Management


Carlton Jones

As the Chairman of Renaissance Design Build Group of Jacksonville, Inc., & Group of companies with experience in general construction, construction management, property management, parking management, program management and real estate related disciplines.

Carlton, began his 46 year career in D.C. with Nersesian Engineering, Inc., on the first phase of the D.C. METRO Station at Judiciary Square as a Structural Draftsman. Then worked for Urban Systems Development (Westinghouse) as a Modular Systems and Precast Draftsman, open USD first manufacturing plant in Fredericksburg, Va., responsible for quality control. Recruited by ITT Levitt and Sons, to the Mid-Atlantic Region as Sr. Architectural Designer and quickly oversaw the construction, marketing, mortgage coordination for the region, producing 2,000 homes a year. Recruited to work in the inner city for Fairfax Village, Inc., Montrose Corporation, Inc. managing and marketing condominium, rental apartment complexes and two regional shopping centers, as regional CEO. Started his own companies to joint venture with David Clark, President of the North Carolina companies in the inner city developments. Then expanded his territory to Florida in 1988. Carlton has participated with responsibilities for building, developing, or program managing over 200,000,000 square feet of mixed use real estate development in both inner city and suburban markets in the southeast.

Iconic projects he worked on; The Portals Waterfront Development, D.C., Knox Hill Modular Townhomes, D.C., retail Georgetown Park, D.C., PennMar Shopping Center,D.C., 830 unit Fairfax Village Condominiums, D.C., Riveria Beach Marina Redevelopment Fl., The IOWA Condominiums D.C., The Jacksonville International Airport Parking Garage and two Airport Terminals, Fl., The Jacksonville Ballpark and Arena Jacksonville, Fl., Pensacola Maritime Park Redevelopment Fl., relocated Garden City Municipal Center to new Master Planned Town, Ga., received an award for one of the best planned communities by AIP.

The Renaissance team won a 23 million dollar grant for the Jacksonville Housing Authority Hope 6, partner in the TOD Kings Avenue Redevelopment, program manager Historic Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, Historic Renaissance at Riverside, Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Fl., Jacksonville Zoological Society, Fl., built over 1,000 single family affordable homes in D.C. and Jacksonville, Fl.

Carlton has served on 32 not for profit Boards; Jacksonville Urban Land Institute Fl., past NE regional Chairman of the Trust for Public Land Fl., past Vice Chair of Greater Southeast Community Hospital System, D.C., Vice Chair Mental Health Resource, Fl., thrice Vice Chairman of Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Fl., past president of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Fl., past president D.C. Chamber of Commerce, Fl., past board member of the Jacksonville Zoological Society, Fl., the Clara White Mission, Fl., Co-Pastor Gateway to Heaven Christian Church, Inc. Fl. | View Resume

carltonjones[at]rendbg.com


Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones is the owner and President of RDBG Consulting Group, LLC, a construction & engineering and inspection firm based in Jacksonville, Florida, The firm primarily specializes in transportation road inspections for FDOT and local Florida municipalities. More recently, RDBG began providing program management and real estate development advisory services for private and municipal sectors. RDBG is currently working in partnership with Gilbane Building Company as the Owner’s Representative for the City of Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on a 300 million dollar-marina redevelopment project in Palm Beach County.

RDBG was formed in 2003 and has been in business for over 10 years. The firm has partnered with large national and regional firms on a multitude of projects; Firms include Gilbane Building Company, Skanska, Eisman & Russo Consulting Engineers, JB Coxwell Contractors, and Milton J. Wood Company to name a few.

Christopher is a partner in The Renaissance Group, a family owned real estate development and construction firm. The firm specializes in development and re-development of shopping centers, office buildings, and housing. In addition, the company has experience in adaptive reuse.

Christopher is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, Trustee of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, past member of International Council of Shopping Centers, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, and is an Alumni of Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2006. He has served on various local advisory committees for the City of Jacksonville. Most recently, Christopher served as a board member for the City of Jacksonville’s Transportation and Mobility task force, an appointment by the Office of the Mayor and confirmation by the City Council. This committee drafted the City of Jacksonville’s policy on vehicle trip concurrency, developments of regional impacts, and the replacement of the local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, which was adopted by the State of Florida legislature in 1985.

