The Opportunity Zone Expo Podcast

Erik Hayden, the founder of Urban Catalyst, was redeveloping downtown San Jose long before the Opportunity Zone program came into being. When the OZ program was created and designated much of old San Jose as opportunity zones, he didn't miss a stride. He created an Opportunity Zone fund so that his investors could grab OZ tax benefits, and then kept right on going.His single-minded focus on San Jose and only San Jose makes him the premier OZ developer and fund manager for Silicon Valley.Erik Hayden is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Guest:Erik HaydenWebsite: urbancatalyst.comHost: Jack Heald

John Lore left his home in the desert canyons of Utah for the concrete canyons of New York City. His Capital Fund Law Group was in such demand in the Big Apple that it made more sense to move his business. After a stint in Moscow - where he learned to speak Russian - he was a natural fit for a job in the Russian capital. Then 2008 hit. The financial crisis that shook the world ultimately led him back to the US and to founding his own law firm.Today, he serves a wide variety of clients looking to structure financial deals both internationally and domestically. But for today's show, we talk about his work with the Opportunity Zone clients. John Lore is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: John Lore

Peter Hirschberg's early experience with government was the opposite of positive. His private industry experience rewarded fast prototyping, fast iteration and cooperative development. Now, with Maker City, he may have found a way to merge the speed and innovation of Silicon Valley with the potential for social good embodied in the OZ program. Peter Hirshberg is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Peter HirshbergOther ReferencesFactory OSMaker CityCatalyst Opportunity Zone FundVillage CapitalJake Soberal & Irma Olguin 

Philly native David Waxman has been doing historic redevelopment projects in the Philadelphia neighborhood called Brewerytown since 2001. The reality is that he was an OZ developer long before the OZ program ever existed. He's an investor, developer, entrepreneur, and exactly the kind of visionary who makes life better for everyone who gets involved with him. David Waxman of MMPartners is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: David Waxman

This conversation with the founders of Hotbed Entertainment Group is easily the most unique podcast I've done yet. Hotbed combines both Real Estate development and an utterly unique Operating Business that can scale across OZ communities. Their offering has the staying power required by the patient investor and the tangible, long-term benefits demanded by the residents of opportunity zones. Seth Dunlap and Todd Perlmutter of Hotbed Entertainment Group are my guests on The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Seth Dunlap & Todd Perlmutter

Barings has a history of making America a better place. After all, they're the company that financed the Louisiana Purchase. As a historic organization, they want to be part of financing the new American Dream represented by the Opportunity Zone program. Nicole Pecoulas of Barings is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast. Host: Jack HealdGuest: Nicole Pecoulas

Tax credits should be part of any developer's capital stack. But navigating the red tape can be a nightmare. That's where Stephanie M. Smith Esq. can help. Her long experience with government incentives taught her how to best take advantage of - and more importantly - avoid the pitfalls inherent in government programs.She knows how to build relationships and navigate government programs: two essential qualities for success in the OZ. If you're a developer, a sponsor, an investor or a fund manager in the OZ, you owe it to yourself to hear what she has to say about succeeding in the opportunity zone.Stephanie Smith of SMS Global Advisors is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Stephanie M. SmithWebsite: smsglobaladvisors.comEmail: ssmith@smsglobaladvisors.comPhone: 202-384-2652

Avy Stein was already a successful entrepreneur, real estate investor and co-founder of one of the country's most innovative financial management companies. But a battle with cancer prepared him for a different kind of challenge in life. The Opportunity Zone program proved to be the perfect fit for a man who is  commited to creating capitalism to drive results - especially in underinvested communities. Avy Stein of Cresset Capital is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Avy Stein

You wouldn't expect to hear a discussion of Immanuel Kant and his Categorical Imperative from a tax attorney. But Jon Talansky is no typical tax attorney. His broad education and deep experience reveal a humanity, expertise and wisdom that's rare in the cut-and-dried world of tax law, especially the Opportunity Zone. Jon Talansky of King & Spalding is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jon Talansky

