It is with great sorrow and tremendous sense of loss that I write this letter regarding the passing of my great friend and mentor John Stainback. As many of you may know, John was a genuine leader and industry innovator in the field of public/private partnerships. In addition, John was a true entrepreneur and remarkable painter, having completed over 50 large scale abstract paintings. It is only fitting to say that John was truly an artist at heart. It was with this gift of creativity and intelligence that ultimately led to the founding of SPPRE in 2001. John founded SPPRE to fill a void in the real estate industry. He recognized that government agencies could improve their economic development opportunities by structuring public/private partnerships and leveraging underutilized real estate assets.

To say that John was an industry innovator is an understatement. He developed over ten different concepts that are currently being utilized by many municipalities across the nation to increase the likelihood of successful public/private partnerships. John’s ability as a teacher extended to our entire company, the sharing of life lessons and best practices were conveyed with the unspoken understanding that the values and purpose of SPPRE would last well beyond his involvement.

Given the remarkable growth of the company during the past several years, it was important to develop and implement a succession plan for SPPRE. In accordance with this plan, John had reduced his day-to-day management activities and had transitioned into the true role of SPPRE’s President; that of defining company principles, growth, and purpose. Therefore, along with my associates at SPPRE, we all remain committed to the vision and values he established for the company and in continuing his legacy.

It is evident that the vision John memorialized back in 2001 and then successfully practiced for many years based on our core principles meets the needs of such a rapidly expanding and evolving industry that is here to stay. Despite the tremendous loss of such an intelligent and passionate man to our company, we, and the entire public/private industry are now in a position to carry on with his legacy and continue to improve upon the creative platforms that he established. John would be proud to know that his life’s work in public/private real estate will continue on through SPPRE. SPPRE remains committed to this vision with the same passion and drive that characterized John during his many years in our business. Words cannot convey all that John bestowed upon us, and our sincere appreciation goes out to everyone for their strong support and heartfelt condolences. John will forever be dearly missed by all and loved by many. John, May God Bless You.

Warmest Regards,

Will Reed
Stainback Public/Private Real Estate (SPPRE)