Keynote Speaker
Dr. Farrah Gray has recently been featured by AOL Black Voices as making Black History 2008. He was also named as one of the most influential Black men in America by the National Urban League's Urban Influence Magazine. Ebony Magazine recognized him as an entrepreneurial icon, business mogul and best-selling author. More
State Housing Plenary
The Honorable Richard Cordray was elected Ohio Attorney General in November 2008. He previously served as Ohio Treasurer of State, Franklin County Treasurer, State Representative, and as Ohio's first Solicitor General. More
Federal Policy Plenary
Sheila Crowley is the president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, where she heads a membership organization that is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes. More
Ohio Economic Forecast
The Honorable Kevin L. Boyce was sworn in as Ohio Treasurer of State in January 2009. Prior to his appointment, Boyce served eight years as a member of the Columbus City Council, was elected as President Pro Tempore, and served as Chairman of the Public Finance Committee. More
Equity Markets and Syndicator Forum
The equity markets are seeing pricing drops never before encountered in the industry. Deal terms are changing, and everyone is searching to find capital for projects. Hear views and opinions from some of the nation's top syndicators on the ever-changing equity market. As the tables have turned and it is now an investors' market, talk about what issues are affecting projects today and what is driving or not driving the equity market.
Moderator:
John "Jack" Kukura III, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
Jack Kukura joined Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) in 1996 as Vice President, Underwriting and Development in the Development Department and was promoted to Chief of Acquisitions. In this capacity, he is responsible for managing the Development Department and the Fund Management Department. He is also responsible for the underwriting, structuring and management of 14 Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity funds, totaling more than $1.3 billion. Mr. Kukura has over 17 years experience in the affordable housing industry. Prior to 1996, he was a Community Development Lender with KeyCorp's Community Development Corporation; prior to KeyCorp, he worked for a law firm that provided development advisory services on LIHTC projects for both nonprofit and for-profit developers. Mr. Kukura serves on the Asset Management Committee of St. Mary Development Corporation, a nonprofit developer in Dayton, Ohio. He currently holds the Public Office of Council Member for the Village of Marble Cliff. Mr. Kukura has a Bachelor's degree in Business from The Ohio State University.
Speakers:
Thomas R. Eastman, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.
As Vice President for Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. (Enterprise), Thomas R. Eastman manages acquisitions activity in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, upstate New York, the New England states and Puerto Rico. Through Enterprise's core line of business, syndicating affordable rental housing transactions using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), he analyzes, evaluates and bids on affordable housing investment opportunities. He presents investment proposals to Enterprise's Investment Committee and coordinates transaction closings. These multifamily, rental housing transactions include family, elderly, HOPE VI, special needs, lease-purchase and scattered-site projects. Mr. Eastman has been involved in housing finance, development and management since 1995. Before joining Enterprise in 2001, he worked with a community-based organization in Cleveland where he developed various real estate projects, including those utilizing LIHTCs and Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. During that time, he also led an environmental demonstration project, which illustrated the benefits of applying environmental building design and technology in the production of market-rate townhomes. Mr. Eastman received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from Marquette University. He also holds a Master of Urban Planning, Design and Development degree from the Levin College of Urban Affairs in Cleveland.
Chris Grim, Red Stone Equity Partners
Chris Grim is Director of Equity Investments for Red Stone Equity Partners and is responsible for the origination and placement of tax credit investments for institutional clients. He participates on both the investment and the management committees for Red Stone Equity Partners. Prior to joining Red Stone, Mr. Grim spent 15 years at Nationwide Insurance as a Managing Director, where he was responsible for its $1.3 billion community investment portfolio and its $400 million real estate equity portfolio. He held various positions at Nationwide involving LIHTC, mortgage loan acquisitions, private equity placements, third-party participations, capital markets and mezzanine financing. Mr. Grim has over 17 years of real estate investment experience. He completed his undergraduate studies at Miami University and received his Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Dayton.
Tony Lyons, National Equity Fund
Tony Lyons has served as a Vice President and Regional Manager for the Northeast Region of the National Equity Fund (NEF) since May 2002 overseeing NEF's acquisition and asset management activities in nine states. NEF provides equity financing to builders and developers of affordable housing. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University and received a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon. He has been with NEF since June 1997. Previous to NEF, he was a Senior Project Manager with The Community Builders in Philadelphia from 1990 to 1997, and a Rehabilitation Specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C. from 1986 to 1990.
