About

Patric’s 30 years of experience features site selection consulting, incentive negotiations, and industrial brokerage services on behalf of numerous corporate clients, resulting in approximately $9 billion in investment and the creation of over 7,500 jobs.

As Maxis Advisor’s president, he focuses on comprehensive cost analysis between locations and the negotiation of incentive packages with local, state, and private agencies.

Patric has served in a variety of leadership roles in public sector economic development programs, earning him the Certified Economic Developer designation. Patric’s background includes involvement in commercial real estate, including management of a successful real estate investment fund active primarily in the Southeast. He regularly speaks on the subjects of entrepreneurship and business leadership.

Email: p.zimmer@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 704-521-5240

Before joining Maxis Advisors, Tom served as Deputy Commissioner, Global Commerce for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, where he focused on job creation and investment through locating new and expanding businesses as well as growing small businesses. After assuming the role of Deputy Commissioner in 2013, he led the Global Commerce team to establish nearly 1,700 projects creating more than $23 billion in investment and roughly 127,000 new jobs for Georgia. Significant recruitment projects during his tenure included Mercedes-Benz, USA, Honeywell, ASOS, and Sentury Tire.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Florida State University and has many years experience of economic development including MEAG Power (currently Electric Cities of Georgia) and the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

Tom focuses on business development and incentives negotiation services. He is based in our Atlanta office to serve clients in the Southeastern U.S. region.

Email: t.croteau@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 678-644-1861

Andi Brownell joined the Maxis team in 2015 to provide site selection, incentives negotiation, and incentives compliance services. She has more than 20 years experience helping clients secure business incentives such as property tax abatements, sales and use tax abatements, state and local business development grants, infrastructure grants, utility-related incentives, and training incentives. Andi has assisted several Southeastern states with the evaluation of their current incentives packages and has provided information and recommendations to help improve those states’ economic development competitiveness.
Before joining Maxis, Andi was a member of a Big 4 and Big 5 public accounting firms’ State and Local Tax Credits and Incentives practices for 13 years. She also worked as an Incentives & Grants Management manager for a Fortune 500 company, and she has several years of state economic development experience with the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Email: a.brownell@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 336-423-1716

George has over 35 years experience assisting domestic and international companies with site selection and location analysis, business incentives and tax credits, and financial and tax analysis services.  Prior to joining Maxis Advisors, George was a Managing Director in KPMG’s Global Location and Expansion Services (GLES) practice for 25 years where he supported major clients including IBM, JPM Chase, Verizon, Warner Media, Bayer Healthcare, Novo Nordisk, Samsung, Raytheon Technologies, Whole Foods, and numerous emerging technology companies in completing investment projects in the US and globally. During that period, George served as National Practice Leader for several years and led the development of KPMG’s international location services network.

Prior to joining KPMG, George managed international investment activities for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, resulting in the completion of over 140 major investments to the region. During positions in Europe and New York, he provided a range of site selection, incentives and logistics services to companies and supported the agency’s port and aviation promotion, regional tourism and trade development programs. George was also based in London, England as the European representative for the City of New York and New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry and prior to that directed retention and expansion of New York City companies for the Chamber.

George has actively participated in numerous economic development, real estate and international business organizations for many years.  He has a BA in Sociology and History from the State University of New York at Albany and an MS in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY.

Email: g.tobjy@maxisadvisors.com

Phone: 908-400-9955

Prior to joining Maxis Advisors, Grady Fitzpatrick served as Senior Vice President of Business Development for Greater New Orleans, Inc. Grady managed all aspects of Business Attraction, Business Retention, Human Capital, and Workforce Development.  He was instrumental in attracting new and diversifying industries to the region. Notable projects included DXC Technology, the largest job announcement in Louisiana history, Sleep Number, Testronic and Accruent.

Previously, Grady held the position of Senior Business Development Manager of Economic Development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber, where he carried out all aspects of site selection for competitive domestic and international business recruitment projects.   A graduate of Boston College with a B.S. in Communications, Grady completed his MBA with a concentration in Real Estate at Georgia State University.  He has been recognized three times by Consultant Connect as a Top 50 Economic Developer in North America.

Email: g.fitzpatrick@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 980-353-3624

Before joining Maxis Advisors Brittany H. Young served as Chief Operating Officer for the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), managing operations, implementing strategy and ensuring continuity and mission across all divisions of the department, including Georgia’s international representatives in 12 strategic global markets around the world. She was also the principal point of contact for external partners and served as Executive Director of the Georgia Allies.

Young brings a unique level of expertise to her role at Maxis Advisors, after spending more than 16 years in economic development with GDEcD, utility partners, chambers of commerce and a local welcome center early in her career. Most recently she served as Deputy Commissioner of GDEcD’s Global Commerce division, where she managed the department’s team that focused on job creation and investment through locating new and expanding businesses, as well as growing small businesses.

