One trusted team.
Every stage of the asset.

President & Partner

John Logan Auton III

John Logan Auton III is President and Partner of The Imperial Group, bringing decades of hands-on experience in construction, real estate development, and commercial property investment to the company.

John’s career has been built around taking projects from concept to completion. His experience encompasses commercial and residential construction, development, redevelopment, property acquisition, project management, and real estate investment. Over the years, he has developed a practical understanding of not only how to build a project, but how to evaluate its feasibility, navigate challenges in the field, and position an asset for long-term success.

His construction background is a cornerstone of The Imperial Group’s integrated approach to real estate. John works closely with owners, investors, design professionals, municipalities, subcontractors, and financial partners to move projects through planning, permitting, construction, and completion. His ability to evaluate a property from both a construction and investment perspective allows the company to identify challenges early and develop practical solutions that protect the overall project.

John’s professional history in the construction industry extends back more than two decades.

In addition to construction and development, John is a licensed North Carolina real estate broker, allowing him to bring another layer of experience to acquisitions, dispositions, development opportunities, and commercial real estate transactions.

A graduate of Western Carolina University, John has built his career around relationships, accountability, and a straightforward approach to getting projects done.

Today, through The Imperial Group, he continues to focus on creating value through commercial real estate, development, construction, and the strategic ownership and management of real estate assets throughout North Carolina.

Vice President & Partner

Thomas “Macon” Auton

Thomas “Macon” Auton is Vice President and Partner of The Imperial Group, bringing more than two decades of hands-on commercial construction experience to the company.

Macon is the boots-on-the-ground member of the team—the person responsible for ensuring that what is designed on paper can be successfully executed in the field. His career has been built on jobsites, working directly with owners, subcontractors, trades, vendors, inspectors, and project teams to move construction projects from planning through completion.

His experience includes ground-up construction, commercial redevelopment, renovations, repairs, field operations, and project supervision. Macon has an exceptional ability to walk onto a jobsite, understand what needs to happen, identify potential challenges, and develop practical solutions that keep the work moving forward. No project is too large for him to tackle or too small to deserve his attention.

Macon’s real-world construction knowledge is an essential part of The Imperial Group’s integrated approach. He helps bridge the gap between design, budget, construction, and long-term ownership, ensuring that decisions made during construction are practical in the field and beneficial to the future performance of the property.

He also approaches every project from an owner and investor’s perspective. While he understands the importance of controlling costs, he recognizes that sacrificing workmanship or durability rarely creates long-term value. His focus remains on responsible spending, quality construction, practical decision-making, and completing each project correctly.

Macon’s leadership style is quiet, straightforward, and effective. He does not overcomplicate a project or seek recognition for getting it done. He assesses the challenge, finds the solution, and gets to work.

Quiet but mighty, Macon represents one of The Imperial Group’s greatest strengths: practical judgment, genuine construction experience, and the ability to get the job done.

Partner & Broker-in-Charge

Casey Russ Evans

Casey Russ Evans is a Partner and Broker-in-Charge with The Imperial Group.

With a career rooted in real estate, operations, and property management, Casey brings a hands-on approach to projects from initial concept through execution. Her work spans commercial acquisitions and dispositions, redevelopment, leasing, construction and development coordination, property operations, and the management and growth of self-storage assets throughout North Carolina.

Casey is particularly passionate about identifying opportunities in underutilized properties and helping transform them into viable, productive assets. She works closely with property owners, investors, municipalities, contractors, architects, engineers, lenders, and local businesses to navigate the many moving pieces required to take a project from an idea to a finished product.

Her approach to business is grounded in relationships, practical problem-solving, and a willingness to stay closely involved in the details. Whether working through a redevelopment project, representing a real estate client, improving the performance of an existing asset, or developing operational strategies for a managed property, Casey focuses on finding solutions that make sense both financially and operationally.

A North Carolina licensed real estate broker since 2009, Casey also serves as Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee for the Angier Chamber of Commerce, reflecting her strong commitment to local business and community development.

Beyond her professional work, Casey is actively involved in community and charitable initiatives and believes that successful local businesses have an important role to play in strengthening the communities they serve.