Boards & Commissions

• Joseph Patin, Chairman. Joseph is a Senior Director of Tax at Georgia Pacific LLC, where he focuses on federal tax planning for income tax. Previously he was the State Tax Counsel responsible for state and local income and franchise tax compliance and planning for the GE Energy business. Joseph has over 19 years of experience in the tax field, as he also practiced state and local tax at the accounting firm of KPMG LLP. Joseph obtained a BS in accounting from Syracuse University and a JD from Boston University School of Law. Joseph is a registered CPA in Georgia and Massachusetts and is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts. Joseph and his family are residents of Brookhaven, Georgia.
• Adam Caskey. Attorney. Adam is a partner at the law firm of Clark Caskey, LLC where he specializes in real estate litigation and also serves as Special Master in complex real estate matters pending in the DeKalb County Superior Court. Prior to beginning his law practice, Adam graduated Magna Cum Laude from both Georgia Tech and the Georgia State University College of Law. Additionally, Adam has been a Co-Chairman of the Brookhaven Bolt Community Association since its inception in 2008. The Brookhaven Bolt is a charitable organization whose sole purpose is to raise money for Ashford Park Elementary School. Since 2008, the Brookhaven Bolt has donated in excess of $125,000 to the school. Adam has been a resident of Brookhaven since 2003 where he resides with his wife and their two young children. 
• Glianny Fagundo. Attorney. Glianny is an accomplished business litigator and employment attorney who specializes on high-stakes, employment cases such as multi-party or class discrimination actions, collective FLSA/wage and hour suits, and civil rights, and business oriented matters such as RICO, contract disputes, fraud, fiduciary liability, professional liability, premises liability, wrongful death, contract disputes, and consumer protection cases. In addition to practicing law, Glianny enjoys working with Atlanta’s thriving Hispanic community, particularly educating its members on their legal rights and duties under US law. To this end, she has served as a professor in Latino Law School at the Hispanic Center for Economic Development, a presenter at forums hosted by groups such as the Mexican American Business Chamber, and as a recurring panelist in a weekly ask-the-lawyer segment in Univision 34 Noticias.
• Richard Grice. Attorney. Grice is a partner in the Global Finance & Debt Products Group. He previously served an eight-year term as leader of the group and currently serves on the firm’s Financial Advisory Committee. Mr. Grice has been recognized by his peers as one of the foremost lawyers in his area of expertise, including top ranking in Chambers USA; America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and a listing in Super Lawyers magazine since its inception, and he has been voted one of the Best Lawyers in America for well over a decade. 
• Michel Arnette. Owner of Haven Restaurant and Bar and Valenza Restaurat. Arnette was previously the General Manager of the Buckhead Diner where he garnered attention by dramatically improving service and delivery with his trademark polished, professional and personable dining experience. He has held manager positions of both Pricci and VeniVidiVici. His goal at Haven is to create a concept that encompasses the true meaning of casual neighborhood dining in an upscale, yet comfortable atmosphere. 

