SECO19 Speakers & Panelists

Amie Hacker
Community Owner & Retailer

Amie Hacker has been in the business since 2000. She started her own street retail business in 2004. Now 15 years later, her street dealership remains as one of the top sales centers in Ky. In 2007, she purchased a 28 space unit community. Her community business has now grown to 5 communities. She has expanded her interests to owning her installation company and insurance company.  She is the current President of KMHI, board member of MHI, and serves on other industry and local boards.

Betty Whittaker is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. Prior to her current position, she served fourteen years as Assistant Executive Director. Whittaker has a B.A. degree in Education from Kentucky State University and taught 4^th Grade before taking the position with the KMHI. Her students still hold a special place in her heart and she can keep up with some of them through Facebook and Snapchat.

As KMHI Executive Director, Whittaker is responsible for the administration of the association, public relations, lobbying efforts and the implementation of the goals and objectives of KMHI.

Whittaker has been instrumental in the development of the KMHI’s original zoning and land use regulation provisions on manufactured homes, helped to develop the KMHI’s training module that has been approved for continuing education credit for planning and zoning staff and members.  She currently teaches the continuing education for installers and has also developed several programs available to help inform and better educate the general public, local and state government officials and even the industry about the fair and equitable land use control measures where manufactured homes meeting applicable standards, design and compatibility features are defined as permanent single-family dwellings.

She has received her Certified Association Executive certification which is the highest professional credential in the association industry.  In June 2018, she was honored with being selected as Executive of the Year by the Kentucky Society of Association Executives and currently serves as the President of that Association.  In September 2017, she was honored with being named Executive of the Year by her manufactured housing peers at the Manufactured Housing Institute’s Annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Betty loves camping and boating and, of course, anything that involves family and friends.  If you follow her on Facebook, you know she is always into something fun and crazy.  It makes life exciting and keeps her young!

Bob Love
President, Love Properties

Robert T. Love, CPM, is President and founder of Love Properties, Inc., an Atlanta-based AMO, full service, real estate firm.  Love Properties, Inc. is presently operating about 1,000 multi-family units in addition to several commercial properties.  Love Properties, Inc. has developed or managed 115 income-producing properties over the last 40 years, with a value in excess of $575,000,000. Mr. Love is a graduate of the University of Miami and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University.

Mr. Love is a past president and director of the Atlanta Apartment Association and the Georgia Apartment Association and past director and secretary of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association.  Love Properties, Inc. is also a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS®.

Mr. Love was appointed to serve a 5 year term as a commissioner on the Georgia Real Estate Commission in 2006 and as Chairman in 2011. Within the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), Mr. Love was the National President in 1993.  He also served as President of the Atlanta Chapter of IREM in 1981 and 1982, and was elected Property Manager of the Year for the Atlanta Chapter in 1983 and 1990.

Mr. Love was inducted into the Georgia Apartment Association Hall of Fame in 2011.

Bradley Simmons
President & CEO, Star Homes USA, Inc.

Brad had an ‘older’ friend (he was 27) and he asked Brad to go to a RE seminar. Brad was 17 at the time and making $3.15/hr working in a factory. That was in 1981 when home interest rates were 21%. The seminar was how to buy real estate with no money – the coincidence was Brad had that exact amount. That seminar changed his course. That was many moons ago – and Brad is still going to seminars, still learning, still helping all the people he can be successful.

President and CEO of Star Home USA, Inc., Commercial Property management – 4 MHCs

Director of Economic Alliance, an Industrial Manufacturing Facility + Office Complex

Brad is the Engine that drives their real estate Brokerage, he is the Marketing Director of Bluegrass Team EXP Realty. His partner calls him Fred Sanford, because he is always finding these orphan deals no one else wants.

Co-founder and Board member of Kentucky State BBQ Festival Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit, a Community Charitable event
Father of two smart sons, one of which has been through the YEA – Young Entrepreneurs Academy program.

Most importantly partnered with a Super-strong and smart woman since 1986, Cindy Simmons. Brad grew up with a single Mom – we were on welfare and food stamps. Today, he manages an 8-figure Real Estate Investment Portfolio and lives in the rolling hills of the Kentucky bluegrass, the ‘Napa Valley’ of Bourbon.

His secret for success?

– Passion for what you do – I still love Real Estate
– Stay in line, but be flexible as markets change
– Tenacity Always Wins

Brent Cook
Executive Vice President of Operations & General Manager, Legacy Homes

Brent Cook is the Executive Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Legacy Housing’s manufacturing plant located in Eatonton, Georgia. Brent has been the GM for Legacy’s Eatonton manufacturing plant for over two years. Brent is a manufacturing consulting expert who redesigned and manages a 350K sq. ft production facility for Legacy Housing Corporation. Legacy’s Eatonton plant is a lead manufacturing facility with excellence in HR, EHS, IBTS, HUD, and OSHA compliance. Brent acquired a plethora of skills and experience working for companies such as Thomson Plastics, Parker Hannifin, Harris Corporation, Alcoa, and Yamaha. Brent has experience in direct sales, manufacturing, international supply chain management, service, marketing, as well as distribution. Brent is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and enjoys spending his free time with his family!

Brett R. Danko, CFP®, CRPC® has worked in the financial services industry for nearly 20 years and is a featured nationwide lecturer on matters of personal finance. He is regularly called upon by the financial services industry to provide financial planning training to top tier financial advisors and to consult on complex planning issues affecting their clients.

