Centennial Announces New Executive Hire

DALLAS – May 2, 2022 – Centennial, a real estate investment firm with a national portfolio of shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations as well as a full-service advisory services platform (https://CentennialREC.com), announced today the appointment of Cris Baird to the position of Chief Legal Officer. In this role, Baird will oversee all of Centennial’s legal operations and will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team.

“It is an honor and a pleasure to welcome Cris to Centennial,” says Steven Levin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Centennial. “Cris is an excellent addition to our executive team and will play an important role as our company continues to grow our owned and advisory services business.”

Baird comes to Centennial with more than 25 years of experience in corporate, litigation, transaction, and asset management legal work for premier real estate companies. He most recently spent 8 years at Bracewell, LLP, where he oversaw the drafting, reviewing, and negotiating leases, purchase and sale agreements, loan agreements, licenses, consents, service contracts, construction contracts, management agreements, commission agreements and a wide range of other documents related to the operation and ownership of commercial buildings. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Crescent Real Estate Equities, LLC.

Baird holds a J.D. from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Brigham Young University. He was named to the “Best Lawyers in America” in 2022, an honor extended to approximately 5% of practicing lawyers in the United States exemplifying the work of the most elite and top-rated lawyers in the country. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association.

About Centennial

Centennial is a real estate investment firm with a national portfolio of shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations as well as a full-service property management platform delivered through Centennial Advisory Services, its third-party property and asset management division. Rooted in retail since 1997, Centennial is focused on shaping the evolution of American retail by creating a superior multi-faceted shopping experience through properties that serve not only as a place of commerce, but as a place of community. For more information, visit CentennialREC.com. 

Media Contacts:

Deborah Blackford
Blackford & Associates
blkfrd@earthlink.net

Karen Franse
Blackford & Associates
karenfranse@gmail.com
386-649-1887

Carmen Herlihy
Blackford & Associates
cherlihypr@gmail.com
646-770-2623