ATLANTA-California-based Ryness Co. is expanding in the Southeast with the opening of a local office that will be headed by Coldwell Banker the Condo Store veterans David Tufts and Betty Harbourt. Under the name the Marketing Directors LLC, a Ryness Co., Tufts will be president and Harbourt will be executive vice president.

The Ryness Co. is headquartered in San Diego and Oakland and is co-owned by president and chairman Gary Ryness and CEO Ed Monce. With the opening of the new office, the company is hoping to expand business in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Texas.

"When you're trying to go great work in new home sales, the best thing you can do is get the smartest people you can find and get them as close as you can to the customer," Ryness says. "This is a marvelous team that has a vision for the future of real estate in the Southeast and the expertise to make it happen."

The opening of an Atlanta is a continuation of the Ryness Co.'s expansion efforts across the country. Among the company's acquisitions last year was New York City-based real estate sales and marketing firm the Marketing Directors. Founder Adrienne Albert remains as president.

Tufts, with others, founded the Condo Store in 1993, which was purchased by NRT in 1999 to become Coldwell Banker the Condo Store. Tufts remained as president and spearheaded the company's southeastern expansion. Joining the Condo Store in 1995, Harbourt was the founding force behind the company's marketing department.