Brett is the Founder and Managing Partner of Main Street Financial Solutions, LLC, specializing in financial planning and asset management. In that capacity, he helps the firm’s clients address their complex financial planning and investment situations. Brett is a dynamic speaker with the ability to deliver complex information to professionals and clients in an easily understandable way. He teaches all the required CFP® Certification Education Courses (Financial Planning, Insurance, Investments, Income Tax, Retirement, and Estate) and CFP® Board Certification Examination Prep Courses throughout the United States.

He also provides classroom continuing education to industry professionals. Brett is a regular speaker at key client events where he presents on emerging and hot topics in the financial planning arena.

Brett grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Lawrenceville, NJ with his wife and two children.

Carl J. Becker
Founding Partner, Becker Bouwkamp Walker, PC

Carl J. Becker is a founding partner in the law firm of Becker Bouwkamp Walker, PC where he practices in the areas of manufactured housing law, business litigation, landlord-tenant, general commercial advice, and family law. He practices in various counties throughout the state of Indiana and has counseled clients throughout the United States on issues impacting manufactured housing. He received his undergraduate and legal education at the University of Illinois (B.S., Accountancy, High Honors, 1988; J.D., cum laude, 1991).

He frequently lectures on issues impacting manufactured housing communities, helped create the Reference Library utilized by members of the IMHA/RVIC, and has worked with various members of IMHA/RVIC throughout the years on numerous issues ranging from purchases and sales of mobile home communities, drafting leases and other contracts used by communities, and landlord/tenant issues. He also lectures for National Business Institute.

He has recently been selected as a Distinguished Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. His community activities include working with Art With A Heart, Board Member (2010-Present) President (2011-2014) Immediate Past President (2014- 2018), Legacy House, a service center for victims of violence, Board Member (2002-2010) Chairperson (2005-2007, 2010) Vice Chairperson (2009), Board Member of Concord Community Development Corporation (2007-2012), and past President of the Board of the Directors of The Children’s Theatre Institute. He is a Registered Domestic Relations Mediator and is a member of the Indianapolis, Hamilton County, and Indiana State Bar Associations.

He practices with a philosophy of commitment to the client with a knowledge of how to practice law and how not to practice. He strives to be problem-solvers who use the law as a tool to fashion a solution – and that many solutions involve more than legal parameters.

Charles Schierbeck
Senior Valuation Specialist
Colliers International Valuation & Advisory Services

Chuck Meek
President of Bay Acceptance, Inc. 

Chuck is President of Bay Acceptance, Inc and has owned and managed apartments, houses, and mobile home communities for 25 years. He bought his first park in 2004 loves the MH community business. He’s a proud founder of the “Trailer Park Kings” along with David Protiva and Mark Titshaw. The Kings started meeting in 2006 with like-minded community owners to share ideas on improving their parks and portfolios.

Chuck lives in Jacksonville AL with his wife Sara and daughter Savannah and currently manages about 150 sites in 5 locations.

Cole Phillips
Community Owner and Contractor

Darren Krolewski
Co-President/CBDO at MHVillage

Darren Krolewski is Co-President and Chief Business Development Officer of MHVillage, the #1 website to buy manufactured homes, find retailers and search for communities. Prior to joining MHVillage in 2014, Darren held senior marketing positions in the telecommunications, advertising and financial services industries – and was a partner in a marketing consulting firm serving the housing industry.

Dave Jackson
Commercial Realtor & Broker, Keller Williams Commercial/G2 Commercial

Dave Jackson is a Commercial Realtor and Broker with Keller Williams Commercial/G2 Commercial Real Estate Services in Columbus, Georgia specializing in the sale of manufactured home communities, multifamily and self-storage properties. He is a business owner and has been associated with the manufactured housing industry for 50+ years as an owner, operator, supplier, property manager and seller of communities in the southeastern US. Dave is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and the US Army Sergeants Major Academy.

David Roden
Co-owner, Mountain View Estates

David Roden is co-owner of Mountain View Estates in Rossville GA. along with his wife Judy. Mountain View Estates broke ground on 46 acres in 1988 and built this community from woods and hay fields to one of the nicest communities in the southeast. He and his family live on-site and have one of the only Tornado Shelters in the area that can hold every resident of the community. Rated for 250 MPH and FEMA approved, it is one of the most satisfying accomplishments in their companies history.

With his wife as partner and his dad as manager for the past 25 years, it is truly a family-run operation of which he is very proud of.

Donald Westphal, RLA, ASLA
Principal at Donald C. Westphal Associates LLC

Don Westphal established his planning and landscape architecture firm in 1969 out of his Rochester, Michigan home. Working alone, Don wanted to provide a level of service rarely seen in the manufactured housing industry. That mission established him as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on manufactured home community design. He regularly travels North America to present and lecture in front of leading developers, manufacturers and designers.

While the firm has become a leader in manufactured housing, it has simultaneously expanded its services beyond manufactured housing, working in single-family subdivision design, RV resort design, and community imaging. High-end recreation facilities, commercial developments, and resorts also have become a force for the firm. With a wealth of experience, his team of professionals regularly provides expert consulting and design services that meet client needs.

Dyches Boddiford
National Speaker, The Oaks Group, Inc.

Dyches Boddiford (pronounced Dykes) grew up on a farm in rural South Georgia, 10 miles from the small town of Sylvania.

Dyches attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with a BS degree in Physics in 1971, an MS in Information & Computer Science in 1972 and post-graduate work in 1973. Though never having had an electrical engineering course, he accepted an offer from a small Atlanta company as an Electrical Engineer beginning in 1973.

In 1980 he began to learn about real estate and buy property on a part-time basis. His first property was his own home, but soon was picking up rental properties as well.

