The 2026 Houston Coast Family Office Conference

Denny Chared began his career as one of the first online journalists, covering Wall Street for Globes Business Daily. In 2003 he later founded DC Finance, a global family office community that has grown into one of the world’s largest networks of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families, with conferences, private gatherings, and curated experiences in over 20 cities worldwide.

In 2023, Mr. Chared launched the Family Office Circle Club, an ultra-high net worth private members club chaired by Lisa Silverstein, CEO of Silverstein Properties. The club hosts highly confidential private events, often held at the homes of some of the world’s most prominent families, in destinations aligned with DC Finance conference locations around the globe.

In 2026, Mr. Chared was selected by iHeartRadio, the world’s largest podcast platform, to host its first dedicated family office show. Through this program, he interviews leading global families. The first episodes are with family members of Spielberg, Crown, Silverstein, Thompson of 7-Eleven, Purdue of Purdue Chicken and Sheraton Hotels among many others. The show is distributed to millions of listeners worldwide.

Over the past year alone, speakers and participants across DC Finance stages and affiliated events have included members of families such as Spielberg, Wrigley, Pritzker, Crown, Zuckerberg, Firestone, Musk, Bush, Lauren (Ralph), Mars, Arison and others.

Mr. Chared lives in Rye, New York, with his wife Linga and their five children. Outside of his professional activities, he is a musician who plays guitar and piano, and a dedicated vintage Star Wars toy collector.

Marcia is Executive Director, Family Office Coverage – IB, Sales & Trading at Texas Capital. She is primarily focused on family office coverage and regularly produces invite-only conferences for family offices to facilitate networking, relationships and dealmaking in the private dealmaker community.

Marcia joined Texas Capital in December 2025. Prior, she was a Managing Director and Head of the Family Office Division with Freedom Capital Markets, a boutique investment bank. Marcia has also previously served as a Managing Director and Head of Business Development for ShareNett, a members-only global network of professional investors, and at Alberleen Family Office Solutions, an independent investment advisory firm backed by family offices. Over the past 20 years, Marcia has developed a strong network of private families, institutional investors and advisers who are increasingly seeking access to quality direct deal flow from trusted, experienced partners.

Marcia earned a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Utah State College and a Master of Business Administration from the Gabelli School at Fordham University. She holds Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Marcia serves on the global board of the Association of Corporate Growth and the board of ACG’s New York chapter, where she co-chairs the Family Office Committee. She is past chairman of the board of Kinect Capital and serves on the board of University Impact. She is a member of The DealmakeHers and 100 Women in Finance. Marcia received an honorary mention as one of the 2021 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisitions magazine and was named one of the 2020 Most Influential Women in middle-market dealmaking. She was honored with the 2017 ACG-NY Women of Leadership Award.

Rebecca Stehle is an accomplished energy executive with deep experience across the technical, operational, and financial dimensions of the oil and gas industry. She is the Founder and CEO of a new energy venture called Aquaerial, focused on non-operated oil and gas investments that leverage technology and data-driven insights to enhance capital efficiency and decision-making.

Previously, Rebecca served as Director of Business Development at Arc57, a Houston-based family office investing in upstream and oil field service opportunities. In that role, she led deal origination, valuation, and negotiation efforts, identifying strategic partnerships and acquisitions that advanced the firm’s portfolio in the Permian Basin and beyond.

Before joining Arc57, Rebecca spent nearly a decade at ExxonMobil, where she held progressive leadership roles in reservoir engineering and simulation. As a Technical Team Lead and later Reservoir Engineering Supervisor for the Permian asset, she directed multidisciplinary teams focused on maximizing production and reserves through advanced modeling and analytics.

In addition to her corporate experience, Rebecca served eight years as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, where she was a Direct Commission Engineering Duty Officer. Her time in uniform strengthened her resilience, discipline, and ability to lead under pressure—qualities that continue to define her leadership approach today.

Rebecca holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University. She is also a graduate of St. John’s School in Houston.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Rebecca is deeply engaged in her community. She serves on the Vestry at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church and the Board of The Briar Club, and is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

A native Houstonian, Rebecca is passionate about innovation in energy, empowering women in STEM, and integrating technology into traditional upstream investing. She enjoys flying, traveling, and spending time with her husband and three daughters.

Ms. Kelly is a Managing Director and Head of Traditional Energy – Americas. Prior to joining EIG in 2017, Ms. Kelly spent nine years with Tudor, Pickering Holt & Co. (TPH) in various roles. Most recently Ms. Kelly served as a Vice President with TPH Partners, the energy private equity group of TPH, where she was involved in all aspects of the investment process as well as the ongoing management and strategic direction of the fund’s portfolio companies. Prior to TPH Partners, Ms. Kelly was an Associate in the investment banking group of TPH, where she focused on strategic advisory assignments and M&A transactions for energy companies. Ms. Kelly received her B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University.

Robert Mills serves as a Managing Director on the private equity investment team of Pickering Energy Partners (PEP). Prior to PEP, he was a Vice President and previously an Associate on the energy investment team at Avista Capital Partners. Prior to Avista, he served as an Investment Banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs where he advised energy industry clients on mergers & acquisitions and capital markets transactions. He holds both an MS and a BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University.

Rachel Reese is the Founder, CEO & Executive Partner of R. Reese & Associates, a mid-sized law firm dedicated to solving the complex challenges faced by companies across the energy, industrial, manufacturing, and commercial real estate sectors. Drawing on her successful track record, first as a litigator and later working in-house, Rachel launched the firm to provide a comprehensive suite of legal services and strategic business insight tailored to clients in these dynamic industries.

Over the years, Rachel recognized that traditional law firm models were often outdated and inefficient, and that the in-house legal structure didn’t always make sense, especially for small to mid-sized companies. To fill that gap, she created R. Reese & Associates with a bold vision: to deliver smarter, more flexible legal support and real business value through a modern, full-service platform.