Young was honored in 2018 as a Top 50 Economic Developer in the U.S. She has lent her expertise to notable recruitment projects such as Amazon, ASOS, Denkai America, Hyundai Motor Group and YKK AP.

Young holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from the University of North Georgia. She and her husband Jonathan reside in Georgia with their three dogs.

Jack joins Maxis Advisors with over 28 years of experience in economic development, supply chain and logistics, port infrastructure and corporate strategy.

Previously, Jack served as Associate Vice President of Clemson University, where he launched the Office of Corporate Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives. In this role, he strengthened the university’s strategic corporate research partnerships, with a focus on the growth of Clemson’s five Innovation Campuses. His work aligned with the university research priorities of automotive/mobility, bioengineering, advanced materials, genetics/epigenetics, and energy.

Prior to joining Clemson University, Jack served as Senior Vice President for Strategic Projects at the South Carolina Ports Authority. He was responsible for the recruitment and expansion of port-dependent projects and oversaw the development of the South Carolina Inland Ports in Greer and Dillon.

Jack also served as Deputy Secretary for New Investment at the South Carolina Department of Commerce. At Commerce, he was responsible for leading the agency’s efforts in new investment, both foreign and domestic, and overseeing the daily activities of the Global Business Development team and the state offices in Europe, Asia and Canada.

Throughout his over 28-year career, he has been responsible for recruiting in excess of $35 billion in new investment and well over 100,000 jobs. He has worked with global companies including Arthrex, Boeing, BMW, Daimler, Google, Honda, Fuji Film, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, Siemens and ZF Group.

Jack was named Southern Business & Developments “Person of the Year” for his work as lead recruiter of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner assembly operation in North Charleston, South Carolina. In 2011, he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, for his service to the citizens of the state.

Email: j.ellenberg@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 980-270-6474

As part of the Maxis Advisors project management team, Lauren Berry provides site selection and incentive negotiation services to clients, creating win-win opportunities for both company and community.

Before joining Maxis, Lauren worked in local economic development in Ohio at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, assisting companies with economic development challenges, finding growth opportunities, and creating new investment and jobs in the Mahoning Valley.  In this role, she was responsible for over $185M of capital investment and the creation and retention of over 2,500 jobs.

Lauren earned a Bachelor’s degree from Patrick Henry College in Virginia in 2014.  Most recently, she earned the Ohio Certified Economic Developer (Ohio CED) credential and served as a Northeast Area Director and Marketing and Communications Chair on the Ohio Economic Development Association board.

Lauren and her husband reside in Charlotte, NC.

Email: l.berry@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 980-269-0751

Taylor Murray joined Maxis Advisors in 2021 to provide clients optimized returns on investment through site selection, tax and discretionary incentives, and ongoing compliance services. Before joining Maxis, he served on the staff of two gubernatorial administrations in the state of Georgia. In the Governor’s Office, Taylor held the Special Assistant role to Governor Nathan Deal and Governor Brian Kemp. Most recently, he had the role of Policy Advisor, helping to cultivate Georgia’s top-rated business environment through legislative initiatives in the areas of economic development and tax policy. In this role, he took part in numerous economic development announcements that brought quality jobs to communities in all aspects of the state. Taylor received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia and now serves on the UGA School of Public and International Affairs Board of Directors.

Email: t.murray@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 706-499-0715

Jenae Valentine is a member of Maxis’ Location Analysis and Incentives project team, where her duties include site consulting and incentive negotiation. Prior to joining Maxis Advisors, Ms. Valentine worked for the City of Charlotte. During her time in the Economic Development department, she served as a Project Manager on the Business Recruitment and Retention team where her role had a dual focus on real estate and business incentives.  Ms. Valentine led RFI real estate and incentive responses for companies interested in relocation or expansion in the Charlotte market.

In addition to her local government experience, Ms. Valentine worked for several years as an economic development consultant for Redevelopment Management Associates (RMA) in Pompano Beach, Florida. During her time at RMA she developed market analyses, redevelopment plans, and provided implementation support to private sector developers and a number of cities throughout Florida and South Carolina. In addition to consulting, Ms. Valentine practiced real estate as a licensed realtor and earned her Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Nova Southeastern University.

Email: j.valentine@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 980-353-3620

Bob joins the Maxis team in July 2023, bringing nearly 25 years of economic development experience across the public and private sectors. Bob began his economic development career in the late 1990s, supporting the City of Anaheim’s Economic Development Division’s business retention and attraction efforts as a Business Development Manager. In the early 2000s, Bob moved back to New England and worked for Ernst & Young LLP’s credits and incentives practice in the firm’s Boston office. Prior to joining Maxis, Bob was a member of KPMG LLP’s Global Location and Expansion Services practice for nearly two decades, most recently serving as Managing Director and leader of the practice’s Northeast area.