What are the biggest risks OZ investors face? What should you as a smart investor or fund manager do to mitigate those risks. Tax attorney Cory Bilodeau guides us through the risks and rewards of OZ investing in this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Cory Bilodeau

He grew up in section 8 housing in northern Indiana. Through a combination of talent, a little luck and lot of hard work, he rose to the top of his profession: investment banking. And then he walked away. Why? Because the time is right to bring both alternative energy and affordable housing to those who need it the most. He's one of the Opportunity Zone's great success stories. AJ Patton of 548 Capital is my special guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: AJ Patton

He recognized the opportunities in mobile home parks long before Opportunity Zones came into being. With a business model that provides affordable housing for those who need it most, and has the added benefit of being a perfect fit for the OZ program, Sam Hales' Saratoga Group is positioned to do well by doing good. He's my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Sam Hales

Mike McMahon dives deep into the intricacies of structuring a Qualified Opportunity Fund, (QOF). He's got some surprising advice for folks who believe there's no way to make a REIT work in the OZ.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Mike McMahon

Jerry McGaughy walked away from a very comfortable life because he knew it was the best way for him to help those who need it most.His plan for deploying Opportunity Zone funds in the neediest neighborhoods is nothing less than ingenious. If anyone is going to make a positive impact in the Opportunity Zone space, it's Jerry McGoughy. I'm delighted to have him as my guest on this episode of The OZ Expo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jerry McGaughy

Property developer Martin Muoto came to Southern California by way of Nigeria. The Wharton graduate chose to make his mark in perhaps the toughest neighborhoods in America - South Central LA. His vision and determination is resurrecting neighborhoods most investors would rather avoid. His improbable story is one of the best I've ever heard on this podcast. It's a prototype Opportunity Zone success story.Martin Muoto of SoLa Impact Fund is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.

Scott Krone got his formal education as an architect. His mentor though gave him a meat-grinder, ground-up education in every aspect of real estate funding, design, development, and management. That brutal training period is paying  huge dividends now - both for his companies and his customers. Scott Krone of Coda Management Group is my guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.  Host: Jack HealdGuest: Scott Krone

As a rule, I don't host bankers here on The OZExpo Podcast. The reason is simple: in many ways, a bank is a bank is a bank. Yet I think we may have stumbled onto something different, something extraordinary. Dan Topple of Customers Bank embodies the spirit of the Opportunity Zone program. And he has the passion to help those who need it most, and the mandate and power of a private bank to get them that help. That's why he's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast. Host: Jack HealdGuest: Dan Topple

Jay Soave of Cadence Capital Partners builds relationships with patient capital. That's the specific kind of capital the Opportunity Zone was designed to attract. But it takes a particular kind of personality to find, build and maintain those relationships. That's exactly the kind of person I found Jay Soave to be. He excels at finding, building and maintaining those relationships. He's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jay Soave

Brett Siglin knows at least eight different ways to build a capital stack for Opportunity Zone investing, and only one of them involves private capital. He shares his insights on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Brett Siglin

Michael Sanders literally wrote the textbook used by law students studying tax law. His work has been cited in Supreme Court rulings. So when he talks about both dangers and opportunities in the Opportunity Zone market, his opinion is worth hearing.Michael Sanders of the law firm Blank Rome is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Michael Sanders

Maria Rivera brings extraordinary energy to her work as a tax partner and director of the international business center at Kevane Grant Thornton. She gets more done in one day than most people do in a week. And she knows how to get investors the very best tax opportunities in Puerto Rico. Maria Rivera is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Maria de Los Angeles Rivera

The disposition of a U.S. real property interest by a foreign person is subject to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act - known as FIRPTA. It's not something we've discussed before on the podcast. Yet there's no reason why foreign persons cannot or should not benefit from investment in opportunity zones. Tax attorney Eric Kodesch is an expert in FIRPTA. He explains how FIRPTA and OZ regulations interact on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Eric Kodesch

