Some people move into a neighborhood and quietly unpack. Jeff Riebesell and Charles Burger arrived ready to embrace Old Northeast and everything it has to offer. They’ve lived here for only five years but have made their mark on the community, starting from when they met.

“Charles and I met in 2018,” Jeff says. “He was living in Tampa, and we purchased our home in Old Northeast and closed in December 2020.” By November 2021, Jeff made the move full-time, trading boardrooms and bank towers for banyan trees, brick streets, and a community that feels both historic and alive.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Jeff’s career reads like a masterclass in evolution. He was originally a teacher but left the industry and worked in banking in NYC as he pursued his Masters Degree. In 1994, he joined Compass Bank in Birmingham, Alabama when it was an $8 billion institution and spent two decades as Corporate Marketing Director, watching it grow to $78 billion. When that chapter closed, Jeff didn’t slow down. He shifted. Consulting and real estate, and an ongoing role with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International in Atlanta followed, alongside his work locally as a real estate consultant with Southern Roots Realty here in St. Petersburg. “The Broker lives right here in the Old Northeast and that was one of the reasons he chose this brokerage,” points out Jeff.

Charles brings his own rich backstory.

“My Dad was a pilot and colonel in the Air Force,” he says. Born in Ohio, he spent the first 8 years of his life in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His father was then transferred to Fort Walton Beach, Florida where Charles was fortunate to stay through high school.  He attended the University of Florida and graduated in 1985, moving to Tampa to take care of his great grandmother.  It was there he launched a 35-year career in management and human resources, including leadership roles with USAA, The Hartford and Quest Diagnostics. He retired four years ago, but retirement, in this case, simply meant freedom to say yes to what matters most.

“We’re very active and have a lot of friends in Tampa Bay,” says Jeff.  Charles chimes in, “I’ve spent 34 years in Tampa but was excited about the move across the bridge to Saint Petersburg.” When he moved to St. Pete, he felt grateful that he and Jeff met so many “new and amazing people” in the neighborhood and the city. He never regrets moving from Tampa and is thrilled to be living where he does today.

Charles has deep roots in Tampa, tied directly to the city’s early development. His great-great-grandfather, Josiah Richardson, was one of the area’s prominent developers, particularly in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood just north of downtown. “Most people in Tampa know the water tower,” Charles says, referring to the striking, gothic-style structure along I-275 that resembles a chess pawn and still serves as a landmark today that Richardson built. Though Charles was born elsewhere due to his father’s military service, his mother’s family is native to Tampa, making the region deeply personal. “I’m very much tied to the Tampa Bay area because of my great-great-grandfather,” he adds.

On his father’s side, Charles has roots in Boulder, Colorado, along with a fascinating connection to American music history. His great-aunt, Helen Burger, was married to legendary bandleader Glenn Miller, whose swing music defined the sound of the 1930s and 1940s. Glenn Miller and his band even spent time at Charles’s grandparents’ home practicing in the basement. It’s a remarkable family tie that links Charles’s story to a defining chapter of American cultural history. (You can’t make that up.)

Together, Jeff and Charles are all-in on community. Both volunteer with the Historic Old Northeast Association, and Jeff is starting to become actively involved in Pinellas County schools. With three teaching degrees and a master’s in finance, giving back is second nature. “Teaching is part of me,” Jeff says, and his desire is to give back through mentoring, volunteering, and working with students across the district.

Then there’s travel, and they do it enthusiastically. Let’s just say their bags are packed. Nine trips in one year? Check. Puerto Rico, Palm Springs, Paso Robles Wine Country, Martha’s Vineyard were some of the 2025 trips! They even went on a cruise with Old Northeast friends who began as Jeff’s real estate clients. International adventures are already on deck, including Amsterdam and a European river cruise in 2026.

After spending 34 years in South Tampa, Charles describes the move to St. Petersburg as a breath of fresh air. “This has been so refreshing,” he says. From waterfront views and walkable streets to live music, theater, and community involvement, Old Northeast hits all the right notes.

Well-traveled and fully engaged, Jeff and Charles bring energy and intention to everything they do. In a neighborhood like Old Northeast, that makes a real difference.