NAHT Names President, CEO
Lori Givens Little has become president and CEO of the National Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT), a nonprofit low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) syndicator. She succeeds James Bowman, who recently retired after serving in the top post since 1998.
Little, who will be the fourth president and CEO in the organization’s 31-year history, brings more than 25 years of experience to the role. She was promoted to the post by the NAHT board after serving as the organization’s senior vice president of capital markets and investor relations.
She joined NAHT in 2002, holding numerous syndication roles and leading the originations and syndication teams. Little has worked with her team to negotiate and place more than $1 billion in investor equity. Before NAHT, she served as vice president of operations for JPMorgan Chase.
NAHT is an affiliate of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF).
“We are thrilled that Lori accepted the position, and we are confident that she will lead NAHT with integrity and vision,” said Bev Bates, NAHT board chairwoman and senior vice president of development at The Community Builders. “Not only is Lori a seasoned industry professional, but she brings a deep commitment to the mission for which both SAHF and NAHT were created: to lead innovation in preserving and expanding the supply of quality affordable rental homes for low-income families and seniors throughout the United States.”
RubinBrown Expands Midwest Presence
RubinBrown, one of the nation’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, is joining forces with FLS Group in Chicago. The merger allows RubinBrown to grow its national real estate practice with a larger presence in the Midwest market.
The firm will have a new office in Chicago and will integrate five partners and 40 team members from FLS Group into RubinBrown.
Chris Langley, CPA, a partner in RubinBrown’s Real Estate Services Group, will relocate and become the managing partner of the Chicago office. With more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience, including 15 years with RubinBrown, Langley works with real estate clients on a national basis.
Headquartered in St. Louis, the firm’s expertise includes affordable housing, historic tax credits, New Markets Tax Credits, and renewable energy.
Real estate services comprise approximately 80% of FLS Group’s annual revenue of $5.5 million. Adding to the firm’s industry expertise is Bruce Schiff’s more than 30 years of experience in the field of affordable housing finance. He is considered a widely respected expert in the industry, particularly with the LIHTC program. He currently sits on the board of directors and is the past president of the Illinois Housing Council.
“Similar to RubinBrown, FLS Group specializes in the affordable housing industry, and the company is recognized as the dominant LIHTC firm in the state of Illinois,” said Bryan Keller, who leads RubinBrown’s Real Estate Service Group. “The combination of our two firms will allow us to create a niche office focused solely on providing real estate services in the heart of the Midwest real estate market. We’re excited for the value this will bring to our clients.”
Fort Worth Housing Solutions Names President
Mary-Margaret Lemons has been appointed president of Fort Worth Housing Solutions, following a national search. She had been serving as interim president since May.
Lemons, who had previously served as the Texas organization’s general counsel since December 2015, takes over the top post from Naomi W. Byrne, whose three-year contract was not extended.
FWHS owns 998 public housing units, 4,545 affordable housing units, and 665 market-rate units. It administers over 5,000 Housing Choice Vouchers and operates a homeownership program.
Lemons’ previous experience includes serving as in-house counsel for a locally headquartered $1.2 billion bank, where she managed the legal, risk management, compliance, and vendor management departments. She also has been a leader in the local community by volunteering and lending her talents to several local nonprofit organizations.
Managing Principal Joins Friedman
Michael B. Weicher has joined Friedman’s New York office as a managing principal in the real estate group.
He brings more than 25 years of tax and business advisory expertise to the firm. Prior to joining Friedman, he served as managing director at Andersen Tax, where he provided a full range of tax compliance and consulting services. Friedman is an accounting and business advisory firm.
