Credentials
Five decades of development experience
Construction, real estate, brokerage, and development experience, and the systems North Star has built from it.
Corporate & Institutional Real Estate
| Company | Scope | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart Stores, Inc. | National site-selection & development strategy — 120 Supercenters | Principal |
| Colonial Properties Trust | Retail development, entitlements & joint ventures (publicly traded REIT) | Principal |
| Wells Fargo | 350-property commercial portfolio — acquisitions, dispositions & lease restructuring (~15% lease expense reduction) | Principal |
| CertifiedPlus, Inc. | Nationwide expansion to 300+ dealerships (President) | Principal |
Development Experience
The North Star Team
North Star assembles experienced development, operating, land, technical, construction, public-sector, and capital participants around each project. The people below represent North Star's core capabilities; additional local professionals are added project by project, and not everyone shown is a full-time employee of North Star Group.
Leadership & core team
Founder & CEO, North Star Group Inc.
Michael Hoffman
SYSTEMS INTEGRATION · PATENT HOLDER · DEVELOPMENT
Michael Hoffman is a U.S. real estate developer, inventor, and affordable-housing strategist. He founded North Star Group to deliver development projects that integrate construction, technology, and finance into unified systems. Holder of 11 US patents spanning construction systems, smart building technology, and agricultural compliance platforms.
Partner, North Star Group Inc.
Clint Connell
EXECUTIVE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT · MARKET EXPANSION · WEALTH MANAGEMENT
A career Fortune 100 real estate executive and wealth management leader: Real Estate Manager at Walmart Stores (120-Supercenter site strategy), VP/Development Director at Colonial Properties Trust, Senior Negotiator - Real Estate at Wells Fargo (350-property portfolio), and President of CertifiedPlus, Inc. Holds the MAI designation; U.S. Army Captain, Honorably Discharged.
Executive Vice President & Lead Developer
Jey Smith
PROJECT EXECUTION · STAKEHOLDER COORDINATION · BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Responsible for project implementation, stakeholder coordination, and business development across the firm's portfolio - owner interface, execution management, and coordination of technical teams.
Construction Manager
Timothy V. Hall
FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION · QUALITY CONTROL · SAFETY COMPLIANCE
Construction management spanning federal, institutional, and commercial projects. Certified CQC Manager and Safety Officer; deep knowledge of HUD, VA, and GSA construction standards.
Senior advisers
President, PMW Management Partners, Inc.
Paul Watkins Sr.
PHA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE · DEVELOPMENT FINANCE · HUD COMPLIANCE
Extensive experience in residential and commercial development, complex finance structuring, and market feasibility. Formerly Director of Technical Assistance at Econometrica, Inc., leading HUD-contracted teams across Public Housing Authorities nationwide.
Strategic & delivery partners
CEO, The Maxwell Organization
Donald Maxwell
REO DISPOSITION · HOUSING POLICY · URBAN REVITALIZATION
National experience in REO disposition and urban revitalization. Formerly at Fannie Mae, where he helped generate over $4.5 billion in targeted loan production and national REO sales exceeding 21,000 properties annually.
CEO, Supreme Insulated Panel Systems
Tom Dowling
SIP MANUFACTURING · HURRICANE-RATED CONSTRUCTION · PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
Civil engineer and manufacturing innovator with nearly five decades of construction experience, including $120M+ delivered through Metropolitan Contracting Co. and 920+ residential units owned/operated via Dowco Management Co.
CEO, BlackStar Construction
Les Allen Jr.
SIP CONSTRUCTION · CERTIFIED MBE/DBE · INSTITUTIONAL QC
CEO and founder of The BlackStar Companies (Tampa, FL) - construction services and SIP manufacturing, holding SBA 8(a), HUBZone, MBE, and DBE certifications, with institutional-grade QC standards.
Projects Completed
Selected developments, brokerage, and consulting engagements
Retail & Big Box
Walmart Supercenters — Consulting / Brokerage
| Location | Use | Size | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boaz, AL | Walmart Supercenter | ~197,000 SF | Brokerage |
| Greenville, AL | Walmart Supercenter | ~197,000 SF | Brokerage |
| Arab, AL | Walmart Supercenter | ~197,000 SF | Brokerage |
| Jacksonville, AL | Walmart Supercenter | ~197,000 SF | Brokerage |
| Anniston, AL | Walmart Supercenter | ~197,000 SF | Brokerage |
Drugstores & Home Improvement — Developer
| Location | Tenant | Size | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston, AL | CVS | 13,500 SF | Developer |
| Jacksonville, AL | CVS | 13,500 SF | Developer |
| Huntsville, AL | Home Depot | 100,000 SF | Developer |
Mall & Shopping Centers
| Location | Use | Size | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | Mall Teardown & Renew | 400,000 SF | Developer |
| Hamilton, AL | Shopping Center | 80,000 SF | Owner |
| Maryville, TN | Retail Shops | 20,000 SF | Owner |
Quick-Serve & Coffee — Developer
| Location | Tenant | Notes | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensacola, FL | Starbucks | Aerial site plan on file | Developer |
| Multiple, AL | Wendy's | Multi-unit QSR pad sites | Developer |
| Multiple, AL | Captain D's | Multi-unit QSR pad sites | Developer |
Plus various retail including shops, Walgreens, fitness and more.
Land-Use Conversions
| Project | Location | Conversion | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezell Park | Anniston, AL | City Park → Retail (~50,000 SF) | Developer |
| 5-Acre Tract | Jacksonville, AL | Raw Land → Retail | Developer |
| Vacant Land Subdivision | Olive Branch, MS | Raw Land → 22 Residential Lots | Developer |
Office & Medical
| Project | Location | Size | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Building — Office & Retail Rehab | Anniston, AL | 50,000 SF | Developer |
| Medical Office | Pensacola, FL | — | Developer |
| Medical Office | Atmore, AL | — | Developer |
| City Meeting Center | Anniston, AL | — | Brokerage |
Master Planning & Consulting
| Project | Location | Scope | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Planned Community | Gulfport, MS | 5,000 acres | Consultant |
| Prison Rehabilitation | San Diego, CA | Facility planning | Consultant |
| Monday Capital Partners | New York, NY | Private equity real estate advisory | Consultant |
Light Industrial
| Project | Location | Scope | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causeway Workspace | Tampa, FL | Light industrial — 2 new buildings + 1 renovation · $2.2M | Developer |
Technology & Patents
U.S. Patent Portfolio
11 granted U.S. patents. Figures are the first drawing sheet of each patent, sourced directly from Google Patents. Click any figure or number to verify.
Patent-Pending Applications
Four provisional applications are on file, establishing priority dates across housing systems, modular construction, masonry, and geospatial site screening. North Star files provisional applications on core methods before sharing materials, so investor and partner discussions proceed from filed priority dates rather than from nondisclosure agreements.
Integrated Sustainable Housing System
U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/767,801
A coordinated system integrating construction, resource management, and community development.
Fully Integrated Reinforced Modular SIP System (FIRM)
Patent pending
A structural insulated-panel building system with a consolidated utility nexus centralizing HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire connections at module intersections.
Interlocking Dry-Stack Brick Geometry
U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/955,346
A mortarless interlocking block whose profile sheds water at every course.
Demand-Gated Geospatial Site Screening (iVerify)
U.S. Provisional Application No. 64/098,118
Use-specific demand signals with multi-layer buildable-area computation.
Software verification. iVerify's scoring engine is live and can be checked directly. Run the proof-of-life attestation ›