People

Scott E. Covington is founder and President of S.E. Covington & Company, Inc., a commercial real estate firm that has provided brokerage and leasing services to the Houston marketplace since 1984. Scott E. Covington is well known for his innovative approach to office leasing and is a highly skilled contract negotiator. His main objective is to deliver a high degree of professional service to the client. His client list includes well-known Fortune 500 companies such as Tenneco, Shell, Houston Lighting and Power, Exxon Corporation, Methodist Hospital, Kelsey Seybold and many others. S. E. Covington's multi-disciplinary approach combines all facets of the business including finance, architecture, construction and information technology with a level of service unmatched in the commercial real estate community.

For the past 36 years, Scott has been primarily involved in contract negotiations and business management and has an extensive background in commercial realty, tenant-representation (including leasing), renewals, expansions, relocations and buyouts. Scott specializes in representing clients of all sizes, but some of his major and more recent clients include Lakewood Church where he represented the church in the leasing acquisition of the Compaq Center, Washington Mutual with acquisitions, dispositions, lease renewals and new lease locations, Kelsey Seybold and Methodist Healthcare Hospital in numerous lease transactions, building and land acquisitions. His list of clients also includes numerous small business professionals who are leaders in their industry in and throughout Houston, Texas. Scott is a Partner in a Medical Development Partnership that focuses on acquiring, building and developing medical properties and investment real estate in Houston, Texas.

Scott is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana and relocated to Houston, Texas in 1975. He has held a Texas Real Estate Broker's License since 1986 and has continued education from the University of Houston and McNeese State University. He is a former president of HOLBA (The Houston Office Leasing Brokers Association) and currently serves as a distinguished director on the Board of HOLBA. Scott is a member of the Commercial Board of Realtors, Second Baptist Church, The Doctors Club, The Houstonian, and South Shore Harbor Marina. He is a former 18-year member of Braeburn Country Club.

Scott has served as former President and Vice President of the Lexington Homeowners Association in Houston and currently serves on the Board for the Waterford Harbor Home Owners Association. Scott was recently inducted into the Million Dollar Producers Association, being recognized for his leadership and success in the industry as a Top Producer. Scott resides waterfront in Kemah, Texas where he enjoys yachting with his wife Stacie and their 10 year-old son Lance.

Professional Experience:

• Landlord Representation
• Lease Negotiations
• Office Properties
• Agency Leasing
• Subleases
• Build-to-Suits
• Tenant Representation
• Acquisitions
• Lease Renewals
• Dispositions

Select Major Clients:

• Lakewood Church
• Methodist Hospital
• Kelsey Seybold
• Washington Mutual
• Tenneco
• Shell Oil
• Exxon-Mobil Corporation
• HL & P

Personal & Professional Relationships:

• Frost Bank
• Northern Trust Bank
• Allied Houston
• South Trust Bank
• Adell, Harriman & Carpenter

Patrick Sprouse has over a decade of experience in commercial real estate and development. His career spans from Washington DC with a national retail broker, to working with a regional developer in central Virginia, and now with S E Covington and Company here in Houston providing marketing, brand and organizational leadership expertise. Mr. Sprouse has an extensive background in small and medium real estate firm business management, sales engineering, and market analysis. In the last five years Mr. Sprouse has closed over $60 million in real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions and leases.

Mr. Sprouse attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, double majoring in Business and Philosophy. He currently resides in Houston with his wife Tina, and their daughter Ashlynn.

Craig has many valuable attributes that he pulls from a diverse business background. He has lived in Asia and Saudi Arabia, negotiating International contracts worth $100's of millions. Moving to Investment Banking, Craig honed his skills on complex financial instruments over the next decade of his career having billions of dollars in transactions.

While his current primary focus is in the representation of office tenants, he also provides clients with leasing, general brokerage, disposition and acquisition services.

His unique perspective as an owner/operator of real property combined with his negotiation skills and attention to detail makes him a valuable resource for his corporate clients. Craig can be reached at cleibold@secovington.com or by phone at 713-974-7600.

Education:

Craig holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a double business major from Bowling Green State University.

Testimonials:

"Craig provided excellent counseling and guidance in helping us relocate our offices…We were able to expand our office space by 24% by moving into a different building (same grade) while increasing our average monthly base rent by only 2%."

"(Client) I am happy to share with anyone else the level of outstanding service and the financial benefits that Craig Leibold and S.E. Covington & Company brought to our organization."

"Your attention to detail and level of negotiations were very much appreciated in helping us secure a successful lease extension for another one of our offices."

Jeff Oetting has over twenty five years of experience negotiating contracts between counterparties in the finance and energy markets. He is currently a senior vice president specializing in tenant representation at S.E. Covington & Company, Inc, a real estate company that has been in existence for twenty eight years.

Jeff strives to deliver a high degree of professional service to his clients who include major oil and gas companies, energy brokers, medical providers and business service companies.

For the past 25 years, Jeff has been involved in contract negotiations and business management and has an extensive background in commercial contracts and facilitating business transactions.  Jeff represents clients of all sizes, and provides them with extensive market information including market discovery within the client's respective marketplace to add value to the real estate negotiations.

Jeff is a native of Grosse Pointe, Michigan and relocated to Houston, Texas in 1981. Jeff holds a Texas Real Estate License and is a graduate of Hillsdale College in Hillsdale Michigan.

Jeff resides in League City, Texas where he enjoys boating, fishing and tennis with his wife Kelly and their three children Brandon, Tori, and Zachary. Jeff can be reached at joetting@secovington.com or by phone at 713-974-7600.

Ron Robertson has 27 years of real estate experience and is a senior vice president at S.E. Covington & Company, Inc. He has extensive background in tenant representation in areas including leasing, expansions, relocations and buyouts. His also has experience in office properties, agency leasing, subleases and build-to-suites. Ron specializes in handling major accounts. He has a wide range of major and national experience that have come about by representing clients throughout the United States. His past clients include World Wide Parts & Accessories Inc., Linkage Inc., Mutual of Omaha, Canadian National Railway, Malone & Bailey LLP, 24900 Pitkin, L.P. and Universal Fidelity. His local clients include Shell Oil Company, Cigna, Union Pacific Resources, Union Texas Petroleum, Royal Bank of Canada, IKON Office Solutions, Silicon Graphics, Inc. and GAB Robins of North America.

Prior to joining S.E. Covington, Ron gained 13 years of major account real estate experience at Cushman & Wakefield of Texas, Inc., a national and international real estate firm. He also has an additional 12 years of experience in major account marketing with Xerox Corporation as a national account manager, 2 years at Property Company of America, a national real estate development firm based in Tulsa, OK, and 2 years with The Horne Company, a real estate firm.

Ron graduated from Texas Christian University and earned a Bachelor of Science and Commerce Degree. He is currently involved in local civic groups, including serving as past president of Harris County Utility District No. 1 and serving on an usher team at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. He lives in the Woodlands with his wife and enjoys spending time with family and golfing. Ron Robertson is a retired Colonel in the Army Reserve.

Ron can be reached at ronr@secovington.com or by phone at 713-974-7600.

Neysa Holt joins S. E. Covington & Company, Inc. as a Commercial Real Estate Broker, bringing her significant knowledge of contracts, negotiations, business and transactional law from almost a decade of experience as a corporate paralegal. In addition, Neysa brings knowledge of the construction process, from reviewing bids to managing sub-contractors from several years managing a small general contracting company.

Neysa was born and raised in Houston. She graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She and her husband, along with their two children, are members of Cannongate Golf Club.