Joe Collier, Partner

Joe is a native Floridian born in Miami. He received his Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management and Marketing from Florida State University and completed his internship in the European Hotel program in Leyson, Switzerland. Joe spent 15 years with Marriott International in sales, marketing, and development before forming Mainsail in 1998. He lives in South Tampa with his two daughter Katelin and Anna Leigh

H. Blaine Strickland, Partner

Blaine holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Florida’s real estate program. He has been an active member of the programs advisory board for the past 3 years and served as chairman in 2004. Blaine has been a licensed real estate broker since 1979 and earned his CCIM designation in 1987. After 10 years with CBRE in sales and management positions, Blaine turned his attention to development projects. He has completed development projects with Lincoln Property Company, The Wilson Company, and CNL over the past 15 years. Blaine and his wife Eileen have been married for more than 25 years and live with their 2 teenagers in Southwest Orlando.

James D. Spaeth, Senior Vice President

Jim holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Florida’s business school. Jim grew up in the Washington DC area and was a national merit scholar at UF. Jim started his business career as an analyst at Raymond James Financial and then moved to Orlando in 2000 to join CNL’s restaurant company in their mergers and acquisitions department. Jim linked with Blaine Strickland in 2002; together, they have completed more than $100 million in financing/development projects. Jim and his wife Jennifer live with their young son in East Orlando.

Julianne Vassallo , Vice President

Julianne joined Mainsail after 16 years of operations and finance with Marriott. Her career began at the Albuquerque Marriott then continued through San Francisco, Denver, and Tampa, where she was the cluster Controller for multiple Marriott properties. Her international experience as Financial Director took her to Mexico and South America where she opened the JW Marriott Hotel Quito before returning to the United States to join Mainsail.

Eileen Strickland, Senior Property Manager

Eileen is a long-time Floridian, having grown up in Palm Beach County, before attending the University of Florida and earning a BSBA in marketing.  Eileen worked as a project manager and market manager for Paragon Group of Tampa for more than 8 years, and has served in other organizations as an office manager and customer service representative.  Eileen and her husband, Blaine, reside in southwest Orlando and have two teenage children.

Katherine N. Bruner, Project Manager

Katherine is a dual degree graduate from the University of Florida, having earned her masters degree in Real Estate. Katherine has held her Florida real estate license since 2003 and completed several sales transactions before joining Mainsail. Katherine is an active member in the Orlando chapters of the ULI Young Leaders Group and the International Council of Shopping Centers. She is a native of New Albany, IN and currently lives in downtown Orlando.

Michael Byrum, Senior Associate

Mike comes to Mainsail from the Vue, a new high rise condo in downtown Orlando, where he directed the sales effort. Mike is a native Virginian, and lives in Downtown Orlando.

Frank Mannetta, Accounting Manager

Frank is a native New Yorker. He is currently completing his bachelor’s degree in accounting at St. Leo University. He has 25 years of accounting experience. For the past ten years, Frank has specialized in residential construction, community development, and hotel construction projects. Frank and his wife, Donna, have been married for 20 years and have a teenage daughter attending Florida Institute of Technology.

J. David Peppers, Senior Vice President of Design & Construction

Dave brings more than 20 years of experience in the creative master planning and thematic building and site design of large scale land development projects. A graduate cum laude of the University of Florida, his prior work involvement included several years as a senior project manager with PBS&J in Orlando – and later through his own consulting firm was instrumental in the realization of a wide array of commercial, residential, and entertainment projects all over the world for both corporate and individual clients.

James Talton, Senior Vice President
Mainsail Development International

James received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida in 1989. He joined Marriott International in 1986 working throughout the front office, reservations, and housekeeping at the Ft. Lauderdale Marina Marriott. In 1989, James entered into management at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. During his 17 years with Marriott, he also worked at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, the Lake Buena Vista Residence Inn Resort, followed by his most recent position as the concurrent Director of Finance for both the Tampa Airport Marriott and the Tampa Westshore Marriott.

Bettina R Grimsley, Sales Associate
Mainsail Development International

Bettina joined Mainsail in June of 2005 from Weichert Realtors in Tampa. She specialized in residential properties and handled the International / European buyers for the New Tampa Office. She was born in Romania, is fluent in German and French and resides in Tampa with her husband and daughter.