Shared vision.
Complementary strengths.

Leadership

Shariff A. James is Co-Founder and Director of Development of Mission New Value Group, where he leads the firm’s development strategy, feasibility evaluation, project scheduling and value-creation efforts for landowners, builders, developers and real estate professionals. His background spans development, entrepreneurship, event production, mentorship and community leadership, giving him a disciplined, opportunity-focused approach to moving real estate projects from concept to execution.

Development & Feasibility

Shariff plays a central role in determining whether an opportunity is financially, strategically and operationally viable. His work includes underwriting prospective deals, building financial models, evaluating project feasibility, structuring contracts and offers, determining development timelines and coordinating critical third-party services.

He helps guide projects through highest-and-best-use analysis, market positioning, entitlement strategy and Land Disturbance Permit readiness, with a focus on reducing uncertainty and helping stakeholders make better-informed development decisions.

Development Perspective

Shariff’s strength is his ability to see both the vision and the numbers.

He understands that successful development requires more than identifying a promising parcel. It requires disciplined analysis, realistic timelines, strong advisory, strategic execution and a clear understanding of what builders, landowners, lenders, municipalities and end users need in order for a project to move forward.

Experience

Shariff’s development experience includes the historically approved Summit Street Residences project in Newark, New Jersey, through Summit Street Development Group. Located near the James Street Commons Historic District, the condominium project reflects his commitment to ownership, thoughtful urban development and creating residential opportunities that contribute to established communities.

In Georgia, Shariff has also been part of Mission New Value Group’s work across two Suwanee sites totaling approximately 23 acres, supporting substantial projected residential value and reinforcing the firm’s ability to identify opportunity, position land effectively and support the development process before vertical construction begins.

Education & Mentorship

Shariff is an educator and mentor within the real estate community. He has conducted classes, mentored Keller Williams satellite offices, advised real estate agents and helped professionals better understand the development pipeline, financial feasibility, land evaluation, builder expectations and the risks that can derail a deal before entitlement or permit readiness.

Entrepreneurial Background

Before Mission New Value Group, Shariff founded and built Mission Entertainment, a high-performing New Jersey promotions company known for marquee events, including large-scale events at MetLife Stadium. That experience gave him a deep understanding of audience-building, sponsorship, production, logistics, brand experience and high-stakes execution—skills that now inform both his real estate leadership and his work with Mission GalaCON.

Mission GalaCON & Legacy

Mission GalaCON brings together Shariff’s event-production experience and real estate development expertise, convening developers, builders, agents, lenders, public officials, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community stakeholders around development, ownership, opportunity and the systems required to move real estate projects forward.

A core part of that work is the developing youth pipeline initiative for young adults ages 17 to 22, focused on mentorship, entrepreneurship, real estate development and real estate-related trades. Shariff’s commitment to legacy also extends to his family and community, where he emphasizes ownership, confidence, skill-building and creating pathways for the next generation.

Our Approach

Shariff’s work is centered on alignment: aligning land with its highest use, owners with qualified builders, projects with municipal expectations and real estate opportunities with long-term community impact.

Leadership

Gary Carr is Co-Founder and Director of Business Development & Government Affairs of Mission New Value Group, where he leads business development, strategic partnerships, municipal engagement, market positioning, builder outreach and stakeholder engagement across the firm’s pre-development and land advisory platform. His work sits at the intersection of real estate development, governmental policy, relationship-building, communications strategy and deal execution.

Early Site Evaluation

Gary’s role often begins at the earliest point in the development process: evaluating whether a prospective property has a viable path forward before partners, builders, developers or other stakeholders are brought into the conversation. His desktop due diligence includes reviewing zoning, utility access, sewer and water infrastructure, easements, property history, municipal context and other available public information to understand a site’s opportunities, constraints and development potential.

Pre-Development Strategy

From there, Gary helps identify viable development pathways, support highest-and-best-use strategy, coordinate market and feasibility studies, guide early conversations around environmental due diligence, engineering and rezoning, support Land Disturbance Permit readiness and help structure builder-facing presentations.

The objective is to help close the gap between raw land and an executable opportunity.

Government Affairs

Gary plays a central role in government affairs and municipal engagement. His work includes communicating with counties, cities and public officials; tracking local ordinances and Unified Development Ordinance updates; monitoring state-level housing policy issues; and staying current on regulatory changes affecting development throughout Georgia.

That perspective helps Mission New Value Group advise clients not only on what may be physically possible on a site, but also on what is politically, administratively and economically realistic.

Experience

One of Gary’s early development milestones with the Mission brand came on Rock Springs Road in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where a 2.5-acre property was successfully subdivided into three parcels. The project helped establish a practical foundation for Mission’s approach: identifying overlooked land opportunities, understanding what a property can become and helping reposition it for greater value.

Since then, Gary and the Mission New Value Group team have continued expanding the Mission brand through more complex development opportunities, including mixed-use rezoning approvals, entitlement support, builder-facing advisory and broader pre-development strategy across multiple Georgia markets.

Design, Technology & Communication

Gary graduated from Tyler School of Art at Temple University with a BFA in Graphic Design. He began his career working with fashion and consumer brands including Garanimals, American Eagle Outfitters and Merc USA Inc., before founding Toneaphone LLC, a SaaS and mobile application development company that produced more than 25 apps, including cross-platform products that reached millions of downloads.

That combination of design, technology, business development, brand positioning and product strategy now informs how he evaluates land opportunities, communicates project value and helps create investor- and builder-ready narratives.

Mission GalaCON

Gary is also Co-Founder and Director of Conference Programming for Mission GalaCON. The platform grew out of a practical observation from the development process: too many deals suffer from disconnects between agents, landowners, finance professionals, developers, builders and government stakeholders.

Having attended more than 100 conferences around the world, Gary brings a global perspective to conference programming, audience experience, strategic partnerships and creating event platforms designed to attract sponsors, speakers and industry stakeholders.

Our Approach

Through Mission New Value Group, Gary continues to help landowners, builders, agents and public-facing stakeholders navigate the complex path from raw opportunity to development-ready execution.