With a mindset for innovation and a deep understanding of both legal and operational needs, Rachel has positioned her firm to challenge convention and reimagine how legal services are delivered across industries. In addition to its broader corporate and transactional work, the firm also advises clients on fund formation matters, supporting sponsors in structuring and launching investment vehicles aligned with their capital and strategic objectives.

In addition to her legal work, Rachel is the creator and host of An Ounce of Prevention, a podcast where she interviews top industry leaders and explores timely topics in energy and business. The show is designed to educate and empower listeners by offering insider perspectives, practical insights, and forward-looking discussions that help companies and professionals stay ahead of the curve.

Rachel earned her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, where she served as President of the Association of Women in Law. Her leadership has been widely recognized, as evidenced by her inclusion in Oil and Gas Investor’s 2021 Class of 40 Under 40, her service as Chair of the Energy Law Section of the Houston Bar Association in 2022, and her service on the Board at the Petroleum Club of Houston in 2023.

Daniel Savitz is the Co-Founder and former Chief Financial Officer of Verdun Oil Company, a position he held from the company’s inception in 2015 through the end of 2025. Verdun was formed with private equity backing from its management team and EnCap Investments to pursue oil-weighted development opportunities across the Lower 48. The company primarily focuses on the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, where it has become the largest privately held oil producer.

Before founding Verdun, Daniel worked at Hilcorp Energy Company in various roles of increasing responsibility across the Finance and Acquisitions & Divestitures teams. During his time at Hilcorp, he also led the formation and served as CFO of Elite Compression Services, a natural gas compression provider serving producers in South Texas and Alaska. Elite was successfully monetized in 2018.

Earlier in his career, Daniel was part of the E&P Capital group at Goldman Sachs, where he focused on sourcing, structuring, executing, and monitoring upstream and midstream investments across the capital structure. He began his career in investment banking at RBC Capital Markets.

Daniel holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mr. Schmidt is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Juniper and serves as a member of the Investment Committee.  Mr. Schmidt has over 20 years of experience in the Energy Industry and has been involved in the formation and management of over ten private energy companies over his career.  Mr. Schmidt currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for PEDEVCO Corp (NYSE:  PED), a publicly-traded exploration and production company focused in the Rocky Mountains.  Mr. Schmidt also serves on the board of directors of several of Juniper’s other portfolio companies.  Mr. Schmidt formerly served on the board of directors of Ranger Oil Corporation, a formerly publicly-traded oil and gas company, where he was also chair of the compensation committee. Prior to joining Juniper, Mr. Schmidt served as a portfolio manager and fundamental analyst for Whiteside Energy (“Whiteside”), a Houston-based hedge fund.  At Whiteside, Mr. Schmidt was responsible for managing portfolios in natural gas and electricity markets across all regions of the United States, as well as playing an instrumental role in the firm’s analytical efforts of the natural gas and electricity markets. Prior to Whiteside, Mr. Schmidt worked at Citigroup Energy in Houston as a natural gas and electricity trader. Mr. Schmidt received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.

Gregory A. Reid is the President of Real Assets at Westwood Group in Houston and manages approximately $2.8 billion in public and private energy investments. Prior to Salient being acquired by Westwood in 2022, Mr. Reid served as the President of Salient Partners from 2011 to 2022 and served as the President of Energy and Real Assets. Prior to Salient, Greg was the Founder and CEO of RDG Capital, LLC, a Houston-based asset and wealth management firm specializing in MLP investments and wealth management and he was the Managing Partner of the Texas office for Telemus Capital Partners. Prior to Telemus, he worked as Senior Vice President of Merrill Lynch’s Private Banking and Investment Group from 1997-2007. He began his career in the financial services industry with Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management from 1991-1997. Mr. Reid earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and later graduated from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management with his Master of Business Administration (MBA).Mr. Reid is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as a General Securities Representative (Series 7) and a General Securities Principal (Series 24). He is also registered with the National Futures Association (Series 3). Mr. Reid is a member of the Austin Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Tiger 21 in Houston, and he is active in his community through his involvement in various charitable organizations. Mr. Reid and his wife, Janelle, have one son, two daughters, and two grandchildren.

Josh Tolley is celebrating his 31st year as an entrepreneur. He has been featured on Fox Business, Kiplinger, and over thirty other media outlets. His show, The Logical Podcast, His down-to-earth approach has led to his books on business to be utilized by universities and he has personally started to enjoy advising governments on economic growth. When not running his finance and commerce company, Sceptyr, he loves taking his wife and four kids on adventures and the occasional Astros game.

Rudolfo Beltran serves as Vice President and Head of Capital Acquisition, Marketing & CRM for InNova Global Fund. Since joining in 2022, he has raised over $75 million in capital to support high-impact microfinance initiatives in Kenya through InNova’s partnership with AFRESA SACCO, a licensed credit union institution in Kenya.

Under Rudolfo’s leadership, InNova Global Fund has grown to over 1,200 active investors and developed dual investment pathways for both accredited investors (506c) and retail investors. His expertise in capital acquisition and investor relations has been instrumental in scaling the fund while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Prior to InNova, Rudolfo spent over 30 years in senior marketing roles, including Senior Director of Marketing at Anheuser-Busch, where he developed strategies for iconic brands including Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra. His approach to capital acquisition emphasizes building authentic investor relationships while communicating the dual benefits of competitive returns and measurable social impact in emerging markets.

John Warden serves as CEO of NX Atomics. He previously served as CEO of the Nuclear Institute and has been a member of several UK government and industry advisory groups on nuclear technology, engineering, and skills development.

