Karla Hammer Knotts is an industry rock star. Pleasant. Insightful. Funny. And she calls a spade a spade. She was also our member spotlight in December of 2023, and we just can’t get enough of the world according to Karla. Currently Co-Owner and Vice President of Knotts Development, she is a passionate advocate of the industry and spends a great deal of her time digging into areas of purported malfeasance so that our industry can thrive in our beautiful Charlotte region. When we asked her why offering help comes so easy to her, she admits to having not only pretty good photographic recall but also good retention and comprehension of what she reads. And for those who know her, that is an undisputable fact.

This podcast elevates all the above themes by weaving personal insights around the high-level science of policy dissection. And you feel smarter just listening. While being entertained, you find yourself writing down what she says and what she offers as advice so you can be ready next time you have your own issue to resolve.

For those of you that are new to our podcast or to REBIC, here is more information about Karla, our expert real estate analyst and on-the-spot problem solver. Her advocacy for the housing industry in North Carolina is legendary. Mostly because it isn’t about her list of accomplishments, it’s that the accomplishments are truly impactful. And she’s not done yet. With more than 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, including being inducted into the North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame in 2021, being named a Life Director for the Home Builder Association of Greater Charlotte, President of the HBAGC in 1999, chair of multiple committees for NCHBA, and locally her background includes a breathtaking number of appointments to various advisory committees and steering committees. Most importantly, she doesn’t reach a conclusion before studying and researching any regulations at issue and looking deeply into how they’re applied. She tells us, “As a home builder you understand how regulatory issues ultimately affect the affordability of homes for prospective buyers.” A perspective that serves her well and all those who work with her.

We’re proud and honored to feature Karla Knotts in this month’s Getting Real with Rob podcast!

Jim Morasso, Restauranteur and Developer, is our guest for this episode of Getting Real With Rob. A Gastonia changemaker who believes success is the result of creating opportunities for people to thrive. With over 30 years of education and experience in the hospitality industry –Steak & Ale, Houston’s, TGI Fridays, Harpers and Mickey & Mooch – his experiences laid the groundwork to establish, build and create along with his partners the iconic restaurants such as Epic Chophouse in Mooresville NC, and Chillfire Bar & Grill in Denver NC. But it’s the story of how he secured, imagined, and opened Webb Custom Kitchen in Gastonia NC -- Voted top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America by Forbes Magazine, and top 25 private steakhouses in America – that has caught the attention of so many of his peers. His ability to ‘paint a picture’ for the town leaders, as he refers to it in the interview, sets him apart in momentum and agility. The perfect reason to make him a guest on our podcast.

Jim tells us his formula for success has always been to focus on five key topics. “First, the guests and the quality of their experience. Number two, people, who are the life blood of our business. Training, development, and opportunity for our associates is number three. Strong systems and procedures are number four. And number five states that if you follow the first four, then our community and the company will always thrive.”

For REBIC members who believe it is our responsibility to convey our vision with conviction and a sense of stewardship, all will enjoy hearing Jim talk about how he works to marry the community with the future in a cooperative and healthy way. His journey from Gastonia naysayer to local virtuoso will help inform the entire entrepreneurial narrative for anyone who believes relationships should be at the heart of development.

* NOTE, ERROR: During this podcast, our guest, Jim Morasso mistakenly mentioned the value of the Gastonia downtown condominiums as selling for $375,000. The correct number is a value of $875,000. It refers to the development in the former Rustin Furniture Building on West Main Ave, Gastonia NC. To preserve the cadence of the episode, and with the permission of Jim, we did not edit out this error.

Background on Gastonia Development by Jim:

A board member of the Gaston Business Administration (G.B.A.), this group’s focus is to develop the 13 small cities and towns in Gaston County.

Built in 1927 by renowned architect Hugh White for J B Webb, Webb Theater was transformed in 2016 to Webb Custom Kitchen. Attention to history and acquiring artifacts that once graced the theater were just some of the strategies to return this gem to its prior brilliance. Featured in Architectural Digest and Smithsonian Magazine. A Morasso/Shrake partnership.

TRW2020 LLC was created to repurpose the historic Rustin Furniture store built in 1900. One of the first furniture stores to place a TV in the windows capturing the City of Gastonia with standing room only on Main Ave. After 30 years of neglect and leaking roofs eating the inner structures integrity of the building, we moved ahead to restore and repurpose this center of Main Ave landmark. The building will be called Rustin on Main and will showcase 3 luxury condominiums on the top floor and 3 retail office spaces at street level. A Morasso/Shrake partnership.

Working with the City of Gastonia, CNB1920 LLC purchased the Historic Citizens National Bank. Designed and built by Hugh White in 1920. The plan for this grand place has always been slated to serve its community. Once a savings and trust, we want to transfer this into a brain-trust. Education and business startups are the rebirth of forgotten cities. This facility has deep community ties and will realize its true potential to combine education, mentorship, business rebirth in a live work environment. Other amenities within this campus will include a business club and a landmark restaurant named the FED. A Morasso/Shrake partnership

Community Service highlights:

“There are many deserving groups in our community and our involvement grows every year. Groups like The Least of these for Foster Children, Boys & Girls Club, Webb Street School for intellectual disabilities, Salvation Army, Off the Streets homeless initiative, and Dove House a Childs advocacy center to name a few have been adopted and embraced due to the needs of our communities.”

We’ve long wanted to introduce you to those REBIC internal team members whose exceptional skills help us move our mission forward. And we’re proud to feature David Coble, one of our valuable Area Advocacy Managers to the podcast booth for this episode.

You’ll have to pay attention to keep up with the cascading flow of information coming from David during this interview. His boots-on-the-ground perspective, honest delivery, and fact-based perspective is just one of many reasons he has helped REBIC influence, advocate, and change things for the better!

Since 2017 David has maintained a successful Land Development consulting firm, guiding his clients in the development community through zoning and other land related requirements across North and South Carolina. He has helped facilitate governmental approval of hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and residential projects as well consulted on land acquisition for multiple developers.

As far as his pedigree, it begins with being an expert at creating relationships. This exists at all levels, especially with state and local elected officials. He has consulted on winning campaigns as well as building working relationships with General Assembly leadership. With a financial pedigree that includes 15 years at Bank of America as a Program and Project Manager, he began his professional career in 1999 with First Union after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a BA in Communication Studies and a minor in Marketing. In 2013 David was elected as Commissioner at Large for the Town of Mooresville, NC and served until 2017. During that time David served on various committees including the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Nominating Committee and as the Board of Commissioner’s liaison to the Mooresville Graded and Iredell-Statesville School Systems. In 2014 David Co-Chaired the bond committee Our Schools First that successfully worked for voter approval of school bonds for new school construction and building upgrades for Mooresville Graded and Iredell-Statesville Schools.