ALVIN B. CATES AWARD

About the 2024 Alvin B. Cates Award

The Alvin B. Cates Award was presented to Bryant Cornett, Dudley Thomas Spade SRE, LLC on behalf of the project entitled "Revitalizing Healthcare Real Estate."

Following the closure of the Atlanta Medical Center (AMC), the State of Georgia swiftly allocated $130M to Grady Hospital to address the loss of this vital healthcare institution. Bryant Cornett, President of DTSpade, emerged as a pivotal figure in aiding Grady Hospital to significantly enhance its primary care services in underserved communities that have long grappled with inadequate healthcare access.

Leveraging his extensive background in Healthcare Administration coupled with nearly two decades of experience in healthcare real estate, Cornett spearheaded a complex initiative that employed cutting-edge technology and comprehensive data analytics to identify and secure three strategic locations in areas with acute healthcare deficiencies. Demonstrating remarkable perseverance, Cornett dedicated countless hours to surveying and evaluating properties across Dekalb County. His efforts culminated in the successful negotiation of a long-term lease agreement for a custom-built primary care facility, facilitated through a developer introduced by Cornett himself. This new building involved multiple parties (engineering, architecture, general contractors, etc.) bringing together pricing over an 18-month build on two separate sites in coordination with state DOT and county resources.

This award-winning set of transactions is not merely about bridging the gap left by a hospital's closure. It represents a visionary effort in crafting a healthier, more accessible Atlanta, showcasing Cornett's dedication to impactful work that resonates beyond a single project, positively influencing the broader region and setting a precedent in healthcare capacity expansion.

Alvin B. Cates

The Alvin B. Cates Award is one of the most prestigious awards of the Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS®. The trophy shall be awarded for a transaction that is considered to be outstanding, noteworthy and is based on creativity, ingenuity and skill, rather than on volume. The size or consideration of the transaction is not of special importance.

In 1937, Mr. Alvin B. Cates, Sr., presented to the Georgia Association of REALTORS® a large and beautiful sterling silver trophy with the request that it be awarded annually to the member of the association who completed the most outstanding real estate transaction of the calendar year.

The Alvin B. Cates award was presented almost every year to a member of the Atlanta Board for a commercial transaction. In the late 1950's the Georgia Association of REALTORS® retired the trophy to the Atlanta Board. Since then, the Atlanta Commercial Board continues to present this prestigious Award each year at the Million Dollar Club Banquet and the silver trophy is held by the recipient for one year until the next recipient is awarded.

Each year, the Committee is challenged with the task to select only one deal which will best fulfill the criteria to exemplify a commercial transaction considered to be extraordinary. We are proud of the long history of the Alvin B. Cates Award and of the outstanding REALTORS® who are the honored recipients.

2024 Alvin B. Cates Recipient

Bryant Cornett, SIOR, FACHE, LEED AP

Dudley Thomas Spade SRE, LLC

Past Alvin B. Cates Recipients