Then around 1984, because of his travel schedule, Dyches began studying and purchasing discount mortgages. He saw this as a way to invest in real estate without the need to deal with the property itself. But even then, he continued to add properties to his portfolio for the tax advantages and appreciation.

In 1986 he formed The Oaks Group, Inc. to handle real estate related activities. The first purchase was an apartment complex.

After making a couple of job moves, the original company with which he had worked contacted Dyches and convinced him to return to them. Over the next few years, he moved up to Vice-President of the holding company.

In 1991, a national company on the New York stock exchange purchased the company for which he worked. They reorganized the company and Dyches was let go. At that point, he was in the third year of a five-year plan to replace his salary with his real estate income. He began working full time in his real estate investments and in1992 earned more than he had working for his old employer. He regrets that he didn’t go full-time 10 years earlier.

During 1991 Dyches was President of the Georgia Real Estate Investors Association (GaREIA). He was instrumental in securing the first permanent office space GaREIA enjoyed.

During the early 1990s, most banks and financial institutions were unwilling to finance manufactured homes. Dyches saw this as an opportunity to profit. He studied what others were doing and devised his program to purchase used homes cheaply and sell them with owner financing at retail prices.

During the late 1980s, Dyches and another investor had researched the use of land trusts in Georgia. By 1992, they decided that because they were getting so many calls asking about trusts, they would teach a weekend class for GaREIA. Dyches also added a Corporation segment to the session to show how other entities could be used with the trusts.

Over the next couple of years, Dyches was approached by a national seminar promoter to teach Corporations for him. Thus the Corporate Fortress was born and has subsequently been licensed by an attorney to use with a presentation he makes nationally.

Dyches also developed his Mobile Home Money Machine course to teach others how to make money as he did in manufactured homes. When he began to develop subdivisions for mobile homes, he joined Newton Boykin in writing the book Deals in Dirt.

Even though he has added additional courses over the years and is a national speaker, Dyches has remained a full-time real estate investor. That is his main business and feels that only by being active in real estate investing can he bring real-world experience to his classes and materials.

Dyches has written books and teaches seminars on Financial Freedom, Asset Protection, The Corporate Fortress, Limited Liability Companies & Partnerships, Real Estate Investment Using Self-Directed IRAs, Advanced Strategies, Business Tax Strategies, Estate Planning with Asset Protection, Guerrilla Bankruptcy Tactics for Creditors, The Mobile Home Money Machine, Deals in Dirt, Discount Notes & Mortgages, Private Money Lending as well as other topics.

Ed Barber
Principal, Iron Horse Properties, LLC

Ed is a CPA with 35 years of experience in real estate, finance, development, and acquisitions; both domestically and internationally. He has specific expertise in strategic planning, capital procurement, financing, acquisition, investment, development, and implementation of real estate solutions.

In 1991, he founded CRE Services, a private real estate consulting firm. He has managed the development of a variety of projects including a $48 million Level 4 Data Center, the development of an upscale subdivision, the $32 million world headquarters for Equifax and the $44 million development of Buckhead Church.

He serves as a Director of the Global Orphan Project, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jamaica Boilers Group (a $400M publicly traded poultry company based in Kingston, Jamaica) and helped found the Buckhead Church in Atlanta.

Edward earned his CPA certificate in 1981, retains a Georgia Real Estate Broker’s license and previously held a Series 7 and Series 63 Securities License. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BBA in Accounting.

Erin Smith
Co-owner, Spolight Strategies

Erin Smith is co-owner of Spotlight Strategies, a marketing specialties firm, EMS Real Estate Enterprises, and Star Homes USA. Although she is relatively new to the manufactured housing industry, her work ethic and persistent nature have made her a quick study. Smith’s marketing and sales background, coupled with being a community owner, gives her a unique perspective on the affordable housing industry. Her presentation on marketing caught the eye of several at the 27th Annual Networking Roundtable held in Indianapolis this past month.

Erin brings rare behavioral expertise to the world of small business. With a Master’s degree in social work and a thriving business she is a sought after advisor, coach, and mentor to many of Indiana’s small business owners and support associations. Erin demonstrates an unwavering commitment to growth and profitability to any organization to which she directs her time and talent, and is successful in motivating and empowering people whether supporting a cause or building a company. Together, Erin and Susan have grown their marketing and commercial real estate companies to be multi-million dollar enterprises, putting them in the top 2% of women business owners in the United States.

Smith has served on numerous community boards and currently sits on the executive board for JCCF (Johnson County Community Foundation). She is a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program Class XXXV & the Lugar Series Excellence in Public Service (2014) and volunteers at Mount Pleasant Christian Church’s wellness ministry.

Erin has two sons, Bailey (19) who attends Purdue University’s Aviation program and Ben (17) who is a senior at Center Grove High School and on the football team. She enjoys Friday night football games, bible study and working out in her free time. She is a certified Zumba instructor and teaches several times a week to stay in shape.

Frank Murphy
Co-founder, Blue Ripple Property Management

Frank Murphy’s passion for real estate began in 1998 in the single-family residential space. Since that time, he has bought, sold, built, and renovated over 200 homes. A true entrepreneur at heart, he moved to Atlanta in 1996 and started a sports hospitality company during the Olympics. With Frank currently serving as President of the company, it recently celebrated it’s 23rd anniversary and is recognized as one of the top sports hospitality companies in the nation. The company’s success has helped to support his real estate portfolio over the years.

In 2009, he partnered with his wife to grow his residential portfolio into what is now Blue Ripple Property Management. A strong believer in continuing education and keeping up with market trends, Frank not only attends various national meetings annually including SECO over the years, but earned his Broker’s license in 2015. He is an active member of NARPM (National Association of Residential Property Managers) and AREI (Atlanta Real Estate Investors).