• Walt Ehmer, Chair. President and CEO, Waffle House. Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992 as a senior buyer and was promoted to director of purchasing, vice president of finance and chief financial officer. In 2006, he was promoted to his current role of president and CEO. He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial and system engineering from Georgia Tech. Ehmer has served as a member of the Georgia Tech Industrial Engineering Advisory Board and the Georgia Tech Alumni Board of Trustees. He currently serves as vice chairman of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s Foundation and is a board member of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. 
• Luke Anderson. Attorney. Anderson is a licensed patent attorney in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. He specializes in intellectual property law and litigation with an emphasis on patents, trademarks, copyrights, false advertising, licensing and unfair competition. He has represented clients before state and federal courts, as well as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in a variety of disputes ranging from infringement actions to licensing and unfair competition disputes. Anderson has achieved an AVR Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating of legal ability and ethical standards. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Clemson University, a master’s in business administration from the University of South Carolina and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
• Susan Coker, Former Vice President and Treasurer, Cox Enterprises, Inc. Coker is the former vice president and treasurer for Cox Enterprises, Inc., a $15 billion communications, media and automotive services company. In this role, Coker was responsible for all Cox treasury functions, including oversight of the capital structure, capital markets activities, liquidity/cash management and financial relationship management. Coker also served as vice president and treasurer of Cox Communications, the company’s broadband subsidiary. Coker retired from Cox Enterprises in 2012. She has served on the board of trustees of the Saint Martin’s Episcopal School and is active in a variety of community activities. She has abachelor’s degree in economics from Vanderbilt University and a master’s in business administration from Duke University. 
• Pat Hoban, CEO, Capitol City Nissan. Hoban is currently CEO of Capitol City Nissan in Chamblee. In 2010, he was named TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year” for Georgia. Hoban started his career working in a parts warehouse at a Chevrolet dealership in Miami. He went on to own and operate 11 dealerships, including Chevrolet, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Ford, Lincoln-Mercury, Jaguar, Saab and Mitsubishi. He has an associate’s degree in accounting from Miami-Dade Junior College. Hoban is also actively involved with Camp Twin Lakes, a Rutledge, Ga.-based camp which works with children with special needs and serious illnesses.
• Tim Peaden, Attorney. Peaden has handled numerous state and local tax cases in many different states, involving a variety of issues. He currently has active disputes in more than a dozen states. He has been involved with jury trials and appellate courts. Peaden has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers magazine for more than 10 years. He is a frequent speaker and author on tax litigation topics. He has spoken to numerous professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Committee on State Taxation, the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, the Georgia Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the Georgia Society of CPAs. He formerly was an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law and Georgia State University's Graduate School of Accounting.
• John Rhett, Chairman and CEO, SunTrust Investment Services. Rhett has more than 35 years of investment banking and brokerage experience. He currently serves as chairman and CEO of SunTrust Investment Services. He previously served as a broker and municipal bond trader for the southeast with Merrill Lynch. He also held positions with the investment-banking firm Robinson-Humphrey, including serving as manager of the firm’s north Atlanta retail brokerage office. In 2001, Rhett started Alexander Key Investments, which is now SunTrust Investment Services. He is a past president of the Atlanta Municipal Bond Club, and a past member and co-chairman of the Smith Barney Branch Manager Council. He also is a guest lecturer at the Georgia Tech College of Management, vice chairman of the Parish Council of Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church, chairman of the board of trustees of the Center for the Visually Impaired and a trustee of Marist School. He has a degree in industrial management from Georgia Tech. 
• Bruce L. Whitmer, Attorney. Whitmer, a 1971 graduate of Emory Law School, has spent the past 40 years in the private practice of law in Atlanta. Whitmer served as a judicial clerk with U.S. District Court Judge Frank A. Hooper, of the Northern District of Georgia, prior to opening his own law office. In private practice, he has organized and advised hundreds of businesses and dozens of non-profit organizations on legal and tax matters. Whitmer recently served as president of the Atlanta Track Club, where he helped the organization obtain tax-exempt status and oversaw the search for a new executive director. Prior to law school, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army with the 101st Airborne Division, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge for service in Vietnam.

