Chip Thomas

Tenant Services Coordinator

Client Services Liaison

Cape Fear Commercial Team Member Since 2024

Facilities Specialist

Chip Thomas is a Tenant Services Coordinator with Cape Fear Commercial. He manages maintenance requests and outside vendor coordination for the property management team. His responsibilities also include visiting properties regularly and communicating with tenants to ensure delivery of exceptional customer service.

Before joining Cape Fear Commercial, Chip worked for several years at the Wilmington Treatment Center detox hospital, a role in which he helped people struggling with addiction. He also worked in the local film industry for 13 years, holding various positions on more than 20 major productions.

Thomas moved from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to the Wilmington area in 1997. An aspiring screenwriter and avid sports fanatic, he enjoys spending his free time with his son, Colton, as well as family and friends.

Brian Eckel

Partner

Only Dual Specialist SIOR In The Region

Founding Partner

Over 25 Years Of Industry Experience

Brian Eckel, co-founder of Cape Fear Commercial, oversees strategic planning, providing clients with a sophisticated arsenal of services. He has extensive experience specializing in corporate advisory services and strategic real estate planning. Brian is also a partner in the firm’s development arm, Cape Fear Development. It is Brian’s understanding of complex real estate and development transactions that allows him to provide an invaluable perspective to his clients.

Before co-founding Cape Fear Commercial, Brian was vice president of Ackerman & Co. in Atlanta, where he specialized in representing Fortune 500 companies, as well as emerging growth technology organizations. He began his real estate career while in college, working in the brokerage department of Edens and Avant, a full service commercial real estate firm in Columbia, South Carolina.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Brian adds significant value for clients by understanding all aspects of real estate negotiations that have balance sheet implications and impact the bottom line. He prides himself on having the highest level of integrity and the personal style of professional services he offers clients.

Brian is a native of Wilmington and volunteers his time in various organizations throughout the community. He has served as the co-chairman of the Economic Development Board and on the board of directors for Wilmington Downtown, Inc. Brian has been appointed to the zoning board by New Hanover County Commissioners and is a founding member of Coastal Carolina Tomorrow, Inc. His community involvement also includes the Land Acquisition Committee of the Coastal Land Trust and the board of directors for the REALTORS Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina. Brian is currently a member of the board of directors for the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Cape Fear Home Builders Association and Business Alliance for a Sound Economy (BASE). He is also on the Novant Health Coastal Region board of managers (formerly the New Hanover Regional Medical Center board of trustees), and after a recent appointment to the hospital system’s parent board, Brian serves on the board of trustees for Novant Health.

He lives in Wrightsville Beach with his wife, Carroll, and children, Julia, Madeline, Web and Lucy.

Vin Wells

Partner

Over 20 Years of Industry Experience

Led Development of 25+ Walgreens Stores

Founding Partner

Vin Wells, co-founder of Cape Fear Commercial, brings a results-oriented mindset with a primary focus on service to the company. His broad-based knowledge of the real estate industry, combined with his goal-directed, analytical and organizational skills, add significant value for his clients.

Vin serves as the managing broker for the firm’s Property Management Division, and he works closely with the leasing and development teams, coordinating target leasing, build-to-suit and development efforts. Vin is also responsible for developing budgets, creating spreadsheet analysis for property performance and coordinating tenant construction build outs. His array of expertise brings the true meaning of “full service” real estate to Cape Fear Commercial.

As a Partner of Cape Fear Commercial’s development arm, Cape Fear Development, Vin plays a critical role in identifying and managing development opportunities. Prior to the formation of the sister company, he facilitated a partnership between Cape Fear Commercial and GHK Developments Inc. to develop Walgreens stores throughout North and South Carolina. Since the beginning of this partnership, he has been involved in the development of more than 25 Walgreens stores, with completed projects ranging from Elizabeth City, North Carolina to as far south as Beaufort, South Carolina.