Throughout his career, Bob has led all aspects of site selection, incentive negotiation, and incentive compliance activities for multiple Fortune 50 companies, leading to hundreds of millions of dollars of combined federal, state, and local discretionary incentive approvals for projects undertaken throughout the U.S.

Bob has partnered with several tax and economic development organizations throughout the years, participating in numerous speaking engagements and serving as a committee member for forums such as the Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s Credits & Incentives Symposium. Bob has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sacred Heart University and a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia.

Email: r.chase@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 401-465-7915

Tracy Williams brings over a decade of executive support experience to the Maxis Team. She has worked in a variety of industries, including hospitality, entertainment and construction. Prior to joining Maxis Advisors, she served as Executive Assistant and Office Manager at RVR Consulting Group where she handled executive communication, travel, company-wide announcements, expense reports and new administrative training. As Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Total Rewards for Wyndham Destinations, Tracy coordinated with managers to run the company’s service award recognition program.

A highly effective “gatekeeper,” Tracy focuses on supporting Maxis Advisors executives—whether that’s managing office administration, preparing documents or coordinating events.  She is as comfortable helping to initiate new projects and improved processes as she is executing day-to-day administrative tasks.

Email: t.williams@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 980-296-0755

Nils Gerber joined Maxis Advisors in October 2022 as Director of Client Services, Europe and is permanently based in Germany. In 2019 he founded his own consulting firm Gerber International based in Hannover, Germany. Previously he served in various roles in trade and investment promotion for two U.S. States (Georgia and West Virginia). From 2005 until the end of 2016, Nils worked for the State of Georgia Europe Office. Located in Munich, Germany the main objective of the office is to attract foreign direct investment from Europe into the State of Georgia. As a Business Development Manager, Nils actively helped to recruit several European companies to locate or expand into the State of Georgia.

Nils has hands-on experience working with US and European companies from different industry sectors such as Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Food, Forestry, Pharmaceuticals, Logistics and Medical Devices. He has advised companies on the practical steps of setting up a business in the United States, partnering with State and local economic professionals and service providers such as law firms, tax advisors and site selection consultants. He has worked with both Fortune 500 companies as well as small and medium sized enterprises.

Furthermore, Nils enjoys an established network with economic development professionals, business consultants, law firms, construction companies and tax consultants, as well as chambers of commerce in the United States, Germany and throughout Europe.

Nils holds a Master’s degree in European Law from the University of Hannover and interned for the permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York.

Email: n.gerber@maxisadvisors.com
Phone: 491709007726

Brigitte represents Maxis Advisors in the Southern European region since December 2022. She grew up in Düsseldorf, Germany, graduated in 1984 with a Master of Economics and Business Administration and started her career as a project manager in the field of environmental technology. While her duties included a close cooperation with US companies, she visited the US, mainly the Carolinas frequently, and fell in love with the region. 

Before she moved to Charlotte, NC, she founded E&EC Energy & Environmental Consultants GmbH together with her husband in 1999. E&EC’s main target was the US market for certain air pollution control technologies. E&EC together with two German partners established the first US subsidiary in North Carolina in 2001 and set up the entire organization including a chemical process plant on a Brownfield site. Brigitte acted as the company’s CFO until 2005 before setting up the second German owned environmental technology US subsidiary including relocation for building a complete production plant supported by state and local grants and incentives. She experienced first-hand how to successfully negotiate with governmental authorities as well as communities and going through the painful compliance process over many years, greatly appreciated support from the experts of MAXIS Advisors.  Her hands on skills and extensive experience helped her to successfully grow the company from 2 to over 120 employees and her operational responsibilities became broader including but not limited to the implementation of an apprenticeship program. 

Brigitte received the prestigious Woman Extraordinaire, CFO of the Year and Women in Business Achievement awards and has been an active part of the German-American business community since 2001, building a strong network of various business providers and public authorities. Additionally, she led various non-profit organizations such as e.g., the German Language and Culture Foundation, focusing on the transatlantic cooperation and student exchange, creating a better understanding of different cultures, and promoting bilateral investment and trade opportunities within a future Transatlantic Treaty.

Personal reasons forced her to permanently settle back in Germany and actively pursue E&EC’s business broadening the scope of services in applying her extensive knowledge and experiences in doing business in the US to German based SMEs. With her background and knowledge, strong business network and social involvement she can provide useful and practical advice for how to successfully become eligible for the comprehensive US grant and incentive program.