SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549



FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 29, 2011


HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 
Maryland
001-13100
56-1871668
 
 
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
(Commission
File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 


HIGHWOODS REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 
North Carolina
000-21731
56-1869557
 
 
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
(Commission
File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 


3100 Smoketree Court, Suite 600
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
(Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

Registrants' telephone number, including area code: (919) 872-4924

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrants under any of the following provisions:
    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 







Item 5.02.
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Mark F. Mulhern, 51, has been elected to join the Company's Board of Directors effective January 1, 2012. Mr. Mulhern, who will serve on the Company's audit committee, qualifies as an independent director under the standards of the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Mulhern is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Progress Energy, Inc., a position he has held since September 2008. Mr. Mulhern joined Progress Energy (formerly Carolina Power & Light) in 1996 as Vice President and Controller and has served in a number of roles at the company, including Vice President of Strategic Planning, Senior Vice President of Finance and President of Progress Ventures, the non-regulated business subsidiary of Progress Energy that divested substantially all of its $4 billion of assets between 2006-2007.

Before joining Progress Energy, Mr. Mulhern was the Chief Financial Officer at Hydra Co Enterprises, the independent power subsidiary of Niagara Mohawk. He also spent eight years at Price Waterhouse, serving a wide variety of manufacturing and service businesses. Mr. Mulhern serves on the Edison Electric Institute Financial Executive Advisory Committee, is a director and member of the audit and compensation committees of Exco Resources, Inc., an exploration and production company, and is a director of the state organization of Habitat for Humanity - North Carolina. Mr. Mulhern is a certified public accountant, a certified management accountant and a certified internal auditor.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of the registrants has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


 
 
HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES, INC.
 
 
By: 
/s/ Jeffrey D. Miller
 
 
 
Jeffrey D. Miller
 
 
 
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
 
 
 
 


 
 
HIGHWOODS REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
 
 
By: Highwoods Properties, Inc., its general partner
 
 
By: 
/s/ Jeffrey D. Miller
 
 
 
Jeffrey D. Miller
 
 
 
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
 
 
 
 


Dated: November 30, 2011