Bret Batchelder is a Managing Director of Cherokee. Since joining Cherokee in 2001, Mr. Batchelder has directly overseen the closing and management of numerous brownfield investments. Previously, he was a Vice President in the Mergers and Acquisitions division of First Union Securities (formerly Bowles Hollowell Conner) where, among other accomplishments, he assisted in the establishment of the Technology Investment Banking Group. Mr. Batchelder has previously worked as an Associate in the investment banking division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and was a fixed income Portfolio Manager with Bank South, N.A. Mr. Batchelder received a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar, and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst and holds his North Carolina Real Estate License. Mr. Batchelder is also active in several non-profit groups and service organizations throughout North Carolina. He and his wife Virginia have three children.