Frank and his wife, Paige, are currently in the final stages of converting a weekly, rundown mobile home park to an upscale lakeside community in Acworth, GA known as Allatoona Village.

Frank Rolfe
Co-Founder, Mobile Home University

Frank Rolfe has been an investor in mobile home parks for almost 30 years and has owned and operated hundreds of mobile home parks during that time. He is currently ranked, with his partner Dave Reynolds, as the 5th largest mobile home park owner in the U.S., with over 250 communities spread out over 25 states. Along the way, Frank began writing about the industry, and his books, coupled with those of his partner Dave Reynolds, evolved into a course and boot camp on mobile home park investing that has become the leader in this niche of commercial real estate.

Fred Boshardt
Community Owner & Consultant

Fred Boshardt is a third-generation community owner who hails from one of the leading cities in the U.S. in terms of MHP/LLC owners – Chicago, Illinois. He cut his teeth in the LLC industry working in his grandfather’s mobile home parks. By the age of 19 he had done just about everything there was to do when it came to fixing water leaks, unstopping sewer lines, spending a lot of time underneath mobile homes, cutting grass, property management, resident relations, rehabbing mobile/manufactured homes, and selling homes

After college, Fred spent 15 years as a currency trader in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange but returned to the MH industry in ’04 to build a portfolio of 14 quality communities in good locations from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast of Florida. As you might suspect, Fred is a “numbers guy” with a long-term commitment to the industry and plenty of information to share regarding chattel financing, captive finance, marketing, sales of new and used homes, delinquency/rule violation protocols, and operational strategies to maximize employee accountability.

If you have an interest in selling your community Fred is happy to advise regarding the broker selection process, 1031 exchange strategies he and other community owners have used, legacy preservation, estate planning and how to sell your community to achieve all of your specific goals (ie. sell for the highest price possible while paying the least amount in tax; protecting your residents, employees, and legacy; maximizing closing probability and timeframes, how to minimize and manage re-trading and other tips ).

George Allen
Founder & Administrator, COBA7

Founder & administrator of COBA7, a division of GFA Management, Inc., dba PMN Publishing. George has owned & fee-managed land lease communities since 1978.

He’s authored all the ‘books in print’, relative to manufactured housing & land lease communities. And for 30 years has published the popular Allen Letter professional journal & the Allen CONFIDENTIAL! business newsletter.

He’s been honored by the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’) as it’s Industry Person of the Year; and is the only Emeritus Member in the history of the institute.

George is also a member of the prestigious RV/MH Hall of Fame; he has been designated a Certified Property Manager – Emeritus by the Institute of Real Estate Management (‘IREM’); and, is a COBA7 Manufactured Housing Manager (‘MHM’) – Master.

Finally, George is a retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, having served a combat tour in the Republic of Vietnam, with active duty service during Operation Desert Storm. George & Carolyn have two adult children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

George Morosani
Land Leased Community Owner

I entered into the manufactured home business by buying a property known as Wellington Community Estates in Asheville, North Carolina in the spring of 2008. This Land Leased Community of some 50 years of age contained 400 lots of which 300 lots were occupied including 42 homes having “lease to own” contracts.  Since the sale of my Self Storage Operation in mid 2014, I have add 5 smaller local LLC parks to this operation for a total of 741 rental pads. I do not have one rental home — they are all Land Lease Communities with 2 over 50 communities.

In 2010 it became obvious I needed help to fill the Wellington Community Estates, I became a Clayton Homes Park dealer purchasing my first new homes for the park to sell new buyers either for cash or under a chattel  mortgage contract. Needless to say,  I did continue to visit the five Clayton Home dealers in the Asheville area and work closely with them to place their customers homes within the park. I was trying filling my empty spaces as rapidly as possible.

I did not offer the “rent to own” option but I investigated and started to comply with the then laws regarding originating and servicing loans by getting licensed individual who did the origination process while I acquired a servicing license from the North Carolina Banking Commission. Then Dodd/Frank came along and our first visit of the North Carolina Banking Commission. Needless to say, they were things we were doing that we’re not according to their newly developed rules thus it became necessary to hire a knowledgeable License Mortgage Originator and Servicer who still perform this function as an independent contractor to my operation. She holds all our titles and does all the credit evaluations and compliance of our chattel mortgage portfolio which consist of approximately 250 chattel mortgages with a value of just over $10 million.

The difficulties I’ve have with the mortgage operation is getting fresh money into the buying pot. It has been extremely hard to fine financial institutions who are willing to invest in chattel mortgages backed by home loans on leased pads.  In the beginning I had private individuals who we loaned me money at venture-capital rates and then became fortunate to sell my self-storage business which created the bulk of my cash for the present operation. We did however get one loan from a Federal savings and loan bank in the amount of $2,500,000 3 years ago which I am amortizing over a ten-year period with a 5 year balloon.

We’re presently selling approximately 40 to 50 new homes a year and recycling about 20 homes a year due to mortgage holders current life’s situation.

Greg Ramsey
Loan Analyst, Yale Capital Advisors

Since joining Yale Capital Advisors, Greg has focused on underwriting Manufactured Housing Communities and RV Resorts to prepare for debt placement as well as partner with lenders and borrowers to ensure a smooth loan process from start to finish. Greg has helped prospective borrowers understand the intricacies of each financing channel available, including Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, CMBS, and local or national banks. Prior to joining Yale, Greg established himself in the alternative lending space for small business owners throughout the country.

