RevOZ Capital Appoints Nine Industry Experts To Its Board Of Advisors
Diverse group of real estate, corporate finance, education and Opportunity Zone policy experts to guide strategic decision-making
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
RevOZ Capital ("RevOZ"), a leading real estate investment firm specializing in Opportunity Zones, today announced the formation of its board of advisors responsible for providing strategic counsel to the principals of RevOZ as they scale their Opportunity Zone-specific investment platform. The nine board members represent a diverse and highly engaged group of experts who boast premier experience across commercial real estate (CRE), corporate finance, education, Opportunity Zone policy, government and legal industries.
“The CRE industry is awaiting evidence of the measurable economic impact that the Opportunity Zone incentive was designed to ignite,” said Alex Bhathal, managing partner and founder, RevOZ Capital. “RevOZ Capital is delivering proof of concept with successful Opportunity Zone projects in California and Oregon in 2019 and more to be announced soon.”
Bhathal continued, “With the appointment of this seasoned group of board members, we are now collaborating with a highly experienced brain trust whose insights and counsel will propel us into the next stage of growth, enabling RevOZ to help champion a future where underserved communities are revitalized while meeting the return objectives of our investors.”
The RevOZ board of advisors consists of:
Christopher Cox, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
William Cvengros, former CEO of PIMCO Advisors and trustee of Janus Henderson Funds
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, former Baltimore Mayor and secretary of the Democratic National Committee
James Doti, economist and president emeritus of Chapman University
Shay Hawkins, president and CEO at Opportunity Funds Association
Christa Cole, managing counsel of Nestlé USA, Inc.
Jerome A. Fink, co-founder and managing partner of The Bascom Group, LLC
Guy Johnson, founder of Johnson Capital Residential Investments
Kunal Merchant, president and co-founder of CalOZ
“The Tax Cuts Jobs Act of 2017 created a new investment model with significant tax incentives designed to transform the U.S. economy while benefiting investors and underserved communities,” said William Cvengros, incoming RevOZ board advisor. “RevOZ is an early leader in Opportunity Zone investing; along with its experienced team of real estate investment professionals, RevOZ is well positioned to work with CRE developers seeking capital and to provide investors with access to investment opportunities with attractive tax benefits and positive community impacts.”
RevOZ is committed to delivering long-term value to its investors, as well as the greater good of the community. To achieve this triple bottom line approach, RevOZ partners with best-in-class developers and real estate operators in markets across the U.S.
About the Board of Advisors:
Christopher Cox, Former SEC Chairman
Cox, the 28th chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has been a partner of global law firms Latham & Watkins and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, as well as president of Morgan Lewis Consulting LLC. He was the fifth-ranking leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee after 9/11, and legal counsel for President Reagan in the White House. A graduate of Harvard University’s law and business schools, he taught federal income tax at Harvard Business School prior to his Washington career.
William Cvengros, Former CEO of PIMCO Advisors and Trustee of Janus Henderson Funds
Cvengros is the former CEO of PIMCO Advisors, parent company to one of the largest investment management companies in the country (PIMCO). Prior to PIMCO Advisors, Cvengros was the vice chairman of Pacific Life Insurance Company. Following the acquisition of PIMCO by Allianz AG, Cvengros became the chairman of PacketVideo Corporation and chairman of National Retirement Partners. Currently he serves as trustee of Janus Henderson Funds.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Former Baltimore Mayor and Secretary of the Democratic National Committee
Rawlings-Blake served as Baltimore’s 49th mayor from 2010 to 2016. During her tenure, she passed significant legislation surrounding Baltimore financial planning and reform and helped make the city more immigrant friendly. She also served as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and secretary of the Democratic National Committee following the reelection of President Obama. She currently serves on the USCM Board of Trustees and is the founder of SRB & Associates, which provides consulting and advocacy services to cities, businesses and elected officials.
James Doti, President Emeritus of Chapman University
Dr. Doti has been a member of the faculty of Chapman University since 1974, serving as president from 1971-1996. In 1978, he founded the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research to provide data, facilities and support that encourage faculty and students to engage in and disseminate high-quality research. He is a frequent contributor to academic journals, The Wall Street Journal, Orange County Register and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Shay Hawkins, President and CEO at Opportunity Funds Association
Hawkins is the co-founder and president of the Opportunity Funds Association, an advocacy, education and communications organization established to enable Opportunity Fund managers and investors in Opportunity Funds to participate in public policy, share best practices and communicate the industry’s contributions to distressed rural and urban communities across the country. He also has served as staff director for the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure and as senior tax and economic policy advisor to Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).
Christa Cole, Managing Counsel of Nestlé USA, Inc.
Cole, a member of the global Nestlé Legal IP team, is head of legal brand enforcement, protection and licensing for Nestlé USA, Inc., where she oversees the management of a trademark portfolio with annual revenue of $10B+. In 2017, Cole developed and led the Nestlé Gender Balance Network to increase inclusivity and support of women at every stage in their career. Prior to joining Nestlé, Cole was general counsel to California Tan, Inc. and practiced criminal defense in Orange County, California.
Jerome A. Fink, Co-founder and Managing Partner of The Bascom Group, LLC
Fink is a co-founder and managing partner of The Bascom Group, LLC, which has completed over $15B in multifamily and commercial value-added transactions since 1996, including more than 300 multifamily properties and 80,000 units. Bascom has ranked among the top 50 multifamily owners in the U.S. Fink currently serves on the board for the Young Presidents Organization California Coast and California Coast Gold chapters.
Guy Johnson, Founder of Johnson Capital Residential Investments
Johnson is the founder of Johnson Capital, a national commercial real estate finance company that originates millions in annual finance transactions. He has over three decades of commercial real estate, financial service, asset management and private equity investing experience. Johnson also has successfully sold several different Johnson Capital operating entities to various NYSE public companies including Prudential Insurance, CBRE and Walker & Dunlop.
Kunal Merchant, President and Co-Founder of CalOZ
Merchant is the president and co-founder of CalOZ, California’s leading trade organization dedicated to accelerating the success of high-quality Opportunity Zone investments in California. He also is the managing director of Lotus Advisory, providing strategic advisory, project management, public affairs and communications support to a portfolio of clients in sports, technology, real estate, politics and philanthropy. Recently, he worked with members of the RevOZ Capital team on the Downtown Sacramento Revitalization project with the Sacramento Kings. Previously, he served as vice president of strategic initiatives for the Sacramento Kings, executive director of Think BIG Sacramento, and chief advisor/chief of staff to Sacramento Mayor, Kevin Johnson. Merchant is a board member for the Green Sports Alliance.
About Opportunity Zones
An Opportunity Zone is an economically distressed community where private investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for capital gain tax incentives. Opportunity Zones were created under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to stimulate economic development and job creation by incentivizing long-term investments in low-income neighborhoods. There are more than 8,760 designated Qualified Opportunity Zones located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five United States territories.
About RevOZ Capital
RevOZ Capital facilitates the revitalization of federally sanctioned Opportunity Zones by providing co-investment capital to qualified developers of institutional quality projects. RevOZ is committed to delivering long-term value to its investors and to the revitalization of underserved communities. RevOZ’s unique approach is a product of the founders’ extensive knowledge in urban redevelopment and capital markets as well as decades of cycle-tested commercial real estate experience. In 2019, RevOZ was recognized by GlobeSt.com as its Opportunity Zone investor of the year.