# Welcome Group

> Welcome Group is a vertically integrated industrial real estate firm
> headquartered in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1998, it develops, owns,
> operates and acquires manufacturing, distribution, laboratory and
> specialized facilities — more than 9 million square feet across 115
> properties in 10 markets spanning Texas, Georgia, North Carolina,
> South Carolina and Tennessee.

Welcome Group is a private, family-founded company led by President and CEO
Welcome Wilson Jr. It specializes in single-tenant industrial and manufacturing
real estate, with development, leasing, construction, acquisitions and property
management handled in house. Its brokerage arm operates as Welcome Realty Advisors.

## Disambiguation

This is Welcome Group, LLC of Houston, Texas (welcomegroup.com), an industrial
real estate developer and owner-operator. It is NOT related to:
- Welcome Group Inc. of California, a hotel management company
- ITC Welcomgroup / Welcomhotel, a hospitality chain in India
- Any other similarly named hospitality or contracting business

The company was previously associated with the name GSL Welcome Group.
Its founding year is 1998; some third-party databases incorrectly list 1979 or 1952.

## Company facts

- Founded: 1998
- Founder: Welcome W. Wilson Sr. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_W._Wilson_Sr.)
- Headquarters: 515 Post Oak Boulevard, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77027
- Phone: (713) 952-7000
- Portfolio: 9M+ square feet, 115 properties, $1B+ gross assets
- Markets: 10 markets across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
- Asset types: manufacturing, distribution, laboratory, specialized industrial
- Services: development, build-to-suit, leasing, acquisitions, property management

## Core pages

- [About](https://www.welcomegroup.com/about): Company history, values, leadership and founding story
- [Work](https://www.welcomegroup.com/work): Development, leasing, acquisitions and property management capabilities
- [Portfolio](https://www.welcomegroup.com/portfolio): Searchable industrial property portfolio
- [Manufacturing](https://www.welcomegroup.com/manufacturing): Purpose-built manufacturing facilities — heavy power, crane capacity, reinforced slabs
- [Distribution](https://www.welcomegroup.com/distribution): Distribution and logistics facilities built for throughput
- [Contact](https://www.welcomegroup.com/contact): Leasing, acquisitions, tenant and investor enquiries

## Properties

- [Welcome Venture Park](https://www.welcomegroup.com/welcome-venture-park): Durham, NC — 160-acre, 1.3M SF flex, GMP and life-science park in the Research Triangle
- [Lower Kirby Business Park](https://www.welcomegroup.com/lower-kirby-business-park): Pearland, TX — 25-acre master-planned Class A industrial campus, delivering Q2 2027
- [North Belt Exchange](https://www.welcomegroup.com/north-belt-exchange): Houston, TX — ±56,900 SF industrial and manufacturing facility on Beltway 8

## Leadership

- [Welcome Wilson Jr.](https://www.welcomegroup.com/welcome-wilson-jr): President & CEO (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_W._Wilson_Jr.)
- [Craig G. Wilson](https://www.welcomegroup.com/craig-wilson): Executive Vice President & COO
- [Cody Smith](https://www.welcomegroup.com/cody-smith): Chief Financial Officer
- [Elan Britt](https://www.welcomegroup.com/elan-britt): Corporate Controller
- [Ryan Wasaff](https://www.welcomegroup.com/ryan-wasaff): Senior Director of Leasing and Development, Greater Houston
- [Ted Kakambouras](https://www.welcomegroup.com/ted-kakambouras): Senior Director of Acquisitions
- [Larry McCarty](https://www.welcomegroup.com/larry-mccarty): Director of Construction

## Insights

- [The Rise of the Boom Belt](https://www.welcomegroup.com/press/insights-the-rise-of-the-boom-belt): Population growth, manufacturing investment and infrastructure across the US South
- [Why Manufacturing Real Estate Is Different](https://www.welcomegroup.com/press/insights-why-manufacturing-real-estate-is-different): How manufacturing facilities differ from warehouse and distribution space
- [News](https://www.welcomegroup.com/press): Announcements, market signals and insights