Heather Blankenship
Owner, Pigeon Forge Jellystone RV Park

Heather Blankenship is the owner of Pigeon Forge Jellystone RV Park, an award-winning family-friendly camping resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She also owns 4 mobile home parks, section 8 rental properties, and student housing in Knoxville, Tennessee. She is the active Director of Business Development for Colliers International’s Manufactured Housing & RV Group, a Canada-based global commercial real estate services organization with more than 400 offices in 68 countries.

In addition to managing her portfolio of assets and working in brokerage, Heather is also the co-chair for the ARVC Young Professional’s organization, a highly sought after speaker at both manufactured housing and recreational vehicle national and state conferences, and is a former board member of the Tennessee Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Western Illinois University and is currently finishing up her MBA at Everglades University.

Heather is certified in Outdoor Hospitality Management, holds an Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching Certification, and has taken numerous courses on management, leadership, and business over the years.

Harrison Bell
Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic, Yale Realty & Capital Advisors

Harrison joined Yale Advisors in 2016 as an Analyst was quickly promoted to the Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic. He focuses on new business development for the brokerage and lending divisions throughout the East Coast. To date, he has sold 16 communities equating to roughly $175 million in total production.

Harrison holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Florida, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami, and a Master of Business Administration with concentrations in Real Estate and Finance from the University of Miami.

Jay Hamilton
Executive Director of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association

Jay Hamilton was born in Brunswick, Ga.  in 1969. He attended and graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1989. His first job after college was serving as General Manager of a private non-profit Country Club. After meeting a lot of members from the Manufactured Housing Industry in this job he accepted a position at Fleetwood Homes of Georgia in 1990 where he served at three different manufacturing facilities including positions as  District Sales Manager, Product Specialist, Account Sales Manager, and Regional Sales Manager until 2010.

He came to work as the Executive Director of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association (GMHA) in 2011.

Jay has two daughters Macy, age 25, who is a Customer Service Manager at a Community Bank in Thomasville, Georgia and Grace, age 18 who is a Junior Pre-Law student at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

Jeff Buice
Partner and Senior Investment Advisor, GENCapital

Jeff Buice has over 16 years of experience in both the Financial Services and Information Technology Consulting Industries. He specializes in providing comprehensive wealth planning strategies and investment management advice to high net worth individuals, families, and business owners. In addition to his responsibilities as Partner and Senior Investment Advisor at GENCapital, Jeff leads the team’s financial planning initiatives and believes all clients should have a good understanding of both their financial and life goals.

Prior to co-founding GENCapital, Jeff was a Financial Advisor with UBS Financial Services, Inc. for nine years. His previous experience of over two and a half decades in a family owned and operated real estate business gives Jeff the background needed to provide the teams’ more real estate centric families advice beyond traditional wealth management. Therefore, through a consultative approach, Jeff can assist GENCapital clients with their liquid investments as well as help advise them on real estate acquisitions, bank financing, bank/loan negotiation, and more.

Jeff holds the Certified Financial PlannerTM designation as well as a B.A. from the University of Georgia, where he earned a double major in both Finance and Management Information Systems. Jeff and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters and reside in Roswell, Georgia. He is an Atlanta native and is a member of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Financial Planning Association, and the University of Georgia Alumni Association. He appreciates the outdoors – especially fishing and hunting, University of Georgia football and his family.

Jeff Bush
Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending at American Commerce Bank

Jeffrey A. Bush is Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending at American Commerce Bank in Bremen, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky where he earned a B.S in Accounting. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Jefferson Lilly
Co-founder, Park Street Partners

Jefferson is a mobile home park investment expert and educator. He is the co-founder of Park Street Partners, which owns 23 MHPs coast-to-coast totaling over $54mm in value. Before co-founding Park Street Partners in 2013, Mr. Lilly spent seven years investing his capital acquiring and operating mobile home parks.

Before becoming an investor full-time, Jefferson spent nine years in sales leadership roles with three venture-backed startups in Silicon Valley. Jefferson has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg Magazine, and on the ‘Real Money’ television show.

He’s earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Jennifer Rainey
Territory Sales Manager GA/AL, Style Crest

Born and raised on a dairy farm in Eatonton, GA, Jennifer began her career in the manufactured housing business at the Horton factory in the mid 90’s. She assisted the wholesale side of the business in sales, events for the factory and administrative aspects. Jennifer left the factory in 1998 to enter the financial side of the business and worked for Horton Home Team, which became Associates Housing Finance and then on to Green Tree.

After a decade out of the industry, Jennifer has returned to the supplier field with Style Crest.

She resides on the farm she grew up on with her dog, Duck.

Jerry Bretton
Buisness Development, Credit Human’s MH Direct Lending

Jerry Bretton is a Business Development Executive for Credit Human’s MH Direct lending.

Jerry has been with Credit Human since 2010 and has been in Manufactured home lending since 1999.

He is responsible for bringing awareness, support and education to communities, listing agents, Realtors® and other financial institutions.
Jerry brings Credit Human’s direct loan programs that deliver a high level of service to customers allowing business partners to focus on their core business.

Jim Ayotte
Executive Director, Florida Manufactured Housing Association

John Fairey
Co-founder, AM Partners and Morning View Communities

With more than 15 years in the finance and commercial real estate industries, John Fairey brings rich experience in underwriting, financial analysis, and portfolio management. John began his career at Stephens, Inc., an investment bank in Little Rock, Ark, where he held positions in the Corporate Finance and Equity Research departments. He later joined Pointer Capital, a private money management firm based in Atlanta, where he served as Partner and Director of Research. 

Most recently, John was Director of Operations of Johnson Development Associates Self-Storage Division, where he managed third-party relationships as well as oversaw project underwriting and financial analysis for over 50 new self-storage developments. Under John’s leadership, the team opened and managed over two million square feet of self-storage along the East Coast.

