Sigma Chi - University of Mississippi

An Entrepreneur's Journey How John Albriton '04 Became a Real Estate Broker, Business Owner, and Investor 2 "L ike everyone who has ever attended Ole Miss, my four years went by too fast." John Albriton IV '04 shared that he made lifelong friends, colleagues, and business partners throughout those college years—many of whom are Sigma Chi brothers he still speaks with daily. Some of his favorite memories with the brotherhood include Derby Days, football road trips, hangouts at Sardis Lake, and even the year a goat got loose in the chapter house on Groundhog Day. "The relationships I developed in Sigma Chi have had a profound impact on my life, and I will always cherish the memories we made together." Eta Chapter had a strong group of finance students, too, which fit perfectly with John's real estate interests. "We also had one of the best professors around in Dennis Tosh, who taught us all well more than we realized at the time." Despite all this (and his father's blessing to choose a path separate from their family business), John was unsure of his long-term career aspirations in the broad real estate world. After some time off and a few house-flipping projects, John found his big break through a Sigma Chi brother. He was honored to work with Chris Newcomb '89 on his family's Newk's Eatery franchise in Flowood, Mississippi, which taught him a great deal. Years later, after opening four new locations in East Texas, John and his family moved to Oxford in 2013, where he worked on a development agreement with Wingstop. By the time they opened three of seven planned locations, the deal was bought out by rapper and massive Wingstop franchisee Rick Ross. Since then, John and his real estate investment company, Albriton Holdings, have worked in self-storage, housing developments (including over 200 homes), commercial and multifamily properties, and more. "Along the way, we have sold a few homes, but most have been renovated and added to our portfolio." The company is currently finishing a six-unit luxury condo renovation in Oxford and has several new renovation and construction projects in the planning and approval stages for 2024. John is grateful to Sigma Chi for providing him space to find his passions, and he encourages brothers to do the same by exploring their opportunities. "There are some valuable lessons that cannot be taught in a classroom, but your real education begins when you finish college," he said. "Stay curious and always continue reading and learning." Living in Oxford allows John to see dozens of fellow alumni year-round (especially in the fall), and he always enjoys catching up with them. In his free time, he loves traveling with his wife (Mary-Baldwin) and kids (Jack and Hattie), watching Ole Miss sports, hunting, fishing, and snow-skiing. You can reach John at johnalbritoniv@gmail.com. The relationships I developed in Sigma Chi have had a profound impact on my life, and I will always cherish the memories we made together. CHAPTER OFFICERS Consul Walker Cobb '25 Pro Consul Sam Smith '25 Annotator Andrew Holmes '25 Quaestors Andrew Smith '25 James Mitchell '26 Recruitment Chairman Coy Stiles '26 coystiles3@gmail.com

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