Melissa Gillispie named COO of the 20-year old Jacksonville-based Real Estate Company
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 14, 2026 – JWB Real Estate Companies has named Melissa Gillispie its chief operating officer (COO). Gillispie assumes the role immediately and is charged with managing operations for all the locally based real estate entities including JWB Real Estate Capital, JWB Property Management, JWB Rental Homes, JWB Construction and the JWB Cares 501(c)(3) Foundation. She is the first female C-suite leader of the company and became the first female shareholder of JWB in 2024.
Melissa joined JWB in 2013 in the property management division and held various roles in the division until most recently serving as director of leasing and property management. She is a licensed real estate broker and has been credited with expanding JWB’s property management and rental homes divisions to the largest locally owned residential property management company and Jacksonville’s leading provider of affordable housing. JWB Rental Homes manages more than 5,700 homes for individual owners across Jacksonville.
In the COO role, she is responsible for the people, culture and operations to create world-class experiences for its clients, residents and employees. She will helm the company’s growth through structure, systems and processes that allow growth while maintaining a laser focus on serving Jacksonville.
“Our growth is a reflection of the people we have serving all our divisions and our diverse customer base,” said Alex Sifakis, president of JWB Real Estate Companies. “Melissa has been a critical part of our growth but also our culture of service to our community and our dedication to understanding our customers and their unique real estate needs.”
The growth of JWB over two decades has presented opportunities and challenges at once. Gillispie is credited with the creation and implementation of recognizable best practices in property management and customer service during her time as director of property management. She created and manages JWB’s first resident relations role, the only one in the market, which focuses only on special initiatives to serve residents from appreciation to problem solving to resident-focused events and community engagement.
She led the creation of JWB HomeStep, Jacksonville’s only program that helps rental residents earn money each month to apply toward buying any home in Jacksonville when they are ready. Gillispie also manages the JWB Cares Welcome Home Fund down payment assistance program. In its second year, the program provides a $20,000 award each to eight deserving families to buy homes. She also created JWB’s partnership with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Beyond School Walls program which provides high school students with mentorship to students interested in careers in real estate.
Melissa served as the 2025 president of the Jacksonville Chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) industry association. Gillispie was named a 40 Under 40 leader by the Jacksonville Business Journal in 2025 and a Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal in 2026. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Florida State University where she was a scholarship athlete on the FSU Softball Team.
Celebrating 20 years in 2026, JWB Real Estate Companies, including JWB Real Estate Capital, JWB Property Management, and JWB Rental Homes, is a privately-owned organization serving the Jacksonville region. JWB is dedicated to providing high-quality rental homes and exceptional service while enriching the lives of its residents. Beyond housing, JWB is deeply committed to making a difference in the Jacksonville community through active engagement, charitable giving, and the city’s revitalization efforts. Founded in 2006 in Jacksonville, JWB is the city’s largest locally owned residential property management company and is the city’s leading provider of affordable housing.
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