In April 2018, John Fairey and Tim Manson co-founded AM Partners and Morning View Communities, both headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Their primary focus is acquiring and managing manufactured housing communities and to date, they own and operate four communities with a total of 346 pads across Virginia and Tennessee.

John received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of the South and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina. He currently serves on the Board of Commissioners for the Spartanburg Housing Authority.

John Overmier
Regional Sales Manager – Manufactured Housing Division,
Tie Down Engineering

Experience – 35 years in the Manufactured Housing Industry
Factory Sales – 10 years – Fleetwood
Distributor Sales -7 years – Style Crest
Set-Up Sales – 18 years – Tie Down Engineering

Over 15 years of training experience in setting up, covering standard anchoring to alternative foundations, from hands-on field training and installation to State level classroom powerpoint.
Associations – Board of Directors – Florida Manufactured Housing Association.

Jon Harrison
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions, Inspire Communities

Jon Harrison has been with Inspire Communities since its inception in 2012. He is a Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and played a pivotal role in bringing three initial companies (Follett USA/Bertakis Development/American Infrastructure) together to form Inspire Communities.

Inspire currently owns 45 communities in 14 states and operates ~13,000 sites. 

Before Inspire, Mr. Harrison worked in acquisitions for Follett USA in 2011 and 2012. Mr. Harrison spent 16 years (2005-2011) as a Vice President of Investments at Marcus & Millichap and Senior Director of Marcus & Millichap’s National MHC Group. He is a licensed real estate broker in Arizona and holds a real estate sales license in California.

Jon has been married for 28 years and has two teenage sons.

Judy Roden
Co-owner, Mountain View Estates

Judy Roden is co-owner of Mountain View Estates along with her husband David. Mountain View Estates is located in Rossville, Ga on the Chattanooga, TN line. They broke ground on 46 acres in 1988 and built the community from woods and hay fields to one of the nicest communities in the southeast. Building a tornado shelter for residents of the community, which is rated for 250 MPH and FEMA approved, is one of the most satisfying accomplishments in their companies history. MVE is continually bringing in brand new homes to keep the community looking its best. With her husband as a partner, they are celebrating 30 years in business this year.

Kelly Smith
Partner, Bennet Thrasher

Kevan Enger
Capstone Partner

Kim Schultz-Rainford
Community Owner

Kim Shultz-Rainford is a former corporate professional with a background in cash management, accounting, and strategic planning. After selling over 65 manufactured homes, she took the leap into park ownership in 2013.

Over the years, Kim has successfully improved the living conditions and park atmospheres for her residents while increasing park capacity and profitability. She has received city infrastructure and utility upgrade approvals, generated a newfound sense of pride in her communities, and exponentially increased consumer awareness of her properties while adding and selling additional homes via owner finance. At Hardrock Park alone, her efforts have increased park profitability by 700% and park value by 800%.

Together with her construction-savvy husband, she continues to purchase and improve communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and currently owns three RV/Mobile Home parks and the finance company Innovative Housing Solutions.

Kirk McDowell
Market Development Manager, Park Lane Finance Solutions, LLC

Kirk McDowell is the Market Development Manager with Park Lane Finance Solutions, LLC, a manufactured housing lending company based in Staunton, VA. Kirk has worked in the finance industry for more than 15 years, involved in traditional mortgages, floor planning, and manufactured housing lending. He holds a BBA from Northwood University and a MBA from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Kirk currently lives in St. Augustine, FL with his wife, Stacy, and their four children.

Kolman Bubis
Founding Principle, Sunstone Real Estate Advisors

Kolman Bubis is a real estate entrepreneur, broker and investor focused on the niche Manufactured Housing and Recreational Vehicle asset class. An industry veteran with almost 13 years’ experience, he is a founding principal of Sunstone Real Estate Advisors. Kolman is also an active/passive investor and owner-operator of Manufactured Housing Communities.

Kurt Kelly
President of Mobile Insurance

President of Mobile Insurance, an agency specializing in insurance for manufactured home communities and retailers. Named top commercial insurance agency by American Modern Insurance Group. Member of numerous insurance companies’ policy development and advisory teams. One of the largest manufactured home specialty agencies in the country.

1998 to 2002, 2005 to present – Board Member of the Texas Manufactured Housing Association (TMHA). Named TMHA chapter president of the year for 1999 and 2000 fiscal years. Served as Chairman
2003 – 2004. Current Board Member.

2000 to Present – Co-Founder and Managing Member of the American Insurance Alliance (aia), an association of manufactured home specialty insurance agencies with total premium volumes above $170,000,000. Added additional Insurance Companies dedicated to the MH marketplace.

1994 to Present – Real Estate Owner/Manager. Holdings include office, warehouse, manufactured home communities, and other residential locations.

2010 to Present –President/Owner of Expert Climate Control, an HVAC contracting company specializing in Multi-Family/Apartment Complex HVAC systems.

Larry Matthews
Director, American Community Bank

B.S Finance University of Alabama
MBA University of Alabama, Birmingham
Director, American Commerce Bank
Retired Community Bank President

Lewis Whitley
Director of Operations, Iron Horse Interests, LLC
Community Owner

Lewis David Whitley is a third-generation manufactured home community owner and operator. His background includes both manufactured home communities and the management of self-storage facilities. He founded his first company in 2007.

Previously, Lewis was the Director of Park Management for RWW Enterprises, Inc. Their portfolio includes 10 manufactured home parks with over 500 total lots and is the 105th largest manufactured home park owner, according to Mobile Home University’s latest report. As Director of Park Management, the company expanded its portfolio of communities with the development of a 33-lot community and acquisitions while the self-storage portfolio doubled from 300 to 600 units.