Earlier in his career in the Royal Navy, John was a submariner and qualified pressurized water reactor (PWR) operator, serving as both supervisor and engineer of the Navy’s shore-based train-ing reactor. He also lectured at Master’s level in reactor physics to naval and civilian personnel and developed training and assessment programs for reactor operators and maintainers. He holds an MA in Physics from the University of Oxford, an MSc in Astrophysics from Queen Mary University of London, a postgraduate diploma in Nuclear Reactor Technology, and an MBA from the Open University. He is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Physicist, and a Fellow of both the Nuclear Institute and the Institute of Physics.

Outside the nuclear sector, John serves as Chairman of the Aston Martin Heritage Trust, a global automotive charity.

Garrick Jones is a former NFL/CFL professional athlete turned private equity executive, multi-platform developer, and architect of large-scale sports and entertainment ecosystems. With over 30 years of combined experience across professional sports, sports-anchored real estate development, capital structuring, athlete empowerment, private equity, and decentralized ownership models, Garrick has become one of the most uniquely positioned strategic operators in the industry.

As CEO and Founder of 73 Holdings LLC, he leads a vertically integrated sports investment and development firm that sits at the intersection of sports, real estate, finance, technology, and community transformation. His professional reach spans from large-scale district development (District 73/66) to innovative athlete-driven wealth ecosystems (Professional Athlete Accelerator), Web3 engagement engines (FanCentric DAO), and complex capital stack engineering involving private equity, bond facilities, trade programs, and alternative funding vehicles.

Garrick’s rare combination of high-level sports experience, investment intelligence, deal-flow access, and integrator capabilities positions him as the ideal Family Architect to build and manage a generational legacy platform for elite athletes transitioning into long-term wealth.

Everett Coleman is a seasoned sports business executive and certified NFL contract advisor who leads athlete representation, performance strategy, and career development through his firm Coleman Sports Agency based in Houston, Texas. He has extensive experience across athlete performance, strength and conditioning, sports management, and business development.

Coleman is the Founder & CEO of Coleman Sports Agency, a full-service sports representation and advisory firm that helps athletes maximize their careers on and off the field — including contract negotiation, endorsement opportunities, marketing, and post-career planning. He is also a National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Certified Contract Advisor, reflecting his credentialed role in representing professional football talent.

Prior to his current role, Coleman built a strong foundation in athletics performance and coaching, having worked directly in strength and conditioning as well as athlete development roles — including overseeing athletic performance programs for hundreds of athletes and collaborating with elite sports organizations. His career includes experience with the Houston Texans and other professional teams, contributing to player performance, training, and operational development.

Coleman’s leadership philosophy emphasizes faith, family, and football, along with strategic planning and long-term success for his clients. Through Coleman Sports Agency, he supports athletes with tailored guidance through key career transitions, performance optimization, contract opportunities, and legacy building — combining his experience as a trainer, business operator, and industry advisor to drive comprehensive athlete advancement.

Christian “CH” Hall is an athlete-turned-entrepreneur and community leader based in Houston, Texas, known for his work in athlete development, mentorship, and business growth. He played collegiate football at Sam Houston State University, where he pursued his education in Mass Communication/Media Studies and competed as a Division I student-athlete, laying the foundation for leadership both on and off the field.

After his football career, Hall transitioned into brand consulting and business development, leveraging his communication background and athletic experience to support emerging talent and organizations. His professional profile highlights strong business development skills, with services offered in strategic marketing, brand growth, and mentorship.

Hall is also the founder of the Christian Hall Foundation (BYF 7v7 Football), a youth-focused athletic and character development program. Through this initiative — frequently referred to by his coaching title “Coach CH” — he emphasizes discipline, accountability, academic excellence, and personal growth alongside athletic performance. The foundation’s programs have helped athletes earn college opportunities and develop life skills critical to long-term success.

In addition to program leadership, Hall maintains an active presence as a digital creator and mentor, using social platforms to influence and educate young athletes about commitment, discipline, and pathway to collegiate success.
Today, Christian “CH” Hall operates at the intersection of sports, brand strategy, mentorship, and community empowerment in Houston — building platforms that cultivate next-generation leaders through athletics, education, and entrepreneurial growth.

Alphonso Roundtree is a former professional American football player, entrepreneur, and strategic business operator with deep ties to sports, technology, and community engagement. Born July 7, 1977, in Bradenton, Florida, Roundtree played collegiate football at Tulane University, where he earned his degree in Marketing and competed at the NCAA level before entering the professional ranks.

Roundtree went on to play in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes, establishing himself as a competitive defensive back at the highest tier of American, and Canadian football. After his playing career, Roundtree transitioned into the entrepreneurial and tech space, where he applies his experience in marketing, community building, and strategic growth. He is best known as the Founder & CEO of Social Bevy, a mobile concierge and social engagement platform designed to connect users with curated events and city experiences tailored to their interests.

In addition to tech and business building, Roundtree has been active in community development and youth programming, including founding and supporting initiatives such as the Gridiron Classic, which historically provided free football clinics and health resources for underserved youth and helped strengthen community partnerships across multiple U.S. cities.

Today, Roundtree serves as a strategic advisor and business operator, blending athletic leadership, marketing savvy, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship to influence culture, technology, and community empowerment.

Reggie Rusk is a former NFL defensive back, entrepreneur, and community leader whose career spans professional athletics, mentorship, and youth empowerment initiatives. Born in Galveston, Texas, Rusk built a strong football foundation at the University of Kentucky, where he emerged as a standout defensive back before entering the NFL.

Selected in the 7th round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rusk played six seasons in the National Football League. His professional career included time with the Seattle Seahawks and the San Diego Chargers, where he contributed as a cornerback and special teams player, earning a reputation for discipline, leadership, and defensive reliability.