Warren Collier sold house numbers as a kid, jumped out of airplanes as a paratrooper, and published articles in an academic chemistry journal. But he found his true calling in financial services , teaching people how to turn money into wealth. So the Opportunity Zone program was a natural fit for him. His company - Black Wealth Group - is the right vehicle for investors who share his vision and passion for bringing the American Dream home to those who need it most. Warren Collier of Black Wealth Group is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Warren Collier

You'd think any broker or real estate agent worth their wages would know about Opportunity Zones. It is after all just about the biggest thing to come along in real estate in the last decade. Peter Valleau of SVN has a warning for investors though. He sits down to discuss the problem of ignorant brokers and many other issues with us on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Peter Valleau

He's no wide-eyed, pie-in-the-sky optimist about Opportunity Zones. He's realistic about what will work. And - more importantly - what will not work. As a tax accountant who specializes in the Opportunity Zones, his opinion carries more weight than most. Blake Christian of accounting firm HCVT is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Blake Christian

Kim Lisa Taylor is one of those rare individuals who makes a huge career change later in life. She left a successful career as geologist to become an lawyer. The courage, wisdom and  smarts it took to succeed at that transition places her at the forefront of Opportunity Zone tax attorneys. She's a nationwide speaker at investing and crowdfunding events, the founding attorney at Syndication Attorneys PLLC, and she's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Kim Lisa Taylor, Esq.

Host: Jack HealdGuest: Dave Euzarraga

His background, experience, faith and passion dovetail perfectly with the overall aim of the Opportunity Zone program.Now, as California's Deputy Treasurer, he occupies a uniquely powerful position in that state's government. He just may be exactly the right man in the right place at the right time for this moment in history. He's Jovan Agee, California's Deputy Treasurer, and he's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: California Deputy Treasurer Jovan Agee

Sasha Favelukis has created a model for community and economic development that works. You can see it for yourself in the Quartyard neighborhood he developed in San Diego. He's an Investor, a Developer and the co-founder of CoPlace. Sasha Favelukis is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Sasha Favelukis, Co-Founder of CoPlace

Neal Bawa found himself in the real estate sector almost by accident. But the rigorous habits of data analysis he honed as a tech industry executive proved even more valuable in the OZ space. The Founder and CEO of Gracapitus tells us about his unique perspective on Opportunity Zone investing in this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Neal BawaLinks:https://censusreporter.org/https://www.costar.com/https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/http://www.city-data.com/ https://www.housingalerts.com/https://www.localmarketmonitor.com/https://multifamilyu.com/ (real estate trends 2019)https://www.udemy.com/realfocus/

Where does automated carousel manufacturing and Opportunity Zone investing converge? It might be with Barry Stem. His company - Fortified Precast Technologies - is bringing this proven German building technology to the United States. He tells us all about it on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.

Real Estate Broker John McCarthy simply wanted to know who owned a particular piece of OZ property he saw one day while out driving. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that moment of necessity was the genesis of the mobile app OZMaps.The creator of OZMaps is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: John McCarthyLinks: OZMaps

Puerto Rico is - by far - the most extraordinary of the Opportunity Zones. Today, we talk with Puerto Rico's Secretary of Economic Development about what makes the island territory a one-of-a-kind investment. Manuel Laboy is our guest today on The OZExpo Podcast.

Stefan Shimenes left a very comfortable life in Brazil as a serial entreprenuer. He built a new company in the US that uses data analytics to locate the best real estate deals in the country. Then, the Opportunity Zone happened. He immediately recognized the potential value his company's data could unlock for OZ investors and developers. Stefan Shimenes, the founder of InvestReal.com is our guest today on the OZExpo podcast.

