Heritage Consulting Group announced today that John Tess, its Founder, will retire on April 1, 2022, after 40 years of successfully leading the company. Mr. Tess, a pioneer in the Historic Tax Credit industry, built Heritage from a single office in Portland, Oregon in 1982 into one of the nation’s largest and most respected historic consulting firms with multiple offices spanning the United States, servicing hundreds of clients annually.
“It has been a wonderful and rewarding journey,” Mr. Tess said regarding his tenure. “Over the past forty years we have helped usher in a new era of preservation-oriented developers, broadened the national growth of historic tax credits – a powerful economic incentive tool – and consulted on the rehabilitation of some of the country’s most important landmark buildings. We also have carved new pathways for the definition of ‘historic.’ We have secured the future validity of preserving and reinventing America’s diverse architectural history,” recounted Mr. Tess while highlighting some of the impact Heritage has had since he founded the company and the evolution of the industry over time.
Mr. Tess will hand the reigns over to Cindy Hamilton, President of Heritage since 2021, a highly respected industry veteran. Ms. Hamilton has been with Heritage since 2004 when she opened an east coast office for the firm in Philadelphia, PA. In recent years, aside from running the day-to-day operations of the company, her work has been focused on the expansion of client relations and business development, a strategy she and Mr. Tess created during internal succession planning over the last three years. Ms. Hamilton also spearheads the firm’s growth initiatives in the utilization of historic tax credits on public housing and providing due diligence services, both established specialties for Heritage and their client portfolio.
In announcing the appointment, Mr. Tess hailed Ms. Hamilton as the right person to take the company forward. “Cindy has a demonstrated track record of success and has the leadership skills necessary to take the firm into the next era of growth, while maintaining its position as the national leader along with her highly respected reputation among the firm’s client base.”
As part of Heritage’s succession planning, Mr. Tess sold the company to J. Jeffers & Co., a Milwaukee-based investment firm in November of 2021. The sale brings fresh capital and resources to Heritage, supporting Mr. Tess’s transition and Ms. Hamilton’s appointment, and solidifying the company’s next chapters in its evolution.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Ms. Hamilton offered that she has a strong foundation of industry specific expertise and a long tenure with the Company to build upon and her gratitude for the trust John Tess and Joshua Jeffers have in her ability to take the Company into the next era. Ms. Hamilton praised the team she has helped to assemble and expressed great confidence in their ability to provide the highest-quality service to the company’s valued client base. “I am delighted to further our strong legacy by continuing our growth strategies of providing additional opportunities for the next generation of leaders at Heritage,” remarked Ms. Hamilton.
John Tess, retiring forty years to-the-day of founding Heritage Consulting Group, will maintain the company’s national leadership seat on the Board of the Historic Tax Credit Coalition. Mr. Tess will continue to advise Heritage on its Giving Back Program, which was established in 2012 in honor of the company’s 30th year anniversary.
ABOUT HERITAGE CONSULTING GROUP
Founded in 1982, Heritage Consulting group is a national advisor to owners and developers of older and historic buildings and properties, primarily working to secure federal and state historic tax incentives. Nationally headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, with offices in Portland, OR, Madison, WI, and in the New England States, Heritage is one of the nation’s largest, most established Historic Tax Credit consulting firms. In its 40-year history, Heritage has completed over 1,700 projects, nominated over 350 buildings to the National Register of Historic Places, and has advised thousands of clients. The firm is currently active in 32 states. Some of the firm’s milestone projects include: the Tariff Building in Washington, D.C., the IBM Building in Chicago, IL the Denver Union Station, CO, Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, New York and Bell Laboratories located in Holmdel, New Jersey.