Following his NFL career, Rusk transitioned into entrepreneurship and community development. He founded Stay Recruited, an organization focused on educational literacy, life skills training, and athletic mentorship. Through this platform, he has dedicated over a decade to guiding student-athletes toward academic achievement, character development, and long-term success beyond sports.

Today, Reggie Rusk operates at the intersection of athletics, business, and mentorship — leveraging his professional experience to develop young leaders, support community growth, and build sustainable pathways for athletes to succeed both on and off the field.

Jonathan Wells (born July 21, 1979, in River Ridge, Louisiana) is a former professional American football player, media personality, entrepreneur, and business development professional. He played collegiate football at Ohio State University, where he was a standout running back and senior leader before entering the NFL.

Wells was selected in the **4th round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and played four seasons with the franchise from 2002–2005. During his NFL career, he compiled 374 rushing attempts for 1,167 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, along with 44 receptions for
323 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns — contributing as a primary starter and versatile offensive weapon.

After retiring from professional football, Wells translated his competitive drive into media, entertainment, and entrepreneurial pursuits. He co-founded From the Ground Up Records, a music label that has signed multiple artists and evolved into You World Global Media, securing partnerships such as a deal with Capitol Records and expanding his footprint in music and media production.

Wells also maintains a strong presence in digital and social media, using platforms such as Instagram and X to engage with audiences around sports commentary, lifestyle content, and community impact initiatives.
Today, he operates at the intersection of media creation, brand building, and business development, leveraging his professional athlete background and industry experience to develop content-driven projects, support talent, and expand entrepreneurial ventures beyond sports.

J. Bradley Hilton, a proud member of the Hilton family, began his career with Hilton Hotels Corporation at age 17. Over the span of 14 years, he developed his expertise within the family business, making significant strides in corporate growth. One of his notable achievements includes increasing corporate solicitations from $700 million to $1.2 billion in a single year, an accomplishment that underscores his ability to drive engagement and elevate business outcomes within a global enterprise. Today, Brad channels his vision and expertise into The J. Bradley Experience, a company dedicated to empowering individuals, families, and businesses around the world. With a commitment to the legacy of his grandfather, Conrad N. Hilton, his mission is to redefine luxury through curated experiences that create everlasting memories. By anticipating emerging trends and embracing new opportunities, he aims to fill the world with warmth, light, unparalleled hospitality, and advanced technologies.

Allison (“Allie”) Hilton is an emerging healthcare leader and Master of Healthcare Administration candidate with a passion for operational strategy, adolescent health, and nonprofit healthcare innovation. She brings a systems-oriented mindset and a people-centered philosophy to every role she undertakes. Currently serving with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Allie contributes to strategic governance and program work that bridges mission with measurable outcomes. As Advisory Council Chair for the Foundation’s Generations in Giving (GIG) program, she has led high-trust working sessions that fuse heart, strategy, and execution—mobilizing
next-generation legacy family members around shared purpose and disciplined follow-through. In this role, she has helped shape and present major grant proposals and program initiatives to the Foundation’s board, strengthening her ability to translate vision into operational clarity, stakeholder alignment, and impact-ready
plans. Her academic and professional focus centers on quality improvement, healthcare finance, and policy development aimed at strengthening patient experience and community health.

Allie is now directing that same rigor and energy toward healthcare administration. She believes every person deserves more than care, they deserve vision. Systems do not change on their own; the right people change them, with the right mission in the right room. Post-graduation, Allie plans to join an established healthcare organization to deepen her operational leadership capabilities before advancing into executive-level strategy or nonprofit healthcare development. She is driven by a desire to create lasting impact, improve healthcare access for adolescents, and contribute to mission-aligned organizational excellence.

“Whether it’s a large grant proposal, a healthcare system that actually serves people, or a council that gives voice to the next generation of change makers, I’m not here to maintain the status quo. I’m here to reimagine it.”

Dean Hilton is a client solutions manager in the logistics sector with a professional background spanning marketing, sales, and relationship-centered business development. Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dean brings a practical solutions mindset, strong communication skills, and a genuine desire to help others in both his professional and philanthropic work. In his current role, Dean works closely with clients to navigate operational needs, coordinate solutions, and build trust in fast-moving environments where responsiveness and follow-through matter. His earlier experience in marketing and sales strengthened his ability to connect with people, communicate value clearly, and support long-term relationships that create lasting results.

Beyond his career, Dean is actively engaged in philanthropy through the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Generations in Giving (GIG) program and its Board Intern Program. Through these experiences, he is developing a thoughtful perspective on stewardship, service, and next-generation leadership while contributing in grounded, practical ways. Dean views legacy not simply as something inherited, but as a responsibility carried forward through character, consistency, and a willingness to serve. Whether in business or philanthropy, he is motivated by the belief that strong relationships, steady leadership, and everyday acts of service can create meaningful impact for families, organizations, and communities. A passionate sports fan with a love for basketball, football, baseball, and bowling, Dean brings energy, teamwork, and authenticity to every setting he enters. He is committed to continuing his professional growth while carrying forward a family tradition of service with humility, purpose, and heart.

“Legacy is not defined only by what is passed down, but by what is carried forward with purpose, character, and heart.”

John McDonough is a Senior Managing Director at National Brokerage Atlantic and a nationally recognized authority in life insurance consulting for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, global families, and cross-border estates. With more than two decades of experience, he leads a practice focused on the intersection of estate planning, tax mitigation, and wealth preservation, working in close collaboration with elite financial advisors, CPAs, estate attorneys, and private banks to design and implement structures that most producers never encounter. His clientele includes US citizens and affluent global residents with estates typically exceeding $10 million.