Since early 2017, Lewis has been the Director of Operations for Iron Horse Interests, LLC. His areas of responsibilities include personnel management, community relations, and overseeing operations for the infill of a 355 lot community in Clarksville, TN while pursuing new projects.

Separately, Lewis continues to own and operates a 19 lot community in North Carolina with his brother.

Lewis is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a double major in Banking Finance and Real Estate with a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Luis Vela
Senior Director, Q10 Capital LLC

With over 40 years of experience in the commercial mortgage, finance, and real estate industries, Mr. Vela has been a principal, direct lender, developer, mortgage broker and real estate broker in hundreds of transactions exceeding $3 billion.

Specialties: Commercial Mortgage Originations

Structured Finance

Hotel and Resort Development and Management

Maria Horton
Director of Marketing & Regional Manager, Newport Pacific Capital Company, Inc.

Maria Horton serves as both Director of Marketing and Regional Manager for Newport Pacific Capital Company, Inc.

Newport Pacific is a full-service property management company located in Irvine, CA, specializing in manufactured home communities, apartment complexes, condo associations, and RV resorts. Newport Pacific has been a leader in the property management industry since 1980 and oversees properties throughout the United States.

Maria has an exceptional business acumen in the manufactured housing industry. She also has extensive experience in property management, home sales, leasing, marketing, budget preparation, vendor contract negotiations and development of on-site personnel.

She holds her MCM, MHM, CAM, CMCA and AMS designations and also is a licensed manufactured housing salesperson.

In 2009, Maria was appointed by the Mayor and City Council of Carson to sit as a member of the Mobilehome Rental Review Board. She currently remains an active member of this board. The City of Carson is known throughout the state of California for its strict rent control ordinances.

Maria shares her passion through her dedication to continue to improve her knowledge in our industry with exemplary service. She is a frequent speaker and attendee at industry conferences throughout the United States where she proudly represents her company and its accomplishments.

Mark Twiggs
Regional Sales, Legacy Housing 

Mark discovered a new passion in helping community owners achieve financial success through his role as a regional sales representative with Legacy Housing Corporation. Mark can work with your community manager, owner, and sales team to drive profit and minimize loss.
Mark knows that it takes hard work, dedication, and passion to help his clients succeed. After eight years in the customer service industry, he brings those qualities to bear for his clients.

Mark is also a Profit and Loss expert. Based off of his experience, Mark can help you to maximize the profitability of your business. He earned certification through Partners in Leadership in Team Building and Sales Strategies.

Mark graduated from the University of South Carolina.

Find out what a partnership with Mark Twiggs and Legacy Housing can do for you and your business at Booth #105.

Sales Territory: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Northern Georgia

Mark Titshaw
Community Owner

I made a transition from single family home investments to mobile home communities beginning in 2003. My first community was a weekly rental community which was converted to an owner-occupied monthly lot rental community. Since that time we have built up a small portfolio of communities in the North Atlanta area, and we also manage a few additional communities for other owners.

Our specialty is operating owner-occupied communities, and we also have been very active in providing installment sales contracts and leases with purchase options to residents who wish to purchase homes that we have located onto previously vacant lots.

Maryuri Barberan
Comptroller & Executive Vice President, Pentagon Properties, Inc.

Maryuri Barberan is the comptroller and executive vice president of Pentagon Properties, Inc. Pentagon Properties owns and manages four communities comprising about 500 lots in Georgia and Texas, and has sold over 300 new and previously owned manufactured homes via Lease-Option contracts over the past 25 years. Exceptionally low default rates are achieved with new Community Series Homes (CSH) and very thorough underwriting of L-O “buyers”. Maryuri holds a B.S. degree in real estate and finance from Georgia State University.

Max Baker
Founder, The MHP Broker

Maxwell R. Baker founded The MHP Broker in 2010 as a commercial real estate broker specializing in helping Investors purchase and sell mobile home communities within the Southeast. His family has been involved with mobile home parks since 2000, and he has been a part of management, rehabilitation, and selling mobile home parks ever since they purchased their first park.

The MHP Broker offers mobile home community owners and investors brokerage services, mobile home park audits, in-depth market research, and mobile home park financing consultation.
The MHP Broker has successfully closed well over $500 Million dollars worth of mobile home communities since Maxwell founded the company in 2010. Maxwell’s core competencies include structuring and negotiating complicated transactions, owner financing, research and outsourcing, and his “deal-making” capabilities.

Maxwell, along with his expert team of researchers, compile and maintain the industry’s most extensive database of mobile home communities in the Southeast and have over 10,000 communities the company closely monitors for the most comprehensive sold data. Maxwell and The MHP Broker are recognized as a trusted advisor in this rapidly growing multifamily, affordable housing sector.

Michael Thrasher
Partner, Bennett Thrasher

Mike Nissley
National Director, Manufactured Housing & RV Group
Colliers International

Paul Chase
Founder, Iron Horse Properties, LLC

Paul has over 30 years of commercial and multi-family residential real estate development experience. His company provided Dayton Hudson Corporation with land assemblage, acquisition and development services for five Target “Power Centers” in Georgia and North Carolina. He has developed over 2 million square feet of retail space for both regional and national chains including Publix Supermarkets, BI-LO, Hannaford Supermarkets, Kohl’s, Marshall’s, Belk, Barnes and Noble and PetSmart.

He founded Iron Horse Properties, LLC in 2004.

