NEW ORLEANS – Local real estate development company Green Coast has announced that Jackie Dadakis, who is the company’s current COO, will become president and CEO. Will Bradshaw, who is the current president and CEO, will become the company’s chairman. The change will take place immediately.
“I’m very honored and excited that Will and Lex have entrusted me with the next phase of Green Coast,” said Dadakis, who holds a master’s degree in city planning from MIT. “My vision is continuing to innovate and work towards bringing more affordable and resilient housing to the Gulf South.”
Dadakis joined Green Coast in 2013 as the managing director of GCE Services, which provides energy efficiency services. Under her direction, GCE secured contracts with numerous nonprofits and became City of New Orleans energy auditing firm for more than 100-city owned properties. Realizing there was a need for standards, she helped craft the statewide rules for energy efficiency through the Louisiana Public Service Commission, and served as board president for the Alliance for Affordable Energy. She has also served as board president for RIDE New Orleans, and has been honored with multiple awards including Gambit’s “40 under 40,” New Orleans Magazine’s “Ones to Watch” and New Orleans City Business’ “Women of the Year.”
Green Coast, which has developed a number of properties throughout New Orleans and is a co-developer on the historic Pythian building, has numerous current projects including a joint venture with Neighborhood Housing Services in the Freret corridor and a partnership with Iris Development on an apartment complex in the Bywater. As part of the transition and to maintain the company’s real estate and energy efficiency services, Joe Ryan will be promoted to Vice President of GCE Services and the company will be hiring a vice president of real estate development.
Green Coast partner, Lex Kelso, who works on the real estate side of business, feels inspired by the changes.
“It’s an exciting time at Green Coast. We’re continuing to develop real estate projects and also increasing our imprint as the Gulf South’s largest building energy efficiency consulting firm,” said Kelso. “What Jackie does so well is not only managing our current projects, but also putting in the infrastructure for taking on new and larger projects.”
Outgoing president and CEO Will Bradshaw will be launching a new social venture in the early part of 2021. He shares Kelso’s enthusiasm and points out that Dadakis will be one of only a handful of female chief executives for real estate firms in the Gulf South. He sees the promotion as a catalyst for Green Coast’s progress.
“Thirteen years ago, Green Coast set out to remake the Gulf South’s real estate industry by making buildings more sustainable and responsive to the cultural and environmental threats to our communities,” said Bradshaw. “We’ve made progress, but are nowhere near achieving our goals. Part of that has to do with a lack of diversity in our leadership. By stepping aside to promote Jackie Dadakis to CEO, I know we can make greater progress towards our transformative goals.”