John’s technical fluency spans the full architecture of sophisticated insurance deployment, including premium-financed life insurance, irrevocable trust structures, SLATs, international planning components, and policy rescue and restructuring. He is frequently retained by families and their advisors precisely for cases requiring discretion, deep technical knowledge, and creative problem-solving at the highest levels of complexity. At National Brokerage Atlantic, he oversees all point-of-sale operations including premium finance, foreign national planning, and concierge services, bringing institutional rigor to every engagement.

Dr. Steven Kaufman is an accomplished investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the current Chair of TIGER 21 Houston.

Steven manages his family assets with a focus on thesis-driven opportunistic investments in three asset classes which include real estate financing, real estate investment, and private equity in small growth-companies.

Steven has held C-Level positions in various real estate enterprises for 20 years and has been investing in real estate for over 20 years. During that time, he coordinated over $1 billion in real estate financing for companies like American Express, Hewlett Packard, and Exxon Mobil and founded ZeusLending.com which is the leading online provider of real estate financing in the United States. He also founded ZeusEquityGroup.com which is a commercial real estate investment firm that acquires and develops trophy assets that revitalize communities, and he currently manages a portfolio of approximately $200 million in multifamily, office, retail, and healthcare assets.

At Zeus, Steven manages a team that is responsible for more than $4 billion of retail mortgage loan originations. According to Inc. Magazine, Zeus is the 37th fastest growing private financial service firm in the United States. Steven founded New York Mutual which provides bespoke lending, servicing, and financial management services to institutional and private clients throughout the United States and abroad. Steven’s financing enterprises have spanned 3 economic cycles, and his disciplined focus on capital preservation has resulted in a best-in-class total default rate below 1% and no annual losses.

Steven has been interviewed by local and national news organizations like FOX, ABC, CBS, CNN, and Bloomberg on the financial markets, and he is a contributing author at Entrepreneur.com. Steven sat as an Honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He was an Ernst and Young Global Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist. For more than a decade, he served on the board of directors for the oldest and largest real estate investment association in the United States (The RICH Club). He served on the board of directors for the Houston Mortgage Association and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Steven currently sits on the Overseas Appropriations Committee for the Jewish Federation of Houston, and he currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Houston School of Business. National Mortgage Professional Magazine has repeatedly ranked Steven as one of the “Top 40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals in the United States”, and the Houston Business Journal ranked him as one of the “Top CEO’s in Houston”.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, Steven grew up in Baytown, TX. Steven graduated with high honors from the University of Houston with a B.S. in accounting and holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. He has a Master’s Degree in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship from the University of Houston. Steven completed the Strategic Marketing Management Program at Harvard Business School, and earned his PhD in psychology, with a thesis on performance psychology, organizational leadership, and group trust, from The Chicago School.

Steven is the founder of The Fanatical Change Foundation. His philanthropic recognition includes the Houston Astros “Hometown Hero”, the City of Houston “Humanitarian Award”, the Lululemon “Modern Day Man”, and the United States Presidential “Life-Time Achievement Award”.

Steven is a four time world champion power-lifter and 2015 world record holder. He has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, summited Mt. Fuji, trekked to Everest Base Camp, completed the Houston Marathon, run with the bulls in Spain, and finished second in the Southwest Regional Amateur Arm-wrestling Championship.

Pat O’Donnell has over 35 years of experience managing technology companies. He currently runs Unabridged Technology as an incubator for startups focused on Justice issues. Portfolio companies are currently addressing cybersecurity, asbestos claims, and AI for legal contracts. Previously he founded and led Bridgeway Software which he grew to be one of the most successful providers of software systems for in-house legal departments with over 25% of the Fortune 500 using one of their products. Bridgeway was acquired in a market consolidation.

Mr. O’Donnell is married to his high school sweetheart, has three amazing grown children, and three (almost perfect) grandsons. Mr. O’Donnell received a B.A. in mathematics from the University of St. Thomas and a Master of Applied Mathematics from Rice University

Alan Schnur is a commercial real estate investor, author, and speaker who has spent more than 25 years building, acquiring, and operating assets across the full spectrum of real estate, from single-family and multifamily to industrial, retail, self-storage, and luxury residential.

He started with a single distressed property and built his portfolio from over 400 single-family homes to more than 2,000 multifamily units and 7,000 units managed, then moved into commercial real estate, where he has developed and operated more than 1.5 million square feet, including ground-up development of small-bay industrial parks, multi-tenant warehouse and flex facilities, shopping centers, and self-storage assets.

He is the author of The Cashflow Mindset, a featured speaker at investment, entrepreneurship, and leadership conferences nationwide, and has spoken at Harvard University. A recipient of a Mayoral recognition award, Alan has been recognized for his lasting contributions to affordable housing.

An accomplished mountaineer, he has summited Kilimanjaro twice, Mount Orizaba, and Mount Baker, and trekked to Everest Base Camp.

Martin Bronstein is a founder and Senior Principal of BHW, where he is responsible for targeting land, retail, multifamily and office properties for acquisition, recapitalization, liquidity events, financing and development. He has a 45-year track record of successfully investing, valuing, analyzing, financing, re-positioning, and developing a broad range of commercial real estate assets throughout the United States and Europe.

Situs, the firm Martin founded in 1985, grew from a local Houston-based brokerage company into one of the world’s leading commercial real estate consultancies. The firm provided due diligence, primary and special servicing and asset management to investment banks, insurance companies, opportunity / pension funds, the FDIC, RTC, and other acquirers and financiers of commercial real estate. In 2011, Situs was sold to Helios AMC, a rated special servicer sponsored by Ranieri Partners that provides commercial real estate debt and equity management services. The company had over 400 employees across nine offices in the US and Europe at the time of its sale.

