Ron spent many teenage summers repairing and remodeling his parents’ residential rental properties. Working alongside carpenters, electricians, plumbers, masons and other tradesmen, he learned a lot about each of these trades. Later, Ron put this knowledge to work in rehabbing several homes. In each case, Ron made major renovations, even tearing out interiors to the bare walls, redesigning the layout, and rebuilding to up-to-date standards. In each case, Ron sold the properties within days of putting them on the market and well above his investment costs.

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For more than 16 years, Ron worked as a contract negotiator in industries as diverse as energy research, computers and electronics. Ron also has extensive experience in sophisticated financial management, having managed a number of residential, commercial and structured transaction loan servicing contractors, with a combined portfolio of over $2 billion. As a result of his extraordinary ability and demonstrated results, Ron received numerous accolades and awards from his superiors.

Ron earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from Georgia State University. He was also selected by his employer to attend Emory University’s Executive MBA program, where he graduated at the top of his class and was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society.

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Ron has served on the business advisory council of Lee University and has taught numerous classes in business management and leadership principles in the United States, Europe and Asia. He is married to the former Tanya Trimble. They have two daughters, Gretchen (his partner in Red Acorn Homes) and Rebecca, and two grandchildren, Claire and Ian.

co-owner

RON BELL

In high school, Gretchen was a class officer, a National Merit Semi-finalist and a participant in the Miss Freshman Pageant. After her sophomore year of high school, Gretchen received a full-ride Centennial Scholarship to Lee University, the second largest private liberal arts university in Tennessee. After two years of successful college studies, Gretchen returned to her high school where she received credit for her college classes and was awarded her high school diploma.

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While in college, Gretchen was on the homecoming court, and was selected as second runner-up and Miss Congeniality in the Parade of Favorites Pageant. Gretchen went on to receive degrees in business administration and computers/information systems, where she was awarded the highest graduation exit score in her business graduating class.

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Gretchen spent the next 20 years as part of the information technology sector in industries as diverse as banking and home improvement retailing, in roles as varied as application developer and client relations specialist. In each situation, Gretchen learned quickly and excelled in her work. Prior employers include The Home Depot, JP Morgan Chase, CIGNA Healthsource, and Equifax, Inc.

In recent years she worked with all forms of database management, client data integration and project management, regularly handling upwards of 35 integration projects concurrently. As an integration specialist and technical project lead, her clients included the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Pennsylvania State University, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, CBS Radio, New York  Metropolitan Museum of Art, the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball Team, Staples, Inc., Fox Film Entertainment, Hard Rock Café International, Inc., Panasonic Corporation of North America, Randstad North America, and The Ohio State University.

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Gretchen lives in Canton, GA where she is owned by her niece and nephew, Claire and Ian.

co-owner

GRETCHEN BELL