Prior to his success in real estate and development, Christopher held several positions at Fannie Mae when it was the largest non-bank financial services company in the world. Fannie Mae was the largest purchaser of single family and multifamily residential mortgages in the secondary mortgage market in the United States. Christopher is a graduate of The University of Florida with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. | View Resume

christopherjones[at]rendbg.com


Steven A. Stern

As the Vice President of Renaissance Design Build Group, and former President of Stern & Stern Associates, Inc., Steven Stern brings more than 55 years of private and public sector financing and development experience to his business relationships. Trained in the portfolio management, investment banking and commercial insurance industries, Steve has advised, created, financed and developed projects and public/private partnerships in the health care, public assembly, sports, entertainment industries, and mixed-use development industries. He was co-founder of the nation’s first sports and entertainment facility development company. He is widely recognized as a creative problem-solver of financing and financial issues. | View Full Bio | View Resume

stevestern[at]rendbg.com


Will Messer Biography

Will Messer works in commercial real estate sales and leasing with Watson Commercial. His clients include developers, landowners, and businesses. He has been awarded “Agent of the Month,” consecutively; most recently in April 2023.

He has invested in Jacksonville, FL (Arlington, Beaches, and Riverside) projects. He manages his company’s portfolio of Jacksonville, FL (Springfield and Rail Yard District) properties.

Prior to Watson Commercial, Will worked nearly 10 years with Nassau County, FL-based Rayonier, publicly traded real estate investment trust, in real estate development. While at Rayonier, Will led project teams, evaluated commercial project (multifamily, office, industrial) feasibility, managed site selection and joint venture partner selection.

Will is a Jacksonville native who graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School. He also graduated from Wesleyan University and received his MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Will specialized in real estate and was a Joseph A. Wharton Fellow and Pension Real Estate Scholar. Civically, Will serves as a Bethel Baptist Institutional Church Trustee. He served for three years as both Chair, District 2: Greater Arlington and Beaches’ Citizen Planning and Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Phase Eight Theater Company Board Member. Will enjoys the visual arts, birding, and travel in his spare time.

wmesser[at]rendbg.com


Riyan Jackson

  • University of Phoenix MBA, Minor in Marketing
  • Licensed North Carolina Realtor 
  • Former Licensed Florida Real Estate Sales Agent
  • Member, National Association of Realtors (NAR)

Riyan Jackson brings more than 16 years of private and public sector project management experience to his business relationships:

Renaissance Design Build Group of Jacksonville; Jacksonville, FL

Project Manager

  • Project Manager for Residential Housing and Development.
  • Management and sales for the Carver Estates Affordable SingleFamily housing property.
  • Head of marketing for Gateway Town Center.
  • Tenant Leasing Specialist and Accounting Assistant for Gateway Town Center.

War on Poverty-Florida, Inc,
Jacksonville, FL 

Project Manager

  • Co-Lead for Ford Foundation  Initiative, Building Economic Security Over a Lifetime (BESOL)
  • Co-Lead Southern Regional Asset Building Coalition (SRABC)
  • Worked in Partnership with Gateway Town Center Management on Elizabeth G. Means Medical Pavilion inside Gateway Town Center
  • Partnership with City of Garden City, Renaissance Development and War on Poverty-Florida, Inc. to implement Neighborhood Stabilization Program in Garden City, Georgia.
rijackso[at]rendbg.com
rijackso1222[at]gmail.com


Casey Jones

Mr. Casey D. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and certifications in project management, concrete and road inspections and laboratory testing of soils and concrete.

Casey Jones has seven years of direct experience in project management. More recently, four of those seven years consists of hands-on experience in soils, asphalt and concrete testing and associated construction inspections for roadway and bridge projects. In addition, he assists in performing laboratory testing of soils and concrete. His background and experience lends Renaissance Design Build Group added skill-sets in all aspects of roadway and bridge construction and provides greater value in the areas of inspections and project management assistance.


Cynthia Jones-Jackson

Cynthia D. Jones-Jackson brings to the Renaissance Design Build Group more than 30 years of experience in management of people, programs, projects, strategic planning and development, and in human resources. As the Director of Compliance Management, Cynthia will establish compliance procedures and develop organizational strategies to ensure RDBG complies with all regulatory requirements. Facilitates strategic planning for long-term projects and ensures project milestones are met. Cynthia brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a result of former employment. Retired from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) after 40-years of Federal service, she led the USEPA office responsible for management and oversight of 50 federal advisory committees and subcommittees providing recommendations to the President of the United States, Congress, and USEPA senior decision-makers. As such, she led strategic planning and development for the office; and served as an Agency Deputy Ethics Official. Cynthia directly managed five of USEPA’s federal advisory committees including the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, USEPA’s only Presidential committee. She worked closely with other agencies and tribes to build public trust and consensus on environmental issues including tri-lateral relationships between the US, Mexico and Canada. Cynthia Received a Bronze Medal, EPA’s third highest honor award, for leading efforts to broaden diversity on the Agency’s federal advisory committees and a second Bronze Medal for implementing the USEPA Administrator's vision to revitalize the international Commission for Environmental Cooperation and it's portfolio.