Larry L. Unger

Managing Partner & CEO

 

Larry founded MPA in the fall of 2000 as a comprehensive healthcare real estate advisory resource and partner for its clients.

A developer and manager with over 40 years experience in healthcare real estate, consulting, facilities development, and operations improvement. Mr. Unger has developed hands-on expertise in strategic planning, facilities development, space planning and programming, facilities assessment and operations improvement, and organizational assessment and development. He has extensive experience interacting with physicians and various other healthcare professionals, including hospital senior management and board members. He initiated the development of one of the industry’s first integrated facility development models and the same for re-engineering applications in facility planning and design for hospitals and allied health care organizations.

  • Prior to founding MPA, Mr. Unger served as Senior Vice President for The Cogdell Group (“CGI”), the Southeast’s largest full-service healthcare real estate partnership. Later and during his tenure at Beers Construction Company (Atlanta), Mr. Unger developed and led the implementation of the first integrated facility development model for multi-site retail oriented healthcare-related projects. As Vice President at Concord Healthcare Development, a healthcare facilities development firm, he provided hands-on leadership of marketing, project feasibility studies and development efforts. One of his unique accomplishments was the successful application of quality improvement and planning to improve and streamline the health facilities development process.

    Prior to his work at Concord, Mr. Unger joined Ross Perot with the start-up of Perot Systems, a firm focused in providing outsourced information technology services for healthcare. In this capacity, he led efforts working with nationally recognized healthcare providers in creating re-designed information technology solutions. Mr. Unger also experienced a stellar 19-year career with Premier (SunHealth), which culminated in his leading its largest division as Senior Vice President. In 1990, he was recognized for leading the division to its best performance on record in 20 years, surpassing achievements in every key benchmark category. As the Southeast’s largest healthcare consulting practice, Premier was a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm specializing in productivity improvement, continuous quality improvement, strategic planning, facilities consulting, and more.

    Mr. Unger has been certified as a Fellow in the Health Facility Institute, the industry’s first professional credentialing organization in the discipline of facilities development, planning, design, construction and operations. He has presented and published numerous papers at both regional and national healthcare forums in the areas of facilities development, re-engineering and patient care delivery systems. Mr. Unger was the author of one of the nation’s first syndicated healthcare real estate columns published through the daily healthcare Internet news media – HealthLeaders.com.

    Recent Major Assignments

    Recently led the development of the new Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center hospital project in Northeast Georgia

    Developed three independent full-service multi-specialty ambulatory surgery centers with physician partners in Texas

    Developed a comprehensive strategic plan for a cardiology physician group in northeast GA, which is surpassing its vision

    Career Highlights

    Led the development of a healthcare space programing methodology

    Led healthcare consulting practice at SunHealth

    Led the development of Perspective, the first decision support system for SunHealth/Premier as an industry leading tool.

    Led the first pragmatic application of Juran’s Trilogy “Quality Planning” to healthcare facility development model.

 

Joe J. Slattery, III

Principal, Development

 

Mr. Slattery is a Principal of MPA Developments, LLC, where he oversees healthcare real estate development and investment transactions across the Southeast. Joe specializes in medical office building development from site selection through construction and lease-up, having delivered more than $200 million in healthcare real estate projects — including highly specialized facilities such as radiation oncology centers with linear accelerator vaults.

He is known for structuring deals that favor independent physician ownership, personally co-investing alongside more than 100 physician partners across his portfolio. He has also partnered with major health systems on complex multi-tenant developments, with every project delivered ahead of schedule and under budget.

Post-delivery, Joe oversees ongoing asset and entity management, including investor distributions, financial reporting, and board governance.

Prior to his current focus, Joe built his career in construction management and general contracting in the greater Atlanta area, and served six years as an Infantry Soldier in the Georgia Army National Guard. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from North Georgia College & State University.

 

W. Benjamin Watson, IV

Principal, Development

 

Mr. Watson is a Principal of MPA Developments, LLC, where he leads healthcare real estate development, construction management, and strategic planning across the Southeast. Ben specializes in guiding complex medical facility projects from pre-development through construction closeout, having managed more than $200 million in healthcare real estate — including multi-specialty cancer centers, ambulatory care facilities, and physician-owned medical office buildings.

He brings a hands-on approach to every project, overseeing financial analysis, budget management, contractor coordination, and owner representation to ensure each development is delivered on time and within budget. Ben has worked alongside more than 100 physician partners and major health system clients, structuring projects that align clinical needs with sound real estate investment.

Prior to his current role, Ben built his foundation in construction management and general contracting in the greater Atlanta area. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Cum Laude, in Construction Management with a concentration in Land Development and a minor in Business Administration from Southern Polytechnic State University.

  • While in college, Ben was a member of Sigma Lambda Chi (International Construction Honors Society) and Alpha Chi (National College Honors Society).

    Assignments

    Lawrence County Health Park - Maury Regional Health

    Maury Regional Medical Center - Strategic & Master Facility Plan

    University Cancer & Blood Center - Breast Health Center

    University Cancer & Blood Center - Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center

    University Cancer & Blood Center - Oconee Campus

    University Cancer & Blood Center - Covington Office

    Clearview Physicians Center 2

    Clearview Physicians Center 1

    Ty Cobb Physicians Center 1

    St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital (formerly Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center)