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

Gene H. Anderson, 63, who has served as a director and senior vice president since our combination with Anderson Properties, Inc. in February 1997, will retire from the Company effective June 30, 2009. Mr. Anderson will continue to serve as a member of the Company's Board of Directors. On June 19, 2009, the Company and Mr. Anderson executed a retirement agreement providing that, among other things, all of Mr. Anderson's outstanding long-term equity incentive awards will be non-forfeitable and remain exercisable according to the terms of their original grants subject to the conditions described in the Company's retirement plan.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

No. Description

10.1 Highwoods Properties, Inc. Retirement Plan, effective as of March 1, 2006 (filed as part of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2007)

10.2 Retirement Agreement by and between the Company and Gene H. Anderson