will be provided as requested for scope of work required.

The DPA Advantage

Our associates and strategic partners are capable and trusted individuals and firms who meet your high standards for experience, knowledge, approach, and respect.

Products and Services
We focus on real products and services that meet your needs. We don’t get bogged down with process.

Awareness
We understand a diverse group of minority community’s histories and cultures. And, we understand how communities, governments and businesses work. With that combination, we help bridge gaps between community, business and government.

Communication
We are very effective communicators & have extensive experience with all sorts of media – print, radio, & television. We also have a lot of experience dealing with government, including high-ranking officials. We understand government policies, procedures, and documents and know how to navigate through them successfully.

Quality
We deliver quality products on time in a way that best meets your needs.

Price
Because we don’t have a large overhead and fixed staff of larger firms, we offer our services on a very competitive basis.