Real estate executive to oversee complex construction and development initiatives throughout Tennessee and the Southeast
News release
19 February 2026
JLL names Johnny Rocco Vice President of Project and Development Services in Nashville
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NASHVILLE(February 19, 2026) — JLL today announces it has hired Johnny Rocco as Vice President of Project and Development Services (PDS). Based in the firm’s Nashville office, Rocco brings more than 15 years of specialized experience delivering large-scale, mission-critical real estate projects. He will oversee project management, strategic planning and business development while helping expand JLL’s PDS platform across Tennessee and the broader Southeast.
In this role, Rocco will lead complex construction and development initiatives for public- and private-sector clients, guiding projects from early planning through execution. He joins JLL from BELL, where he served as Senior Project Manager and led the high-profile Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment, a 270,000-square-foot juvenile justice campus valued at more than $300 million. Over the course of his career, Rocco has translated ambitious visions into successful developments across diverse asset types. His experience includes managing a state-mandated emergency order police precinct project and overseeing Arverne by the Sea, a 3.5 million-square-foot mixed-use community in Rockaway, Queens.
“Joining JLL presents an opportunity to apply deep experience managing complex, large-scale developments to help clients navigate projects with clarity and confidence,” said Rocco. “Nashville’s continued growth demands strategic, solutions-oriented leadership, and delivering that level of execution across Tennessee and the Southeast will be a key priority alongside this talented team.”
An experienced industry leader, Rocco has delivered complex, high-impact assignments for prominent public and private clients, earning national architectural recognition while cultivating strong partnerships with government officials and key stakeholders. During the global pandemic, he received state and federal recognition for successfully completing a hospital expansion under demanding conditions. He also helped lead a nearly $1 billion multifamily development executed through collaborative joint ventures.
“Johnny’s track record delivering complex projects across government, healthcare and corporate environments strengthens our ability to provide thoughtful, high-impact solutions to clients,” said David Cripe, JLL Senior Vice President and PDS leader in Nashville. “His leadership, technical expertise and collaborative approach position our team to build on its momentum and drive continued growth in the region.”
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About JLL
JLL (NYSE:JLL) is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 113,000 as of December 31, 2025. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data center properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities. For further information, visit jll.com.