ULI South Carolina Members, Anthony Lawrence and Odeidra Williams have been selected to participate in the ULI/REAP Spring 2021 Academy.

Project REAP (The Real Estate Associate Program) is the industry’s most successful diversity initiative in the commercial real estate industry. REAP is an industry-backed, market-driven program that serves as a bridge between talented minority professionals and commercial real estate companies looking for talent.

REAP exists because the commercial real estate industry’s professional ranks are less than 1% minority at management levels—less than 1,000 people of color in an industry with over 125,000 professionals. REAP has increased that minority cohort by 10%.

ULI and REAP have formed a partnership to build on a long-standing relationship and commitment to bridging the gap between talented diverse professionals and the world of commercial real estate. The Spring Academy provides a suite of on-demand courses, live webinars and industry panel discussions weekly, taught by senior level experts in the commercial real estate industry.         

Anthony Lawrence, NCARB, AIA, is a licensed architect and general contractor with over 23 years of experience in architectural design, project management, design-build and land plan design.  He is well versed in designing and developing a multitude of building and project types ranging from a 2,600 square foot satellite library, a 60,000 square foot career technology facility, a 12,000 multifunctional conference center (https://phillipsmarketcenter.com/photo-gallery/), to master planning a 64-acre mixed use development in Columbia, SC. In March of this year, he opened his architecture and construction management practice, Mota.

He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Mississippi State University. After graduating from Mississippi State School of Architecture, he relocated to Columbia, SC and worked for several design, engineering and landscape development firms.  In 2007, while working as a project manager for Wilbur Smith Associates, Mr. Lawrence took an assignment to work for their Dubai, United Arab Emirates office to develop the master plan for Al Furjan, a 1,500-acre community in Dubai.  For two years he led a team of thirteen infrastructure engineers to develop the concept and construction documents for the project.

He is married to his college sweetheart, Stephanie N. Lawrence, Esq., and they have two loving children, Mechai and Clarke.

Anthony enjoys family time, tech industry, swimming, yoga and mentoring.

Odeidra Williams is a native of Greenville, SC. She received her BS in Business Administration from South Carolina State University and advanced degrees in City and Regional Planning and Agricultural Economics from Morgan State University and the University of Georgia.

Odeidra is passionate about the built environment and is interested in development opportunities that integrate business/economic sustainability along with affordable housing and agricultural production.

Ms. Williams currently works as a business strategist, economic development specialist, a commercial real estate advisor, and a new development partner seeking collaboration.

Odeidra enjoyed and felt greatly engaged professionally by participating in the 2021 cohort of the ULI/REAP Academy and is excited to become active in ULI South Carolina.