Access to Capital: Increasing Investment with Minority Owned Companies & Emerging Developers

Recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation, R. Donahue (Don) Peebles Jr. is Founder, Chairman, and CEO of The Peebles Corporation. In an era where social responsibility and inclusion are often seen as buzz-phrases, Mr. Peebles is actively influencing change and creating opportunities that positively impact communities, through Real Estate investment and development. The Peebles Corporation is among the leading privately held real estate and development companies in the United States, with a multi-billion dollar project portfolio, spanning key markets in the nation including: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Washington D.C. Mr. Peebles and The Peebles Corporation's uniqueness is guided by the company’s own principles of Affirmative Development (TM) to empower women and minorities in closing the wealth gap – with the aim of developing not just land or buildings, but also opportunities for people. Mr. Peebles is an industry leader in large scale real estate development through Public-Private Partnerships. Through construction excellence, sustainable materials, historic preservation and innovative design, every project is strategically selected to achieve transformative results for the company and community. Mr. Peebles is an avid supporter of mentoring underprivileged youth to expose them to the value of entrepreneurship. He is the former Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, is on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York, was a two-time former member of President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee, and the former Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Peebles is a frequent guest commentator on CNBC, CNN, FOX News and FOX Business Network. He has written two books entitled The Peebles Principles and The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth, which provide the fundamentals for individuals striving to succeed in real estate. The books articulate Mr. Peebles optimism and belief that everyone’s career goals are achievable. Growing up as a child raised by a single parent, in a middle-class home, to achieving multimillionaire status by the age 27, Mr. Peebles believes that dreams really can come true.

Beatrice Sibblies is the managing partner of BOS Development, a community-focused real estate development and brokerage firm based in Harlem. BOS Development creates the spectrum of projects necessary for a vibrant community. BOS Development’s debut project, 88 Morningside, is an 80,000 sf residential co-op and community facility building structured on a 99-year ground lease from a Presbyterian church. With the building’s sleek interior and exterior design, the project received numerous accolades for its design quality. The project also resulted in the successful renovation and expansion of the church facilities and created an annuity for ongoing operations. Based on the success of the 88 Morningside transaction, BOS has built a practice working with faith-based institutions to optimize their real estate portfolio. Current projects include development of a charter middle school in the Sugar Hill Historic District, creation of a new furnished rental platform in core Central Harlem as well as other hospitality, culinary and education projects. BOS Development has also formed an Opportunity Zone fund focused on real estate for education uses. In her leadership of BOS Development Ms. Sibblies brings to bear a track record of financial innovation as a former investment banker and a deep commitment to building communities. Prior to forming BOS Development, Ms. Sibblies worked at J.P. Morgan Chase, acting as first a Vice President of Emerging Markets Research and then Vice President of Structured Finance. Ms. Sibblies graduated from Yale University with a major in Economics and Political Science. She also gained a Master’s in Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Sibblies serves on a number of non-profit boards including Harlem Park to Park, a Central Harlem merchant and community development organization; Higher Heights for America, a women’s leadership development organization; and the Urban Design Forum, a convening organization for thought leaders on urban design and development.

Dawanna Williams established Dabar Development Partners as a full-service real estate development and investment firm focused on the preservation, renovation and new construction of architecturally significant real estate properties. With over 20 years of experience in the industry and a background that spans both real estate law and business, Dawanna guides projects with a unique approach that combines her expertise as a legal and business pragmatist, strong community-driven values and a passion for refined materials and design. Her innovation and vision on numerous projects have earned recognition from New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and New York City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), among others. Under her leadership, revitalizing new construction projects have been completed by the firm in New York City, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Prior to founding Dabar, Dawanna spent 10 years practicing commercial real estate law, most of that time with prominent firm Sidley Austin LLP. During her legal career, she represented major developers, international funds, investment banks, institutional lenders and private equity investors to facilitate a wide range of complex real estate transactions, totaling millions of spatial square feet and over $10 billion in transactional value. In addition to her role at Dabar, Dawanna is an avid traveller and enjoys serving on the boards of the New York Real Estate Chamber (NYREC), the Apollo Theater Foundation and The Trust For Cultural Resources of The City Of New York.

Stephanie H. Wiggins, Senior Vice President & Chief Production Officer of the FHA Finance team, is based out of Bethesda, Maryland. Ms. Wiggins is responsible for the oversight of the production team for Walker & Dunlop’s multifamily lending through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). She brings more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate finance and a specialty in the new construction of market-rate and affordable multifamily housing as well as healthcare facilities. Ms. Wiggins initially joined Walker & Dunlop as a senior underwriter in 1995. Prior to her return to Walker & Dunlop, Ms. Wiggins served as Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, where she managed multifamily originations and operations with a focus on FHA and government sponsored enterprise executions. In this position, she was responsible for closing 256 transactions nationwide, for a total capital deployment of nearly $5 billion. Previously, Ms. Wiggins served as Director and Senior Investment Officer at Prudential Mortgage Capital Company, managing the deal structure and underwriting processes for Fannie Mae Multifamily Affordable Housing transactions. Ms. Wiggins earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from American University’s Kogod School of Business, where she studied real estate and urban development. Beyond the company, Ms. Wiggins is an active member of several industry organizations, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI) as a Public Private Partnership Council Member and a Women’s Leadership Initiative Member, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and the Real Estate Network Empowering Women (RENEW). She also serves as a board member for The Campagna Center, a nonprofit organization that provides educational and social development programs for underserved children, teens, and adults in Alexandria, Virginia, as well as The Twelve Days of Christmas, Inc., which raises funds to provide back-to-school necessities and fulfills the holiday wish lists for disadvantaged families in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.