Martin has a long history of serving as the general partner for numerous commercial real estate investments that date back to the early-1970s including raw land, retail centers, office buildings and apartments. He created and fundraised Tricoastal Partners 08, a fund that invested in real estate on behalf of investors. BHW’s principals are investors in the fund and serve as its general partner. In addition, he has spearheaded BHW’s expanding multifamily development efforts.

Martin has traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, and Europe on real estate consulting, brokerage and finance assignments. His efforts earned him several acknowledgements as a Houston Business Journal “Heavy Hitter,” an honor bestowed annually to Houston’s leading commercial real estate brokers.

He earned a B.B.A. in marketing from The University of Texas at Austin, where he now serves on the McCombs School of Business’ Real Estate Finance & Investment Center (“REFIC”) Executive Council. He holds a Texas real estate broker’s license. Martin previously served on the Board of the Houston Jewish Federation and was co-chairman of the Federation’s Commercial Real Estate Society. He also is a founding board member of Second Servings of Houston; Houston’s only prepared food rescue organization.

Marcia is Executive Director, Family Office Coverage – IB, Sales & Trading at Texas Capital. She is primarily focused on family office coverage and regularly produces invite-only conferences for family offices to facilitate networking, relationships and dealmaking in the private dealmaker community.

Marcia joined Texas Capital in December 2025. Prior, she was a Managing Director and Head of the Family Office Division with Freedom Capital Markets, a boutique investment bank. Marcia has also previously served as a Managing Director and Head of Business Development for ShareNett, a members-only global network of professional investors, and at Alberleen Family Office Solutions, an independent investment advisory firm backed by family offices. Over the past 20 years, Marcia has developed a strong network of private families, institutional investors and advisers who are increasingly seeking access to quality direct deal flow from trusted, experienced partners.

Marcia earned a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Utah State College and a Master of Business Administration from the Gabelli School at Fordham University. She holds Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Marcia serves on the global board of the Association of Corporate Growth and the board of ACG’s New York chapter, where she co-chairs the Family Office Committee. She is past chairman of the board of Kinect Capital and serves on the board of University Impact. She is a member of The DealmakeHers and 100 Women in Finance. Marcia received an honorary mention as one of the 2021 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisitions magazine and was named one of the 2020 Most Influential Women in middle-market dealmaking. She was honored with the 2017 ACG-NY Women of Leadership Award.

Cory Pruett is a natural capital investment manager with a longstanding focus on forestry and conservation finance. As Country Manager at Qarlbo Biodiversity, he is responsible for Qarlbo’s Americas strategy and the origination and management of timberland and biodiversity investments across the United States and Uruguay. His work centers on long-term asset stewardship, disciplined investment underwriting, and the integration of biodiversity outcomes into commercial land management. Cory focuses on building scalable nature-based investment platforms that support durable returns and ecological resilience for Qarlbo and its investors.

Born in El Salvador, Rafael immigrated to Houston, TX in 1997 at the age of 12. He is a graduate from the University of Houston where he attained a Masters of Science in Finance degree and BAs in Finance and Economics. Professionally, Rafael has been a successful commodities trader for nearly 17 years and is a partner at Hartree Partners. This success enabled him to launch his family office, Maximo Capital in 2020 which he has personally invested nearly $100M through. The focus of the family office has been passion, founder led sports socials focusing on community, content and commerce. Additionally, has invested in various real estate projects largely around the operations of businesses invested in. In 2022, he founded his own passion project following his love for cars and motorsports which is now a conglomerate known as the RAFA Family of Companies.

Denny Chared began his career as one of the first online journalists, covering Wall Street for Globes Business Daily. In 2003 he later founded DC Finance, a global family office community that has grown into one of the world’s largest networks of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families, with conferences, private gatherings, and curated experiences in over 20 cities worldwide.

In 2023, Mr. Chared launched the Family Office Circle Club, an ultra-high net worth private members club chaired by Lisa Silverstein, CEO of Silverstein Properties. The club hosts highly confidential private events, often held at the homes of some of the world’s most prominent families, in destinations aligned with DC Finance conference locations around the globe.

In 2026, Mr. Chared was selected by iHeartRadio, the world’s largest podcast platform, to host its first dedicated family office show. Through this program, he interviews leading global families. The first episodes are with family members of Spielberg, Crown, Silverstein, Thompson of 7-Eleven, Purdue of Purdue Chicken and Sheraton Hotels among many others. The show is distributed to millions of listeners worldwide.

Over the past year alone, speakers and participants across DC Finance stages and affiliated events have included members of families such as Spielberg, Wrigley, Pritzker, Crown, Zuckerberg, Firestone, Musk, Bush, Lauren (Ralph), Mars, Arison and others.

Mr. Chared lives in Rye, New York, with his wife Linga and their five children. Outside of his professional activities, he is a musician who plays guitar and piano, and a dedicated vintage Star Wars toy collector.

Evan has delivered gains to his shareholders approaching $1B as a serial entrepreneur. He specializes at disrupting old industries with technology (specializing in SaaS) by creating entirely new categories instead of fixing old, broken industries/processes.  A relentless focus on the needs of Evan’s customers and their customers is his secret.  His ability to deliver game-changing, global services with very high value is chalked up to an unholy speed of execution and to keeping things ultra-ultra-simple.

Denny Chared began his career as one of the first online journalists, covering Wall Street for Globes Business Daily. In 2003 he later founded DC Finance, a global family office community that has grown into one of the world’s largest networks of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families, with conferences, private gatherings, and curated experiences in over 20 cities worldwide.

In 2023, Mr. Chared launched the Family Office Circle Club, an ultra-high net worth private members club chaired by Lisa Silverstein, CEO of Silverstein Properties. The club hosts highly confidential private events, often held at the homes of some of the world’s most prominent families, in destinations aligned with DC Finance conference locations around the globe.

