Featured Speaker: Nick Piornack

General Manager - Revolution Mill

After graduating Western Illinois University on a baseball scholarship, Nick started his career in the Hospitality Industry from 1981 -2007.  During that time, he managed Resorts, Country Clubs and City Clubs, in Texas, Arkansas and North Carolina. Additionally, Nick also owned the University Club in Durham, NC from 1996-2003 as well as designed and built 4 unique restaurant concepts during his career.

Nick immersed himself in the Real Estate Development business in 2008, teaming up to develop and revitalize the neighborhood on the southern part of the Railroad tracks on Elm Street in Downtown Greensboro.  Ultimately, his team named it South End, developing new parking amenities 170 spaces, 2 restaurants and helping several building owners revitalize their businesses which catapulted the area to great activation and success.  He worked closely with DGI and the South End business owners to start City Market, the city’s first evening marketplace which attracted 5,000 attendees on the third Thursday from April through October and brought together the community in new ways that had never been before realized in Greensboro.

Nick was offered an opportunity to leave his company and work for Self-Help in early 2015.  With his business development and property management acumen, he shaped the evolution of Revolution mill and ultimately, became General Manger and liaison to the Self-Help ownership, for 9 years. He has overseen the Mill grow to a vibrant mixed-use campus with over 140 companies, 183 apartments along with numerous retail and amenity spaces including the latest addition of 60,000 leasing space with the recent renovation and opening of the 2005 building. 

The Revolution Mill campus is the largest of Self-Help properties which includes a portfolio of properties that have helped revitalize downtowns and neighborhoods across the United States from coast to coast.

Nick credits the Self-Help successes to a strong (and humble) team that works together with strategic vision and a passion for continuous and future growth in real estate development.