Prior to Cape Fear Commercial’s founding, Vin developed a formidable brokerage practice as a Leasing Representative with Highwoods Properties, a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns over 45 million square feet throughout the country. He was responsible for leasing and marketing a combined portfolio of 13.4 million square feet, consisting of retail, office, warehouse, industrial and flex space in Tampa, Florida and Greensboro, North Carolina during his tenure with the organization.

Vin received a Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently serves on The Cape Fear Council Boy Scouts of America and the Commercial and Investment Division of the Wilmington Regional Association of REALTORS. Vin is a native of Wilmington and resides in the area with his wife, Elizabeth, daughter, Lulu, and son, Webb.

Paul Loukas, SIOR, CCIM

Partner & Broker-in-Charge

13 Years With Cape Fear Commercial

CoStar Powerbroker Award Winner

Closed Over $850 Million In Transactions

Paul S. Loukas, SIOR, CCIM, is a Partner and the Broker-in-Charge at Cape Fear Commercial, where he oversees the firm’s brokerage division.

Throughout his 22 years in the commercial real estate industry, Paul has personally brokered more than 700 transactions with a gross consideration of over $850 million.

Primarily focused on development tracts and investment sales, he has sold some of the region’s largest and most prominent pieces of real estate.

Originally from Washington, DC, he is a graduate of the University of Richmond and holds both SIOR (Office and Industrial, Dual Specialist) and CCIM designations. He and his wife, Colleen, live on Wrightsville Beach with their two sons, Paul Jr. and Pete.

In addition to his role as Broker-in-Charge, Paul is a Partner with the firm’s development affiliate, Cape Fear Development.

Notable transactions include:

$68M sale of the 400,000 SF Thermo-Fisher mid-rise office tower, representing the largest commercial transaction ever in the region – awarded the Co-Star Sale/Acquisition of the Year Award.
$15M sale of the Renaissance Courtyard, a portfolio of Class-A office buildings that hit a record price.
$9M sale of the Murchison Building, an 11-story historic landmark in downtown Wilmington with over 50 tenants – awarded the Co-Star Sale/Acquisition of the Year Award.
$6M sale of a vacant 30,000 SF development site at 101 N Front Street in downtown Wilmington. The sale of several vacant redevelopment oceanfront sites, including the recent sale of 7 acres along the coast of Surf City.
Represented investors, developers, and builders in the sale of nearly 100 subdivisions, totaling 12,000+ developed and paper lots.
The sales of several development tracts along the riverfront, totaling more than 17 acres, including several properties that were catalysts for the revitalization and growth of the northern riverfront.
Represented over 21 banks and lenders to dispose, manage, and work through their troubled and OREO assets, including several individual and portfolio loan sales.
Represented several local municipalities for real estate needs, including the City of Wilmington, New Hanover County, and the Town of Carolina Beach.

Hank Miller

Senior Vice President

Over 35 Years Of Industry Experience

Closed 200+ REO Transactions

21 Years With Cape Fear Commercial

Hank Miller is President of Miller Realty Associates Inc., M&N Equipment Rentals Inc., and serves as a Senior Vice President for Cape Fear Commercial.

Since joining the company in 2002, Hank’s involvement has been multifaceted, and his experience includes: development, construction management, landlord and tenant representation, and consulting services. After the financial crisis in 2008, Hank was instrumental in developing the firm’s relationships with financial institutions, specifically with REO portfolios. Cape Fear Commercial has represented 18 financial institutions offering services from pre-foreclosure consulting and Broker Pricing Opinions to asset Management and Disposition and the company has been involved in over 200 REO dispositions in the last several years. A sample of other projects include: development and construction of headquarters for three regional banks; development, leasing and construction for a Fortune 100 manufacturing company, tenant representation for a regional law firm; real estate consulting services in a bankruptcy case involving the successful disposition of prime residential resort property, and as a court appointed receiver successfully stabilizing and disposing of a retail shopping center for a national bank.

Prior to joining Cape Fear Commercial, Hank was Chairman of Miller Building Corporation. During his tenure as Chairman, the Company was consistently ranked in the NC Top 100 privately held companies with over $250 million in annual revenues with building activity in 23 states. Hank maintains a general contractor’s license.

