Mr. Woody L. Hunt is Senior Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Companies, Inc. (www.huntcompanies.com), and its affiliated companies.
Founded in 1947, Hunt Companies, Inc. (Hunt) is a diversified and international family-owned holding company that invests in real estate assets, infrastructure and real-asset focused operating businesses. Today, the platforms employ over 4,000 people.
In addition to his duties with Hunt, Mr. Hunt is Chairman of the Texas Commission on Community College Finance; foundation trustee of the Texas Higher Education Foundation; member of the Board of Visitors of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center-Houston; Founding Chairman of the Borderplex Alliance in El Paso, where he is now Chairman Emeritus; former Chairman of the Texas Business Leadership Council; and Vice-Chair for the Council for Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development in El Paso. Mr. Hunt also serves as Chairman of the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation, a private family foundation he and his wife Gayle, established in 1987.
Mr. Hunt was previously Chairman of the Texas Higher Education Strategic Planning Committee, which was charged with developing the Higher Education Plan for the State of Texas for 2015 to 2030; Vice-Chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents; served seven years, three as Chairman, on the Board of Directors of The University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO); was chairman of the Texas Select Commission on Higher Education and Global Competitiveness; was a member of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TxEDC); served as a Board Member for Complete College America; was founding chairman and a board member of the Medical Centers of the Americas Foundation in El Paso; a member of the Western Governors University (WGU) Texas Advisory Board; was a member of the Commission for College Ready Texas and the Texas Tax Reform Commission; was a member of the National Board of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE); was a member of the Texas Advisory Committee on Higher Education Cost Efficiencies; was a member of the Task Force on Higher Education Incentive Funding; was a member of the Council for Continuous Improvement and Innovation in Texas Higher Education; was a member of the Paso del Norte Foundation; and was the chairman of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. He was a member of the Board of Directors for El Paso Electric (Nasdaq: EE) as well as serving as a member of the Board of Directors of PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In addition, Mr. Hunt has served on numerous other civic, non-profit, and professional boards.
Mr. Hunt co-founded MountainStar Sports Group (MSSG) to promote regional economic development through sports and entertainment. MSSG owns the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A Baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres and El Paso Locomotive FC, a franchise team of the United Soccer League (USL), the second division of the United States Soccer Federation. MSSG is also an investor in the FC Juarez Bravos, that represents the Borderplex as a first-division soccer club of LIGA MX.
Mr. Hunt has received the Mirabeau B. Lamar medal which is awarded to individuals that have made extraordinary contributions to higher education in the State of Texas. Mr. Hunt received the Dick Weekley Public Policy Leadership Award from the Texas Business Leadership Council, which recognizes a business leader who has exemplified the positive outcomes that are derived at the intersection of volunteerism and public policy.
Mr. Hunt has also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from The University of Texas at Austin, been inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame, McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame, and the El Paso Business Hall of Fame. He was also recognized three times as El Pasoan of the Year, for his contributions to the El Paso Community.
Mr. Hunt graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's Degree in Finance, and he subsequently received his MBA in Finance from UT. Mr. Hunt also earned an MA Degree in Management from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.
Mike Hunt is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Companies, Inc. Mr. Hunt joined the company in 1971 as a field engineer. He held the positions of office engineer, estimator, superintendent, project manager, and developer. Beginning in 1984, he assumed total responsibility for the construction and contract services operations of the company, directing employees at construction projects throughout the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. In 1987, he was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of Hunt Building Corporation, continuing in that position when the company changed its name to Hunt Companies, Inc. in 2008. In August 2013, he stepped down as President and COO and became Vice Chairman. He graduated from The University of Texas at El Paso with a BBA and attended Arizona State University for post-graduate studies in construction engineering. He is a member of numerous civic organizations and involved in many charitable initiatives, including past participation in the Sun Bowl Association's Western Refining All American Golf Classic and the Yucca Council (Boy Scouts of America) Campaign Steering Committee. He is currently a member of the World President's Organization, International, and sits on the Board of Directors of Moss & Associates.
