Meet The Team

Clarke Poole

Clarke Coole

Principal

Mr. Coole graduated from James Madison University with a major in business management.  He is a graduate of the Investment Banking Institute of New York.  He began his career in 1999 having been selected into the prestigious Management Training Program within Bank of America’s Global Corporate Investment Banking Group.  Bank of America’s Management Training Program selects 30 individuals nationally to participate in a 2-year intensive program learning about the capital markets and commercial real estate.  

Mr. Coole transitioned from the corporate world in 2003 to work for a commercial development and acquisition family office based out of Atlanta, GA.  Mr. Coole was responsible for developing a national development platform that ultimately developed over $150 million of retail and industrial buildings throughout the southeastern and southwestern United States.  

In 2011 Mr. Coole had the opportunity to join a startup Georgia financial firm to help build and manage its commercial real estate platform.  Since the firm’s formation, the investors’ risk-based capital has more than tripled due primarily to the organic growth and management of the bank’s commercial real estate portfolio.  Mr. Coole maintains close relationships in the capital markets for both debt and equity providers.

Clarke and his wife Christy live in Atlanta, GA along with their 14-year-old daughter, Ella, and 12-year-old daughter Chapel.  They are active in Kairos Church (www.kairosatlanta.org) and are supporters of The Lifegate Group, a well-respected counseling and executive coaching practice located in Atlanta where Mr. Coole previously served as the Chairman of the Board.  He enjoys playing racquetball, reading, and spending time with his family.

Years of Experience: 21

Clarke Poole

Clarke Coole

Principal

Years of Experience: 21

Mr. Coole graduated from James Madison University with a major in business management.  He is a graduate of the Investment Banking Institute of New York.  He began his career in 1999 having been selected into the prestigious Management Training Program within Bank of America’s Global Corporate Investment Banking Group.  Bank of America’s Management Training Program selects 30 individuals nationally to participate in a 2-year intensive program learning about the capital markets and commercial real estate.  

Mr. Coole transitioned from the corporate world in 2003 to work for a commercial development and acquisition family office based out of Atlanta, GA.  Mr. Coole was responsible for developing a national development platform that ultimately developed over $150 million of retail and industrial buildings throughout the southeastern and southwestern United States.  

In 2011 Mr. Coole had the opportunity to join a startup Georgia financial firm to help build and manage its commercial real estate platform.  Since the firm’s formation, the investors’ risk-based capital has more than tripled due primarily to the organic growth and management of the bank’s commercial real estate portfolio.  Mr. Coole maintains close relationships in the capital markets for both debt and equity providers.

Clarke and his wife Christy live in Atlanta, GA along with their 11-year-old daughter, Ella, and 9-year-old daughter Chapel.  They are active in Kairos Church (www.kairosatlanta.org) and are supporters of The Lifegate Group, a well-respected counseling and executive coaching practice located in Atlanta where Mr. Coole previously served as the Chairman of the Board.  He enjoys playing racquetball, reading, and spending time with his family.

Cameron Grogan

Development and Acquisitions

Cameron is responsible for the development and construction for Charter Mellon’s development and acquisition projects.  He is the principal of Williams Brothers Development.

Mr. Grogan professional career has included working for 2 regional development companies where he was in charge of overseeing site acquisition, development, and construction that included over 300,000 sf of commercial development and acquisitions. Mr. Grogan is also a founder and partner of PDS Collaborative. PDS offers consulting services for 3rd party clients.

Cameron is married with 2 young children and lives in Brookhaven. He enjoys traveling – as long as the
destination is warm. When he’s not at the beach, he spends time saltwater fishing, cycling and exploring the city of Atlanta with his family.

Mr. Grogan earned a BS in Business Administration from Samford University and a Master of Building Construction from Auburn University.

Years of Experience: 10

Cameron Grogan

Development and Acquisitions

Years of Experience: 10

Cameron is responsible for the development and construction for Charter Mellon’s development and acquisition projects.

Mr. Grogan professional career has included working for 2 regional development companies where he was in charge of overseeing site acquisition, development, and construction that included over 300,000 sf of commercial development and acquisitions. Mr. Grogan is also a founder and partner of PDS Collaborative. PDS offers consulting services for 3 rd party clients.

Cameron is married with 2 young children and lives in Brookhaven. He enjoys traveling – as long as the destination is warm. When he’s not at the beach, he spends time saltwater fishing, cycling and exploring the city of Atlanta with his family.

Mr. Grogan earned a BS in Business Administration from Samford University and a Master of Building Construction from Auburn University.

Thomas Connell

Accounting, CPA

Mr. Connell has over 10 years of experience in accounting, tax, and commercial real estate matters and is currently the owner of TCA Company, providing outsourced accounting services to owners and other 3rd party firms.

Mr. Connell’s career has included working as a senior property accountant for Hines Interest LP.  Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment, development and management firm, founded in 1957, with a presence in 225 cities in 25 countries and $144.1 billion of assets under management.  During his tenure with Hines, he managed the accounting and financial functions for over 1 million square feet of office and retail space, providing reporting for multiple operating assets and performing ad hoc analyses for ownership. 

