Firm News
ROY RUDA ELECTED KKG SHAREHOLDER
Effective January 1, 2012, Roy Ruda has been elected as a shareholder of Kitchens Kelley Gaynes, P.C. Roy is a member of the firm's Real Estate and Leasing Practice Groups. Roy's practice includes the representation of clients in the areas of leasing, acquisitions, dispositions, development and financing transactions with a particular emphasis on retail development and retail leasing.
DAVID KITCHENS TEACHES CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION SEMINAR ON LANDLORD & TENANT LAW
On January 12, 2012, David Kitchens was an instructor for the Landlord & Tenant continuing legal education seminar held at The State Bar of Georgia. The topics on which David spoke included: Lessor Agreements, SNDAs, Foreclosures and Guarantees. For more information on the seminar, please visit: www.iclega.com
KIMBERLY SHERIDAN SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2012 YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF THE STATE BAR OF GEORGIA
Founded in 2006, the Young Lawyers Division Leadership Academy invites participants who have a history of involvement and leadership in their communities, offices and profession. Participants are selected through a competitive process and are chosen from every corner of the state and every practice area. The program's focus is to foster continued leadership development in young lawyers by providing a vehicle for networking and allowing interaction with leaders in the state bar, government and judiciary.
JOEL AROGETI ATTENDS COMMUNITY BANKERS' ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA'S MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
On December 5, 2011, Joel Arogeti attended the Community Bankers' Association of Georgia's (CBA) 4th Annual Director's & Executive Management Conference in Atlanta. Mr. Arogeti participated in discussions regarding (i) Corporate Governance and Internal Controls, (ii) Director Standards of Care, (iii) Responsibilities for Investment Portfolios, and (iv) Building Better Boards. The CBA was created in 1969 and has approximately 300 community bank members who utilize four main areas of service: Education, Networking, Group Purchasing and Political Affairs.
joel arogeti graduates from bank directors' college
Joel Arogeti, who serves as a director of Private Bank of Buckhead and Chair of its Audit Committee, graduated from the Community Bankers Association of Georgia’s Bank Directors’ College on September 22, 2011. The curriculum is part of CBA’s Community Bankers University and was held in conjunction with CBA’s annual meeting in Savannah.
Mr. Arogeti completed two days of interactive sessions including topics such as Stress-Testing Your Loan Portfolio and Directors’ Role In Credit Risk Management. Mr. Arogeti had previously completed the training before the bank’s opening in December 2006 and attended the CBA’s Director’s College in 2011 as a part of his annual commitment to continuing education. Kitchens Kelley Gaynes, P.C. represents numerous lenders and borrowers in a variety of real estate, acquisition, development, merger expansion and business transactions.
Richard Bennett speaks about incentive compensation
Richard Bennett presented at a Morgan Stanley Smith Barney lunch and learn session entitled, "Sticks Disguised as Carrots: The Unintended Consequences of Incentive Compensation" held on August 31, 2011. Richard explained the disincentives created by non-cash incentive compensation when employees receive their tax bill and the ways that those effects can be reduced or managed. Types of incentives discussed included stock grants, restricted stock purchases, options, profit sharing, and phantom stock.
ROY RUDA PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON RENTAL LOSS MITIGATION IN THE MAY 2011 ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE RENEWAL
Roy Ruda co-authored the article "Minimizing Rental Losses Requires Active Management, Days of 'Set It and Forget It' Are Gone" which was published in the May 2011 issue of The Journal of Corporate Renewal. You can read the article by clicking on the following link: http://www.turnaround.org/Publications/Articles.aspx?objectId=13540.
KKG Is A Platinum Sponsor Of The 2011 ICSC Southeast Retail Connection
For the 7th consecutive year, Kitchens Kelley Gaynes P.C. is proud to be a sponsor of the ICSC Southeast Retail Connection which will be held this year on March 8, 2011. The Southeast Retail Connection was conceived and launched by a team of Georgia ICSC leaders during David's tenure as the Georgia ICSC State Director. The Retail Connection program has been a resounding success in providing individuals in the retail industry with the opportunity to network, create new deals and keep their pulse on the rapidly changing retail industry. The many participants of Retail Connection include landlords, developers, tenants, retail brokers and service providers to the retail industry.
Bruce Gaynes Teaches Continuing Legal Education Seminar
Bruce Gaynes was an instructor at the National Business Institute's continuing legal education "Trusts 101" seminar held on February 16, 2011. Bruce taught the sessions devoted to Revocable Living Trusts and Grantor Trusts. Bruce addressed such issues as the differences between Traditional Estate Planning vs. Revocable Trust Planning, Credit Shelter Trusts, Marital Deduction Trusts and Qualified Terminable Interest Trusts (QTIPs) within Revocable Trusts. On the topic of Grantor Trusts, Bruce spoke about drafting and tax considerations and about administrative powers.
Bruce Gaynes Speaks About Georgia'S New Restrictive Covenant Law To The Association Of Pool & Spa Professionals
Bruce Gaynes was a speaker on February 14, 2011 at a meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals. He spoke on the topic of Georgia's new restrictive covenant law. Bruce addressed many of the complicated issues stemming from the new law pertaining to non-compete agreements, customer non-solicitation agreements and employee recruitment and confidentiality agreements. He also addressed how Georgia courts may interpret existing contracts by "re-writing" portions of the agreement to make them more reasonable.
Richard Gaalema Is Elected To The Georgia Lenders Quality Circle - Board
Of Directors
Richard Gaalema, a Shareholder of Kitchens Kelley Gaynes P.C. was elected as of February 1, 2011 to serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Lenders Quality Circle (GLQC). GLQC was created in 2003 as a non-profit association for banks, non-bank lenders, service providers including attorneys, environmental consultants and other professionals servicing government guaranteed small business loans. The organization provides a forum for its members to exchange ideas, insight and information within the greater community of small business lenders, small business advisory service providers and other professionals serving the small business market.
Bruce Gaynes Talks About Estate, Gift and GST Taxes To International Accounting Group
On January 25, 2011 Bruce Gaynes spoke to members of the North American International Network of Accountants and Auditors. The topic of his presentation was the December 2010 changes to the Estate, Gift and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes. He also addressed the new estate planning structures that need to be used in an era of continually changing transfer tax laws.