In 2026, Mr. Chared was selected by iHeartRadio, the world’s largest podcast platform, to host its first dedicated family office show. Through this program, he interviews leading global families. The first episodes are with family members of Spielberg, Crown, Silverstein, Thompson of 7-Eleven, Purdue of Purdue Chicken and Sheraton Hotels among many others. The show is distributed to millions of listeners worldwide.

Over the past year alone, speakers and participants across DC Finance stages and affiliated events have included members of families such as Spielberg, Wrigley, Pritzker, Crown, Zuckerberg, Firestone, Musk, Bush, Lauren (Ralph), Mars, Arison and others.

Mr. Chared lives in Rye, New York, with his wife Linga and their five children. Outside of his professional activities, he is a musician who plays guitar and piano, and a dedicated vintage Star Wars toy collector.

Fun fact. Mr. Chared is convinced he is funny and in his early years even performed standup comedy, a claim that remains unverified by audiences.

Laura Arnold is co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, Arnold Ventures is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity. Laura and her husband, John, first launched a charitable foundation in 2008. Their philanthropic focus has since expanded, and today, Arnold Ventures concentrates on areas such as education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. With an extensive, 15+-year history, Arnold Ventures has been one of the foremost results-oriented philanthropies in the United States. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010. Prior to Arnold Ventures, Laura was executive vice president and general counsel for a global oil exploration company based in Houston. She is a founding partner of REFORM Alliance, a national criminal justice advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the number of people needlessly ensnared in a revolving door between supervision and prison. She also serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School. Laura is a trustee emeritus for the Rice University Board of Trustees. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College. Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She and John have three children and live in Houston.

Ido Aharoni (Aronoff) is an Israeli diplomat, advisor to global companies, public speaker, university lecturer, writer and investor. He was born in Tel Aviv to a family that settled in the Land of Israel in the 1870’s, and spent his entire diplomatic career in the United States, on both coasts. He is a 25-year veteran of Israel’s Foreign service, a public diplomacy specialist, founder of the Brand Israel Program (2002), and a well-known political marketing, positioning and place branding practitioner. Since his retirement from government in 2016, he has held senior advisory positions with several multinational corporations, such APCO Worldwide, Libra Group, MasterCard, Value Base, Bank Leumi USA, among others. He has also advised several publicly traded technology companies. He has served as Global Distinguished Professor of Business at Touro University and has also served as a Global Distinguished Professor for International Relations at New York University. He has been a Member of the Board of Governors of Tel Aviv University since 2015 and a lecturer at the university’s Coller School of Management since 2018. He is also the Maurray Galinson Professor of International Relations at University of California in San Diego (UCSD) andSan Diego State University’s Business School (SDSU). He has frequently appeared in national and international media as a commentator and opinion writer. Aharoni has been Israel’s longest-serving Consul-General in New York (2010-2016).

Mr. Jarvan Shen was most recently Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Mount Auburn, a US-based multifamily private real estate investment trust (REIT), which owned and managed approximately 10,000 Class A apartment units across 40 communities in high growth US markets.  In 2022, Mr. Shen sold all of Mt. Auburn’s assets in a portfolio sale to Starwood’s SREIT.   Since then, Mr. Shen formed his Rushmore Terrace family office and has been actively investing in various public and alternative asset classes and vehicles.  Mr. Shen also is the Chief Investment Officer of the Barvin Co-GP Fund, which invests in multifamily assets in high growth secondary cities.  Prior to forming Mount Auburn in 2008, Mr. Shen worked in various capacities in private equity, hedge funds, derivatives trading, structured products, and investment banking.  Mr. Shen graduated from Dartmouth College with a dual BA in Economics and Government and attended Harvard Law School.

Manish currently serves as the President and CEO of The GRA Group. The GRA Group owns and operates over 600 restaurant and retail outlets in multiple brands, with over 8000 employees across the United States. The GRA Group is a franchisee of brands such as Subway, Wingstop, Great American Cookies, Massage Envy, 7brew, and European Wax to name a few.

The organization has also ventured into other investments spanning hotels, restaurant technology, and real estate as well as taking equity positions in many of the restaurants in which it operates. Manish is passionate about education and personally sponsors a scholarship fund for his employees which has given out over $450,000 in scholarships to date. Manish also started a non-profit, where he serves as Chairman, which has raised funds to build an engineering college in his ancestral village in India. The college has an active enrollment of 400 students and is expanding by adding a medical college as well.

Manish is a college associate at Rice University, an active member of the Harvard Alumni Club and serves as the Harvard Business School Admissions liaison for new applicants. Manish is also a member of YPO Houston. Manish is a graduate of Rice University and received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He lives in West U with his wife of 4 children.

Luis Vélez is the Founder and CEO of Blxckpay, a binational fintech company operating across the United States and Mexico. With more than a decade of experience in payments, financial infrastructure, and cross-border financial services, he has led the creation of one of the few truly integrated fintech platforms connecting both countries.

Under his leadership, Blxckpay has built a cross-border ecosystem that includes card issuing, remittances, payments, and regulated financial infrastructure in both the U.S. and Mexico. In a market where many companies have tried to bridge both sides of the corridor, very few have been able to build a real binational fintech platform with operating capabilities in both countries.

Luis has driven the company’s growth through strategic partnerships with leading global institutions such as Visa and Mastercard, while developing financial solutions for businesses, migrant workers, payroll programs, and cross-border transactions. His work is centered on solving complex financial challenges between the U.S. and Mexico with speed, compliance, and scalable infrastructure.

He is recognized for combining entrepreneurial execution with deep knowledge of regulated financial systems, positioning Blxckpay as a distinctive player in one of the most important cross-border markets in the world.

