Cousins Hires REIT Veteran Adzema as Chief Financial Officer

ATLANTA. GA--Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE: CUZ) announced today that Gregg D. Adzema has been hired as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective November 30, 2010.

 Mr. Adzema replaces Jim Fleming (lower left photo), who announced his pending retirement from the position earlier this year. Fleming will serve as a consultant to the Company to facilitate a seamless transition.

Mr. Adzema has spent most of his 23-year career in senior financial, investment and advisory roles in commercial real estate. He was with Summit Properties, a publicly traded apartment REIT, from 1996 to 2005, the last four years of which he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and led Summit’s highly successful sale to Camden Property Trust.

  He was also previously with Arthur Andersen, Centex Corporation and Wachovia Bank. Most recently, Mr. Adzema served as Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice President for two advisory and real estate firms in Charlotte, N.C.

Larry Gellerstedt, (top right photo)  Cousins President and Chief Executive Officer, noted, “Gregg is a great addition to the Cousins’ team. His well-regarded experience as CFO at Summit Properties, as well as his deep background in investments and capital markets, will be a significant asset for Cousins in the years ahead.”

Gellerstedt added, “I’d also like to once again thank Jim Fleming for all he’s done for Cousins over the past decade. He has played a critical role in strengthening our financial position and preparing the Company for a successful run into the next cycle and we wish him the very best.”

Contact:  Cameron Golden, 404-407-1984

CameronGolden@cousinsproperties.com

                        http://www.cousinsproperties.com/