• Stan Segal, Chairman. Retired senior executive, IT industry. Leading consulting organizations for Sun Microsystems and Hewlett Packard, Segal traveled extensively throughout the United States and Latin America. Stan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, is a veteran of the US Navy, is married, and is active in the Hampton Hall community where he has lived for over 30 years. Segal served on the Board of Citizens for North DeKalb.
• Shannon Cameron. Account Manager. A Brookhaven resident since 1993, Shannon is a founding member of the Nancy Creek Heights Neighborhood Network and served on the board of Brookhaven Yes. Since 1996, Shannon has been a Partner Account Manager for Cisco. Previously, Shannon worked for Vericept Corporation and Internet Security Systems.
• John Funny. Consultant. John is President and Chief Executive Officer of Grice Consulting Group, LLC. In 1995, John incorporated his own planning and engineering firm, named for his mother, the Late Sadie Grice Funny. Grice Consulting Group has become a nationally recognized city/urban planning, traffic engineering, transportation engineering and water resources engineering consulting firm. John has 26 years of experience in the field and lives off of Saxon Valley Circle.
• Rob Francour. Insurance Manager. For the last 19 years, Rob has been an investment manager for Northwestern Mutual Life. In his present position, he makes mortgage loans secured by income producing property and develops real estate projects, joint venturing with experienced developers. (His territory covers the Southeast but the only Atlanta area project he is currently developing is a Midtown high-rise on 12th St.). Before moving to Brookhaven in 2005, Rob lived in the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood where he served on the Planning commission. Rob has also worked with various planning commissions and city councils to secure approval of projects he wished to develop. He is married, has two daughters and has been active in his neighborhood of Byrnwyck.
• John Hess. Chartered Financial Adviser. John has 20 years of experience in finance and investments. Until 2011, he was Director of Manager Due Diligence for LCG Associates. Previously, John was Global Operations Director of Investment Research for the AON Corporation and has expertise in evaluating investment research, evaluating investment managers,and is proficient with investment databases. John has an MBA from Georgia State University and a Masters in International Project Manager. He has lived in the Drew Valley neighborhood since 1995.
• Jack Honderd. Architect. Jack is a long-time resident and has designed and developed many award-winning projects that are transit oriented. Through his company ArchiTech Partners, Inc., Jack has completed over 100 single family houses in the Brookhaven and Atlanta area including projects near the Brookhaven, Edgewood, Decatur and Avondale stations. Jack is a member of the Brookhaven Peachtree Community Alliance and worked on the development of the Brookhaven Overlay. He is also active in the Brookhaven Fields Civic Association. 
• Adrian Schmidt. Associate Broker for Sotheby’s International Realty. Adrian is a long time professional in real estate with 20 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate. His wide range of experience includes serving in a management role with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) and successfully founding and selling an internet-based real estate information management system.

 Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals hears requests for variances and administrative appeals. Their decisions have the effect of code and protect citizens from unfair applications of the law in particular circumstances. The Zoning Board of Appeals meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Agendas and minutes for the ZBA meetings can be found on our Meetings & Agendas page.

• Tim Nama, Chairman. Homebuilder. Tim is a founding partner in Mayfield Signature Homes which has built more than 500 homes in DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties. Tim focuses mainly on building custom homes and large scale renovations. He is a native Brookhaven resident who has a business degree from Auburn and resides with his family in Ashford Park.
• Hope Bawcom. Consultant. A resident of Historic Brookhaven for 12 years, Hope brings a solid business acumen having spent the better part of her career in corporate America with experience spanning start up and Fortune 500 companies. Most recently she has been running a consulting business that she started eight years ago. She has been active in the historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association and also ran for Brookhaven city council.
• Jed Beardsley. Attorney. Jed is a shareholder and head of Real Estate and Finance in Georgia for the national law firm of Baker Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.  He received his JD and MBA degrees from Emory University with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. Jed  has been active in the Historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association and served as president of the Historic Brookhaven Foundation Inc. He was one of five commissioners appointed to the Governor’s Commission to help organize the new city.
• Don Bolia. Consultant. Bolia is a partner in Peachtree Government Affairs, Bolia is a consultant providing clients with advice on how legislative trends will impact their businesses. During his career, Bolia has worked for Congressman Newt Gingrich, served as Political Director of the Georgia Republican Party, chief of staff of the Fulton County Commission chairman and executive director of the Georgia Republican Party. He has been named one of the state’s top 40 business leaders under 40 by Georgia Trend magazine, was a member of the Citizens for North DeKalb board.
• Kent Gipson. Real Estate Agent. Kent is an agent for Keller Williams, a native Atlantan and a graduate of Chamblee High School. After graduating from University of Alabama and a tour with the U.S. Marines Corps, Kent and worked with his father on various real estate development projects. In 1999, Kent became one of the first twenty agents to join Keller Williams Realty in the Southeast. He is president of the North Atlanta Rotary Club.
• Corey Self. Tax consultant. Corey owns and operates a tax consulting firm serving large corporate clients throughout the Atlanta area. He is an active volunteer with Buckhead Church and served on the board of Citizens for North Dekalb. Corey has lived in Ashford Park since 2003.
• Glenn Viers. Attorney. Glenn is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel to the Hillstone Restaurant Group, which owns Houston's among its many restaurants. Much of his work involves zoning or variances as it applies to opening or remodeling the restaurant locations. He works closely with developers, has extensive experience on signage (often a subject for variances) and has a deep understanding of the needs of both business and neighborhoods.