A native of Wilmington, Hank attended North Carolina State University and received a B.S. in Business Management from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He has been very active in civic and community organizations in Wilmington and throughout North Carolina. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Alderman for the Town of Wrightsville Beach, member of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Board of Trustees, member of the Wilmington Urban Area Transportation Advisory Committee, member of the Wilmington Regional Association of REALTORS Government Affairs Committee, ex officio member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Assistant Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Cape Fear Council of Boy Scouts and as Past President of the Board of Directors of the Thalian Association, the official community theater of North Carolina. He has served as Chairman of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Foundation Board, Board Member of the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts Board of Trustees, the Leadership Team of the Partners for Economic Inclusion, Town of Wrightsville Beach Planning Board, Past-President of the Board of Directors of Cape Fear Academy, Co-chairman of the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla and is a Past President of the North Carolina Azalea Festival (1994). He has also served as a member of the Southeastern North Carolina Economic Development Commission, member of the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Partnership and North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry.

He lives in Wrightsville Beach with his wife Maggie (Andrews) and their sons Henry IV and Mac.

Spruill Thompson

Senior Vice President

Multiple Year Top Producer

Over 30 Years Of Industry Experience

16 Years With Cape Fear Commercial

F. Spruill Thompson is a Senior Vice President for Cape Fear Commercial. He has diverse background in the real estate industry, with more than 30 years of experience in business brokerage, business valuation, development, investment properties, property management, sales and leasing, as well as a particular focus on 1031 tax deferred exchanges.

At Cape Fear Commercial, Spruill has developed new markets and geographically expanded the company’s full range of services. He is also recognized as a multiple top year producer in office, industrial, retail and investment properties.

Before joining the firm, Spruill served as president and chief executive officer of 1stAtlantic Properties, Inc. for seven years. In these roles, he oversaw strategic planning and the daily operations of the company, in addition to all forms of business development.

Over the course of his career, Spruill has brokered numerous transactions valued at over $1 billion. Creativity, discretion, integrity and perseverance have earned him a loyal client base, providing repeat business and referrals. His business model of finding opportunities and creating solutions for clients has also proven successful in any type of market condition.

Spruill is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. He served in the United States Army and the U.S. Army Reserves. Additionally, he has held numerous positions on board of trustees for New Hanover Regional Medical Center, to include the role of vice chairman, and he served as the president of the REALTORS Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina (RCASENC).

Currently, Spruill is an appointed member of the New Hanover Airport Authority and serves as the secretary of board of directors for Wilmington Downtown, Inc (WDI). He also continues over a decade of service on the North Carolina Association of REALTORS (NCAR) Commercial Forms Committee. Other charities, organizations and special interests for Thompson include: the Virginia Military Institute and Keydet Club, the University of Mississippi, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Rams Club, the University of South Carolina, Rotary International and the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Spruill resides in Wilmington with his wife, Karen (UNC, two boys, Shepherd (Ole Miss; U.S. Army) and Gordon (USC), as well as dog, Bella, and cat, Opie.

Bryce Morrison

Mike Brown

Senior Vice President

Development Team Leader

Autumn Hall Development Manager

17 Years With Cape Fear Commercial

Mike Brown serves as Senior Vice President of Cape Fear Commercial and plays an active role in the firm’s Development Services Division. He is also a Partner in Cape Fear Commercial’s development arm, Cape Fear Development. Mike is responsible for identifying and managing new and ongoing development projects for both companies and their clients, in addition to handling retail brokerage and property management responsibilities for Cape Fear Commercial’s retail portfolio.

Mike joined Cape Fear Commercial as an Intern in summer 2003. After graduating in 2004, he began his career in sales in the Triangle, working for Pulte Homes Corporation, a publicly traded Fortune 200 company. Later recruited to work on the company’s land development team, Mike was responsible for acquiring, entitling and developing the division’s annual 800+ lot supply. During his tenure with the organization, Mike managed the development of a lot supply valued at more than $45 million.