Chris Hunt has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Hunt Companies, Inc. since 2015. Mr. Hunt is a Director on Hunt Companies’ Board of Directors and also serves on Hunt’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Mr. Hunt is on the Board of Directors of numerous Hunt affiliates, including Amber Infrastructure Group, Envolve (formerly LEDIC Realty Company), Hunt Companies Finance Trust (formerly Five Oaks) and Moss & Associates.
Mr. Hunt began his career at Hunt in 1993 and has served in numerous capacities during his tenure. Immediately before becoming CEO, Mr. Hunt served as President, COO and then CEO of Hunt Development Group.
Mr. Hunt graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance.
Josh Hunt is Executive Vice President of Hunt Companies, Inc, headquartered in El Paso, Texas. He is a member of Hunt Companies’ Board of Directors where he serves in several affiliate board, committee and executive capacities. In addition, Mr. Hunt is President of the Hunt Family Foundation and chairs the Hunt Family Council.
Founded in 1947, Hunt Companies, Inc. (Hunt) is a diversified and international family-owned holding company that invests in real estate assets, infrastructure and real-asset focused operating businesses. Hunt and its affiliates employ more than 4,300 people as part of affiliated businesses throughout the world.
Mr. Hunt has long been a supporter of his city and the Borderplex region, and has served on numerous civic, non-profit, and professional boards and committees. In addition to his duties at Hunt Companies, Mr. Hunt serves on the Board of Directors for WestStar Bank, a $2.5 Billion regional bank, he currently serves as Chairman of the El Paso Children’s Museum and Science Center where he is founding Chairman, and is on the board (former Chairman) of the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation Board, and Medical Center of the Americas Realty Board. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Borderplex Alliance, and, is on the board of the education-focused Trellis Foundation serving on the Investment Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) El Paso/Juarez Chapter.
Mr. Hunt is Executive Chairman of MountainStar Sports Group (MSSG), an entity formed by Mr. Hunt and his father, Woody Hunt, and another El Paso family to promote regional economic development through sports and entertainment.
MountainStar Sports Group owns the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A Baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres and El Paso Locomotive FC, a franchise team of the United Soccer League (USL), the second division of the United States Soccer Federation. MSSG is also an investor in the FC Juarez Bravos, that represents the Borderplex as a first-division soccer club of LIGA MX, where he serves on the board. Mr. Hunt serves as the control person for the El Paso Chihuahua’s, serves as control person for El Paso Locomotive FC and is on the Board of Governors of the United Soccer League (USL).
Mr. Hunt has received numerous awards and honors, including being named El Pasoan of the Year by El Paso Inc. in 2014, a shared honor with MSSG for bringing Triple-A Baseball to El Paso; and to the El Paso Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement in 2019.
Mr. Hunt graduated from The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate/Finance. He also earned an MS degree with honors in Real Estate and Construction Management from the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver.
As Co-Chief Operating Officer of Hunt Companies, Mr. Arnold has primary responsibility for managing business operations within Hunt Companies, including driving performance across multiple business lines and real estate assets. Mr. Arnold also oversees transaction management, including acquisitions, development, financing and dispositions of real assets. Mr. Arnold also serves on various subsidiary boards and committees, including the HCI Investment Committee, Moss & Associates Board, Envolve Board and CGL Board.
Mr. Arnold has more than 32 years of real estate experience. In 2013, he founded GMA Holdings, a commercial real estate investment firm in Denver, Colorado. Prior to that, Mr. Arnold served as President of Denver-based Dividend Capital Diversified Property Fund where he led all functions of the $2.9 billion REIT including property acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, finance, reporting, human resources and investor relations.
Mr. Arnold also held the position of Managing Director at Cherokee Investment Partners and Vice President at Colorado & Santa Fe Land Company.
Mr. Arnold is a member of the Board of Directors of the Meridian Fund, Inc., a family of mutual funds and a former member of the Board of Directors of Steele Street Bank & Trust, a $550 million Denver community bank that sold to MidFirst Bank.
Mr. Arnold earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia. He is based in Denver, Colorado.
Mr. DeFife currently serves as Executive Vice President of Hunt Companies, Inc. Mr. DeFife is responsible for business development and capital formation across Hunt Companies' various portfolio companies. Mr. DeFife serves on several boards and investment committees for Hunt affiliates and is a member of the Hunt Companies Executive Committee.
