Washington real estate developer joins Board of Tulane

Albert H. (Sonny) Small Jr., a Tulane University graduate and a major real estate developer in the Washington, D.C., area, has joined the Board of Tulane.

Small is founder and president of Renaissance Centro, a 30-year-old real estate development firm based in Bethesda, Md., specializing in residential, commercial and hotel development. Small is also a director of Griffin Land & Nurseries Inc., a commercial developer active in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, as well as a director of United Bank.

Small earned a bachelor"s degree in economics in 1979 from Tulane and has remained active at the university ever since. He is currently chair of the President"s Council at Tulane, a member of the Parents Council and the School of Architecture Dean"s Advisory Board. His youngest son is a student in the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane.

“Sonny truly embodies the Tulane spirit by dedicating his time and talent to empower others,” Tulane President Scott Cowen said. “This is especially evident through his involvement with the Tulane City Center since its inception following Hurricane Katrina and URBANbuild, both key partners in the rebirth of New Orleans" neighborhoods.”

“My wife, Tina, and I are deeply committed to the continuing renaissance of New Orleans,” Small said. “I am thrilled to join the Board of Tulane, a major player in the city"s historic past and its exciting future.”

In addition to his commitments at Tulane, Small is a member of the board of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and the Real Estate Council at American University. He is active in the Young Presidents Organization and Chief Executives Organization as well as the Urban Land Institute. Small is also very involved in numerous Washington, D.C., area community and cultural organizations.