Michael Bernier possesses a rare facility with pattern recognition and creative problem solving. These talents and skills help him can excel at chess, and also excel at helping clients navigate the pitfalls of OZ investing. E&Y Partner Michael Bernier is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Michael Bernier

Susan P. Rounds is the head of Wealth Management for Deustche Bank, a role she came to after a career in the law. Her rare combination of experience and skills honed in the courtroom make her a formidable force and a voice to be heard in the OZ world. Susan P. Rounds is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Susan P. Rounds

As CIO for the Bernstein Companies, Craig Bernstein learned how to do the analysis that would identify those deals that were, quote - "too good to be true." He's done analysis. He knows the promise. And his insights into the market and the opportunities are both unique and compelling. Craig Bernstein of OPZ Bernstein is my guest on this episode  of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Craig Bernstein

Brandon Lacoff embodies the American can-do spirit. He has made a career out of solving seemingly impossible problems.  With his Belpointe REIT, he's figured out how to deliver Opportunity Zone benefits to investors who are wary of OZ restrictions. Brandon Lacoff of BelPointe REIT is our guest on this episode of THE OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Brandon Lacoff

Jay Darby has a razor-sharp wit and a legal mind to match it. He can navigate the arcana of baseball or tax law with equal aplomb. Join us for an incredibly informative - and entertaining - conversation with attorney Jay Darby of Sullivan Law on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jay Darby

The City of Lancaster, California is not waiting around. During the post-2008 downturn, city management recruited Chinese Electric Vehicle company BYD and brought them to Lancaster. Now, the city is equally aggressive seeking out Opportunity Zone development. Chenin Dow - from the City Managers office in Lancaster California, is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Chenin Dow

Jill Homan's company focuses exclusively on Opportunity Zone investments. In a way, she's been focused on OZ work since she studied the effects of impact investing in graduate school. Her career in both the public and private sector has always focused on ways to improve the lives of those who need it most.  Jill Homan of Javelin19 Investments is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jill Homan

Attorney Paul Wassgren was an investor long before he even started studying law. His background as a trader and an investor, combined with his broad legal experience, gives him insights into Opportunity Zone investing that few people anywhere can match. Paul Wassgren of DLA Piper is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Paul Wassgren

Zack Streit took an unconventional path to find his calling. He loves to help people who need each other find each other. Specifically, in his role at George Smith Partners, he connects developers and sponsors together with financiers and fund managers. Zach Streit is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Zach Streit

Attorney Ronnie Fieldstone has been spotting and taking advantage of opportunities longer than most of us. His track record is impressive. And His enthusiasm is telling. When he speaks, anyone with an interest in the OZ program should be listening. Tax Attorney Ronnie Fieldstone is out guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Ronnie Fieldstone

You've never run into a Tax Attorney like Jessica Millett. Her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa was an unlikely stop in her career path. Yet it has informed her choices in life and in her work. That's one reason why she's such a passionate and skillful advocate for the OZ program. And why she is so dedicated to seeing it succeed - for everyone involved. Jessica Millett is our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host:Jack HealdGuest: Jessica Millett

Jim Costello loves data and loves research. And he's got the mind of a scientist. He knows there are no easy answers to the hard problems that the Opportunity Zone program addresses. But his company - Real Capital Analytics - can help anyone involved in the OZ market make better, more informed decisions. Jim Costello is our guest on The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jim Costello

Jim Sanford of Sag Harbor Advisors has "been there and done that." From the S&L crisis of the early 90s, to the internet meltdown in the first part of this century, to the 2008 crisis, he is intimately familiar with the risks and rewards that await investors in the Opportunity Zone. He's one of the most experienced - and successful - advisors in the business. And he's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jim Sanford

As Deputy Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, she was intimately involved in the process that designated opportunity zones. Now, as the co-founder of Madison Street Strategies, she guides clients through the maze of OZ restrictions and requirements. If anyone knows the ins and outs of navigating the opportunity zone program, Erin Gillespie does. She's our guest on this episode of The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Erin GillespieWebsite: https://www.madison-street.com/Websites for communities mentioned in show:  https://littleriver.miami and http://www.liftorlando.org

He traded the life of an entrepreneur for the life of a tax lawyer, and the Rocky Mountains for the South Florida Beaches. Adam Yormack is our guest on The OZExpo Podcast.Host: Jack HealdGuest: Adam Yormack

On September 11, 2001, Jon Bonanno watched the south tower collapse. That experience changed the course of his life, and may fact change the way civilization uses energy. Jon Bonanno is our guest on this 25th episode of The OZExpo Podcast. Host: Jack HealdGuest: Jon Bonnano