Mr. DeFife has more than 22 years of experience in the financial services industry, including sales and trading of fixed income securities, real estate, and capital markets. Prior to joining Hunt, Mr. DeFife was Managing Director at Jefferies LLC, where he led the Fixed Income business for the Midwest. Mr. DeFife also worked at both Barclays Capital, Inc. and Lehman Brothers, Inc.
Mr. DeFife received a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Finance and Economics from the University of Notre Dame.
Ms. Harchuck has served as Executive Vice President/General Counsel for Hunt Companies, Inc. since April 2012. Her primary responsibilities include leading the legal department by overseeing the legal risk management function for the Company’s transactional activity, litigation matters, human resources, compliance, and governance. As part of her role with Hunt, Ms. Harchuck serves on Hunt’s Investment Committee, Finance Committee, and as counsel to the Hunt Companies, Inc. Board of Directors. She also serves as a member of the Board of Managers for several Hunt subsidiaries and joint ventures.
Prior to joining Hunt, Ms. Harchuck represented a wide spectrum of real estate clients including institutional lenders and investors, developers, public companies and real estate funds in her role as a real estate attorney at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago, Illinois.
Ms. Harchuck received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. She is a member of the Illinois Bar.
Ryan McCrory serves as Executive Vice President for Hunt Companies, Inc. Mr. McCrory is responsible for executing M&A transactions, capital markets transactions and other strategic initiatives on behalf of the Office of the CEO. Mr. McCrory serves on Hunt's Executive Committee, Investment Committee and Finance Committee. Additionally, Mr. McCrory serves on the Board of Directors of various Hunt affiliates.
Prior to joining Hunt in 2017, Mr. McCrory was an investment professional at CenterOak Partners, a private equity firm focused on control-oriented leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations. Prior to joining CenterOak Partners, he worked as an investment professional at Brazos Private Equity Partners, CenterOak Partners’ predecessor firm. Prior to entering the private equity industry, Mr. McCrory worked at Lazard Frères, where he advised on M&A and restructuring transactions.
Mr. McCrory received a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting from Texas Christian University.
Clay Parker serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hunt Companies and is responsible for the company’s accounting, tax, finance, risk management, treasury and information services teams. Mr. Parker is a member of the executive and investment committees, chairs the finance committee and serves on several subsidiary boards for Hunt. Prior to joining Hunt in 2013, Mr. Parker served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Prometheus Real Estate Group, a multifamily owner and developer located in California and JPI, a Texas-based multifamily owner and developer, in various executive leadership positions, including serving as the Executive Vice President of Financial Services overseeing the accounting, tax, treasury, risk management and financial planning teams. Mr. Parker received his BBA from the University of Texas, Austin, is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas, and has over 25 years of executive financial experience in the real estate industry.
Ann Patrick has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for Hunt Companies, Inc. since 2016. She is responsible for leading the development and implementation of all human capital strategies, policies, procedures, programs, and practices that attract new talent, create an innovative culture, drive the continued success of the business, and support the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization.
Prior to joining Hunt in 2015, Ms. Patrick served as Vice President of Human Resources at Northwest Community Healthcare, an independent healthcare system employing over 4,000 professionals and physicians, serving the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
Ann has over 20 years of experience in human resources leadership, bringing a strong focus on driving organizational results through collaboration and building consensus among all constituencies. She has developed organizational expertise in performance management, compensation and employee well-being.
Ann graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and earned a Masters of Business Administration from Aurora University.
As Co-Chief Operating Officer of Hunt Companies, Mr. Singer has primary responsibility for managing business operations within Hunt Companies, including driving performance across multiple business lines and real estate assets. Mr. Singer also serves as Head of Risk Management for Hunt Capital Holdings. Mr. Singer serves on the Hunt Companies Inc. finance and executive committees and on the board of several Hunt affiliates. Mr. Singer has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including senior roles in fixed income capital markets, real estate finance, and investment management.
Prior to joining Hunt, Mr. Singer was the co-founder and Managing Partner of Forsyth Street Asset Management, a specialty investment advisor focused on opportunistic strategies in public finance, real estate, affordable housing and renewable energy finance. He also spent 25 years at Lehman Brothers, serving as a Managing Director in senior roles in the Fixed Income Division and the Global Real Estate Group.
