Our principals

Experience matters.
People make
the difference.

Cycle-tested leadership with institutional investment, financial, and business development experience.

New York skyline at sunset

THE PEOPLE BEHIND GAA

Individual expertise.
Collective perspective.

Our principals have extensive experience managing institutional investment funds and real estate assets on a national scale.

They lead a highly qualified team, supported by strategic partnerships that enable GAA to operate at a scale comparable to organizations several times its size.

Dennis E. Pemberton, Jr.
01 / PRINCIPAL

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Dennis E. Pemberton, Jr.

As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Asset Alternatives, LLC, Dennis is responsible for creating and implementing the vision of GAA and identifying and executing investment strategies.

Prior to founding GAA, Dennis served as Managing Director – Capital Markets of Shoptaw & Garrard, LLC. He was previously affiliated with Security Capital Group, Inc., CIGNA Investment Management, Lehman Brothers, and the Prudential Realty Group.

Dennis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Morehouse College, an Executive Certificate in Real Estate Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

J. David DeShong
02 / PRINCIPAL

Principal & Chief Financial Officer

J. David DeShong

As Principal and CFO of GAA, David is responsible for financial, due diligence, treasury, and investor reporting activities for the firm and individual partnerships.

Prior to joining GAA, David was Vice President, Special Projects for BKR Investment Ltd. He was also Chief Financial Officer for Monarch Capital Partners and a partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he served clients in private equity, real estate, and hospitality.

David holds an MBA and a BBA in Accounting from Baylor University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of Accountants.

Theo C. Ratliff
03 / PRINCIPAL

Principal

Theo C. Ratliff

As a principal, Theo supports GAA's business development efforts. A retired sixteen-year National Basketball Association veteran, 2001 NBA All-Star, and former member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Theo is an accomplished athlete and businessman.

As president of Ratliff Enterprises, Inc., he oversees a diversified portfolio across real estate, financial services, media, telecommunications, and sport and nutritional supplements.

Theo attended the University of Wyoming, where he majored in Communications, and completed executive coursework at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

A conversation with our team

Let’s build
a relationship.

Start a conversation