In 2007, Mike was asked to join the Development Team for Autumn Hall, a high profile, 236-acre, mixed-use project located in Wilmington, North Carolina. As the project’s Development Manager, he was responsible for all planning, entitlements and ongoing development activities. While Mike later joined Cape Fear Commercial and Cape Fear Development, he remains the Development Manager for Autumn Hall and is heavily involved in project’s development through his roles at both firms.

Mike is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and Management in Society. A native of Wilmington, he prides himself on community involvement. Mike is a past Board Member of the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, serving nine years on the organization’s Executive Committee and as Chairman of the Board from 2016-2018. He has also been on the Executive Committee for the Cape Fear Council of the Boy Scouts of America and sat on the Board of Directors for the Carousel Center. A past member of the Vestry of St. James Church, he currently serves as the organization’s Treasurer. Mike resides in Wilmington with his wife, Jamie, and their two sons, Corbett and Miller.

Will Leonard

Charlie Rivenbark

Senior Vice President

20 Years On Wilmington's City Council

Cape Fear Commercial Team Member Since 2019

Over 30 Years Of Industry Experience

Charlie Rivenbark Jr. is a Senior Vice President at Cape Fear Commercial. With over 30 years of industry experience and extensive knowledge of the local market, he excels at providing targeted and customized real estate solutions for clients.

In addition to his role with the firm, Charlie is a member of the Wilmington City Council. First elected in 1993, he is currently serving his fifth term in office and is the council’s appointed representative on the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s Board of Directors. Charlie is also the Vice Chairman of The Lower Cape Fear Water & Sewer Authority and the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Charlie graduated from New Hanover High School in 1967 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1969. Following a tour in Vietnam with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, he was honorably discharged as a Sergeant E-5-11B40 Infantry and enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He later earned his real estate license and worked as a broker before entering the restaurant business for 14 years, owning Charlie Rivenbark’s Restaurant and serving as a managing partner of Annabelle’s. His professional experience also includes 20 years as a commercial real estate broker with Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Co.

An active member of the community, Charlie has been a weekly reader at a local elementary school for the past 20 years. He volunteers as the caretaker at Bellevue Cemetery and is the treasurer for the Cape Fear Council of Governments, in addition to playing an active role in Wilmington’s Central Rotary Club and the Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina. Charlie has also been on the Board of Directors for Wilmington Downtown Inc. and volunteered with the North Carolina Azalea Festival, serving as the President in 2007 after years of committee service and holding an officer position with the festival since 2001.

Charlie is a native of New Hanover County and resides in Wilmington. He has two sons, Chad and Travis, and two grandchildren, Greyson and Molly Lynn.

Keith Austin

Hae Ellis

Lindsey Hess

Senior Vice President

CoStar Powerbroker Award Winner

Office Top Producer

15 Years With Cape Fear Commercial

Lindsey Hess is a Senior Vice President of brokerage at Cape Fear Commercial. Specializing in investment sales and Class-A office, Lindsey leverages her 16 years of commercial real estate experience to deliver expert advice and brokerage services across all product types for a diverse range of clients.

With an education and background in finance, Lindsey provides a unique prospective to buyers and sellers of income producing properties. Throughout the course of her career, Lindsey has participated in investment sales totaling over $85 million for various asset classes.

As one of the area’s top office specialists, Lindsey is consistently involved in some of the most distinguished office projects including successfully pre-leasing a number of ground up developments and representing investors with the sale or disposition income producing assets.

Since 2018, Lindsey has completed over 250 transactions valued at over $135 million and has been recognized as a top producer in office leasing and investment sales. In her previous role on the firm’s development team, she managed development projects from underwriting to delivery, including Class-A apartments and office buildings along with a number of retail build-to-suits.

Before joining Cape Fear Commercial, Lindsey provided real estate asset management services for private equity funds at TriMont Real Estate Advisors in Atlanta. She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York, providing external audit services to clients.

Lindsey graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in finance and accounting. While in college, she competed on the women’s tennis team and was an ITA Academic All-American for four years. Lindsey now serves on the Seahawk Club board of directors at UNCW, is a member of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Finance Committee and is an active committee member for the Realtors Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys running, triathlon, playing golf and travelling.