In addition to his time at Hines, Mr. Connell worked for an Atlanta-based development company as Controller overseeing the corporate and property accounting matters for multiple projects totaling over $200 million.  

Charter Mellon partners with TCA Company on all financial reporting and accounting matters. 

Mr. Connell is a certified public accountant. He earned a Masters in Accounting from Georgia State University and a BBA degree in banking and finance from the University of Georgia.

Thomas is a doting husband and proud father to two boys. He and his family live in Marietta, GA and attend Marietta First United Methodist Church.

Years of Experience: 11

Thomas Connell

Accounting, CPA

Years of Experience: 11

Mr. Connell has over 10 years of experience in accounting, tax, and commercial real estate matters and is currently the owner of TCA Company, providing outsourced accounting services to owners and other 3rd party firms.

Mr. Connell’s career has included working as a senior property accountant for Hines Interest LP.  Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment, development and management firm, founded in 1957, with a presence in 225 cities in 25 countries and $144.1 billion of assets under management.  During his tenure with Hines, he managed the accounting and financial functions for over 1 million square feet of office and retail space, providing reporting for multiple operating assets and performing ad hoc analyses for ownership. 

In addition to his time at Hines, Mr. Connell worked for an Atlanta-based development company as Controller overseeing the corporate and property accounting matters for multiple projects totaling over $200 million.  

Charter Mellon partners with TCA Company on all financial reporting and accounting matters. 

Mr. Connell is a certified public accountant. He earned a Masters in Accounting from Georgia State University and a BBA degree in banking and finance from the University of Georgia.

Thomas is a doting husband and proud father to two boys. He and his family live in Marietta, GA and attend Marietta First United Methodist Church.

Claude Scarborough

Senior Investment Analyst

Mr. Scarborough serves as Charter Mellon’s senior analyst responsible for all underwriting and investment reviews.  He brings over 30 plus years of real estate finance experience, including successfully closing an aggregate $1.8B of transactions across multiple national capital advisory platforms. 

Mr. Scarborough graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Business Administration and an emphasis in finance, banking, and real estate.  He started his career in the Management Training Program with Bankers Trust of South Carolina (now Bank of America), and then transitioned into real estate development for two Los Angeles based commercial and residential development firms.  He expanded his working knowledge of real estate development by obtaining a certificate in Commercial and Industrial Development Management at University of California, Irvine.

In 1992, Mr. Scarborough moved to Atlanta taking on the Chief Financial Officer role with Keenan-Johnson, a real estate consulting firm specializing in public-private partnerships (501c3).  During his time with the firm, they successfully completed the financing of a mixed-use retail-office development in Augusta Georgia.  Mr. Scarborough then had to opportunity to became the Director of Operations for Concordia Realty, where he managed the completion of one of the first Publix shopping centers in Atlanta ultimately leading to a successful sale to AMB (now ProLogis).  Subsequent to the sale, Mr. Scarborough was chosen by AMB to manage the center.  Mr. Scarborough asset and property management skills lead to the opportunity to manage a 1MM sf retail portfolio for NY Life.  In 1996, Mr. Scarborough transitioned to the transaction side of the business where he has analyzed and closed highly structured retail, condo, multi-family, and office transactions, and other CRE asset classes ranging in value up to $105MM.

Claude is married to his wife, Monica, of 30 years and has one college-aged daughter.  He enjoys reading, traveling, and spending quality time with his family.

Years of Experience: 33

Claude Scarborough

Senior Investment Analyst

Years of Experience: 33

Mr. Scarborough serves as Charter Mellon’s senior analyst responsible for all underwriting and investment reviews.  He brings over 30 plus years of real estate finance experience, including successfully closing an aggregate $1.8B of transactions across multiple national capital advisory platforms. 

Mr. Scarborough graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Business Administration and an emphasis in finance, banking, and real estate.  He started his career in the Management Training Program with Bankers Trust of South Carolina (now Bank of America), and then transitioned into real estate development for two Los Angeles based commercial and residential development firms.  He expanded his working knowledge of real estate development by obtaining a certificate in Commercial and Industrial Development Management at University of California, Irvine.

In 1992, Mr. Scarborough moved to Atlanta taking on the Chief Financial Officer role with Keenan-Johnson, a real estate consulting firm specializing in public-private partnerships (501c3).  During his time with the firm, they successfully completed the financing of a mixed-use retail-office development in Augusta Georgia.  Mr. Scarborough then had to opportunity to became the Director of Operations for Concordia Realty, where he managed the completion of one of the first Publix shopping centers in Atlanta ultimately leading to a successful sale to AMB (now ProLogis).  Subsequent to the sale, Mr. Scarborough was chosen by AMB to manage the center.  Mr. Scarborough asset and property management skills lead to the opportunity to manage a 1MM sf retail portfolio for NY Life.  In 1996, Mr. Scarborough transitioned to the transaction side of the business where he has analyzed and closed highly structured retail, condo, multi-family, and office transactions, and other CRE asset classes ranging in value up to $105MM.

Claude is married to his wife, Monica, of 30 years and has one college-aged daughter.  He enjoys reading, traveling, and spending quality time with his family.