Mr. Jarvan Shen was most recently Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Mount Auburn, a US-based multifamily private real estate investment trust (REIT), which owned and managed approximately 10,000 Class A apartment units across 40 communities in high growth US markets.  In 2022, Mr. Shen sold all of Mt. Auburn’s assets in a portfolio sale to Starwood’s SREIT.   Since then, Mr. Shen formed his Rushmore Terrace family office and has been actively investing in various public and alternative asset classes and vehicles.  Mr. Shen also is the Chief Investment Officer of the Barvin Co-GP Fund, which invests in multifamily assets in high growth secondary cities.  Prior to forming Mount Auburn in 2008, Mr. Shen worked in various capacities in private equity, hedge funds, derivatives trading, structured products, and investment banking.  Mr. Shen graduated from Dartmouth College with a dual BA in Economics and Government and attended Harvard Law School.

Denny Chared began his career as one of the first online journalists, covering Wall Street for Globes Business Daily. In 2003 he later founded DC Finance, a global family office community that has grown into one of the world’s largest networks of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families, with conferences, private gatherings, and curated experiences in over 20 cities worldwide.

In 2023, Mr. Chared launched the Family Office Circle Club, an ultra-high net worth private members club chaired by Lisa Silverstein, CEO of Silverstein Properties. The club hosts highly confidential private events, often held at the homes of some of the world’s most prominent families, in destinations aligned with DC Finance conference locations around the globe.

In 2026, Mr. Chared was selected by iHeartRadio, the world’s largest podcast platform, to host its first dedicated family office show. Through this program, he interviews leading global families. The first episodes are with family members of Spielberg, Crown, Silverstein, Thompson of 7-Eleven, Purdue of Purdue Chicken and Sheraton Hotels among many others. The show is distributed to millions of listeners worldwide.

Over the past year alone, speakers and participants across DC Finance stages and affiliated events have included members of families such as Spielberg, Wrigley, Pritzker, Crown, Zuckerberg, Firestone, Musk, Bush, Lauren (Ralph), Mars, Arison and others.

Mr. Chared lives in Rye, New York, with his wife Linga and their five children. Outside of his professional activities, he is a musician who plays guitar and piano, and a dedicated vintage Star Wars toy collector.

Evan has delivered gains to his shareholders approaching $1B as a serial entrepreneur. He specializes at disrupting old industries with technology (specializing in SaaS) by creating entirely new categories instead of fixing old, broken industries/processes.  A relentless focus on the needs of Evan’s customers and their customers is his secret.  His ability to deliver game-changing, global services with very high value is chalked up to an unholy speed of execution and to keeping things ultra-ultra-simple.

Tyler is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University where he teaches medical technology innovation and entrepreneurship to graduate engineering, medical, and business students. He completed an MD from Feinberg School of Medicine, MBA from Kellogg School of Management, a Masters of Engineering Management (MEM) / Masters of Science of Design Innovation (MSDI) from McCormick School of Engineering, and a BS in Neurobiology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Tyler volunteers with Cures Within Reach (CWR), a non-profit dedicated to funding research of “re-purposed” drugs and devices to cure diseases.

Dr. Steven Kaufman is an accomplished investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the current Chair of TIGER 21 Houston.

Steven manages his family assets with a focus on thesis-driven opportunistic investments in three asset classes which include real estate financing, real estate investment, and private equity in small growth-companies.

Steven has held C-Level positions in various real estate enterprises for 20 years and has been investing in real estate for over 20 years. During that time, he coordinated over $1 billion in real estate financing for companies like American Express, Hewlett Packard, and Exxon Mobil and founded ZeusLending.com which is the leading online provider of real estate financing in the United States. He also founded ZeusEquityGroup.com which is a commercial real estate investment firm that acquires and develops trophy assets that revitalize communities, and he currently manages a portfolio of approximately $200 million in multifamily, office, retail, and healthcare assets.

At Zeus, Steven manages a team that is responsible for more than $4 billion of retail mortgage loan originations. According to Inc. Magazine, Zeus is the 37th fastest growing private financial service firm in the United States. Steven founded New York Mutual which provides bespoke lending, servicing, and financial management services to institutional and private clients throughout the United States and abroad. Steven’s financing enterprises have spanned 3 economic cycles, and his disciplined focus on capital preservation has resulted in a best-in-class total default rate below 1% and no annual losses.

Steven has been interviewed by local and national news organizations like FOX, ABC, CBS, CNN, and Bloomberg on the financial markets, and he is a contributing author at Entrepreneur.com. Steven sat as an Honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He was an Ernst and Young Global Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist. For more than a decade, he served on the board of directors for the oldest and largest real estate investment association in the United States (The RICH Club). He served on the board of directors for the Houston Mortgage Association and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Steven currently sits on the Overseas Appropriations Committee for the Jewish Federation of Houston, and he currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Houston School of Business. National Mortgage Professional Magazine has repeatedly ranked Steven as one of the “Top 40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals in the United States”, and the Houston Business Journal ranked him as one of the “Top CEO’s in Houston”.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, Steven grew up in Baytown, TX. Steven graduated with high honors from the University of Houston with a B.S. in accounting and holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. He has a Master’s Degree in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship from the University of Houston. Steven completed the Strategic Marketing Management Program at Harvard Business School, and earned his PhD in psychology, with a thesis on performance psychology, organizational leadership, and group trust, from The Chicago School.

Steven is the founder of The Fanatical Change Foundation. His philanthropic recognition includes the Houston Astros “Hometown Hero”, the City of Houston “Humanitarian Award”, the Lululemon “Modern Day Man”, and the United States Presidential “Life-Time Achievement Award”.

Steven is a four time world champion power-lifter and 2015 world record holder. He has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, summited Mt. Fuji, trekked to Everest Base Camp, completed the Houston Marathon, run with the bulls in Spain, and finished second in the Southwest Regional Amateur Arm-wrestling Championship.