Mr. Singer received his BA in Economics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
Matthew Hunt is Senior Vice President, Sustainability Officer, and Managing Partner of Hunt Holdings LP for Hunt Companies, Inc.
In these roles, Mr. Hunt is responsible for implementing an enterprise-wide environmental, social, and governance (ESG) program for Hunt
Mr. Hunt also manages Hunt Holdings LP, which acts as an incubator for new business opportunities that complement and advance the Company’s real estate and infrastructure businesses. Since 2001, the Hunt portfolio has made commitments to over 45 VC funds and over 50 direct investments focusing on a range of markets and industries that include biotechnology, IT hardware, SAAS, healthcare tech, financial tech, education tech, energy technologies, and innovative materials. Over $100 million in capital has been deployed towards this portfolio, and exits have come through M&A and IPOs. Hunt plans to continue making investments in early-stage companies and funds.
Mr. Hunt joined Hunt in 2009 as a development manager in Hawaii. In this capacity, Mr. Hunt focused on leasing, building improvement projects, renewable energy projects, utility infrastructure improvements, and property management for a 500-acre property in Kalaeloa, Oahu. Mr. Hunt also spent three years working on the development of a 20 acre 5 MW solar field. The $30 million project went on-line in 2013 and is now one of Hawaii's largest solar fields. Mr. Hunt was also the lead development manager for a 42,000 square foot neighborhood retail center located in Kilauea, Kauai, which opened in 2018.
Hunt has a deep interest in sustainable development, renewable energy, and resource conservation. Hunt is on the board and treasurer of Western Resource Advocates, an environmental advocacy non-profit, and on the board of Aspen Pitkin County Employee Housing, Inc., an affordable housing non-profit. He is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and Urban Land Institute. He is also active with the Nature Conservancy, National Outdoor Leadership School, Roaring Fork Conservancy, and Aspen Center for Environmental Studies.
Mr. Hunt received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of Colorado in Boulder and his MBA from the University of Denver with a concentration on finance and real estate development.
Louis currently serves as President of Hunt Investment Management and is a voting member of Hunt’s Executive Investment Committee. His primary responsibilities are to further the growth of the Company’s current platforms as well as develop new strategies which benefit from its sector and geographic expertise.
Louis was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Washington Prime Group, Inc. (WPG), one of the nation’s largest publicly traded owners of regional malls and shopping centers. He was asked to assume this role by its largest shareholder and Board of Directors in June 2016. Louis served in this capacity until its restructuring and privatization in November 2021 after which he served as consultant to the Company for a one-year period.
During his WPG tenure, he was responsible for the Company’s operational turnaround involving diversification of tenancy, common area activation and adaptive reuse of over 40 vacated department stores. His ‘dominant town center’ strategy resulted in sector leading leasing volume of which ~50% of new tenancy was attributable to nontraditional usage. Louis founded two companies while at WPG: Tangible, a patented eCommerce platform showcasing internet purveyors and Shelby’s Sugar Shop, a confectionary store. WPG was at the forefront of social media and marketing innovation receiving over 50 MarCom awards from the International Marketing and Communication Professionals (IMCP) organization.
Prior to WPG, Mr. Conforti was a Partner and Managing Director of Colony Capital, Inc., a global real estate and entertainment private equity firm which at its peak held assets under management totaling ~$45B. As Global Head of Strategy, he was instrumental in several initiatives including both the formation of de novo strategies as well as the growth of existing platforms.
Previously, Louis was a portfolio manager within the hedge fund sector focusing upon global real estate and infrastructure. He was a Managing Director of Balyasny Asset Management immediately prior to Colony Capita establishing their real estate platform. Louis was Global Head of Real Estate for UBS O’Connor, the ~$60B AUM alternative investment management division of UBS AG. During his tenure at UBS O’Connor, Louis was responsible for one of its largest investment vehicles (~$4.25B AUM) and was consistently one of the top performers at UBS O’Connor. He also served as Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Investments at Stark Investments after they acquired his proprietary trading platform, The Greenwood Group.
Earlier, Louis began his career at Alex. Brown & Sons, Prime Group Realty Trust and Capital Realty Services within various investment banking, securities trading and operational roles.