Iron Horse acquired its first manufactured home park in 2006. Windsor Estates is a 25-lot community in Alpharetta, GA. After substantial capital improvements and the implementation of a lease-to-purchase home buying program the community is now at 100% occupancy.

In 2009, Paul completed the construction of his first self-storage facility in Smyrna, GA, on time and under budget. He has been involved in all aspects of the business from site selection and obtaining construction financing through to the current lease-up phase. Iron Horse SelfStorage continues to achieve a 90-98% occupancy rate yielding good returns.

In 2011, he acquired Pine Lake Mobile Home Community in Douglasville, GA., managed the infrastructure improvements and ultimately sold his interest to the equity partners. The community has 190 lots and the partners have successfully implemented the Iron Horse lease-to purchase home buying plan.

Paul saw a dire need in the metro-Atlanta area for affordable housing. He began obtaining and refurbishing homes in 2007. They were offered under a lease to purchase program. He originally focused on homes within his manufactured home communities as a second income stream as well as a way to ensure high occupancy rates within the parks.

In 2013, Iron Horse acquired Coweta Hills in Newnan, GA. After repositioning the 150-lot mobile home community, it was sold to Inspire Communities for a handsome profit.

Paul is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Ron Roldan
Business Development Manager, MH Specialty Services

Ron Roldan is currently the Business Development Manager for MH Specialty Services serving retailers through-out the United States. Currently his focus is on MH Specialty Services Lease/Option program to retailers and to community owners.

Recently MH Specialty Services has expanded their business model to include purchasing of community-owned homes and community owned mortgage portfolios. He has worked for MH Specialty Services since 2002 and has been in the Manufactured Housing financing business since 1984. Prior to working for MH Specialty Services he has worked with Shelter America and Green Tree/Conseco Financial as a Marketing Representative.

Ron is very active in the Rocky Mountain Housing Association, a trade organization for the manufactured housing industry, in the state of Colorado. He has served for several years as President, Vice President, Sec/Treasurer and still serves on the board currently as a Lender’s Representative.

Ryan Narus
Co-founder, Archimedes Group LLC 

I started with nothing. No money. No experience. No network. I was a 20 something with way more student loan debt than actual capital to invest in deals. I found creative ways to make money while I scaled my business up. Flash forward 4 years and now we are about to close on our 10th mobile home park, which would push us to ~1,245 current and former pads (currently 9 and ~1,151). I was stuck in Corporate America. I escaped. And I want to help others too.

Other than that, I’m a double graduate of Wake Forest University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and an MBA. I’m self-taught, fluent in Spanish. We also make it a point to participate in charity with our residents. Charitable events we’ve done and continue to pursue include free food giveaways, paying for college applications, a partial college scholarship to our residents, bible studies, Zoomba classes, credit building with PayLease, and community events. And we’re actively looking for more ways to participate in charity!

Scott MacFarlane
Executive Senior Vice President, CIS Financial Services, LLC.

Scott has a wealth of executive management and finance knowledge. His professional career encompasses over 35 years in senior leadership roles with direct ties to the manufactured housing industry. Prior to joining CIS, Scott was Vice President of National Sales for U.S. Bank Manufactured Housing Finance division for 8 years. Scott has worked for some of the largest MH Lenders in the Industry such as Green Tree, Green Point Bank, and Bank of America. Scott is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance.

Sean Dalton
Vice President of Manufactured Housing Division, Haylor, Freyer and Coon, Inc.

Sherry Koebler
Business Development Specialist, Collier’s International Manufactured Housing & RV Group

Spencer Roane
President, Pentagon Properties

Steve Case
Co-founder, Mobile Home University

Steve Case has owned and operated 13 different manufactured home communities since 1999. He co-founded Mobile Home University in 2005 to provide a training platform and an environment for investors to help maximize their success in this asset class. MHU was subsequently sold in 2011 to Frank Rolfe and Dave Reynolds. Steve has served on the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association Board of Directors and has been a part of SECO since its inception. His expertise also includes self storage, which is the bulk of his portfolio. He is very active in helping those in the manufactured housing and self storage industries.

Susan Brenton
Executive Director, Manufactured Housing Communities Association

Susan Brenton has held the position of executive director of the Manufactured Housing Communities Association of Arizona (MHCA) since 2003 and is presently secretary of the new National Association of Manufactured Housing Community Owners, Inc. Before her position with MHCA, she represented the manufactured housing residents in Arizona for 18 years.

Susan received her Accounting/Business degree from Arizona State University, served for 9 years on the national Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, and has held various positions such as on the Arizona Manufactured Housing Board.

Tom Lackey
General Manager, Manufactured Home Dealership (MI)

Tom Lackey first started in the industry in 1988 when he was the General Manager of a Manufactured Home Dealership in Michigan. Tom’s experience has been diverse in the industry from managing multiple Communities, Owning and operating Communities in several states, Owing and managing multiple dealer sales locations, operation of manufactured home insurance brokerage, and ownership of a national mobile home rental corporation.

Tom is a member of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association (GMHA), and the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association -having served on PAC Committee for the MMHA.

Vendo Toming
Exhibit Display Sales, Sponsorship Offerings and Operations, SECO

A veteran in the hospitality and event planning industry, Vendo has the expertise to help your company maximize your SECO exhibit participation. With a specialization in sales and marketing, he has held managerial positions with companies such as Hilton, Hyatt, Pickett Suites, and Park Suites Hotels. In addition, with his affiliations with several hotel management companies he has been involved in franchise relationships with brands such as Marriott, Sheraton, and Hilton. In addition to his background in the hotel industry, Vendo has also been involved in the meeting planning part of the industry. Holding key positions within the American Medical Association and Smith, Bucklin and Associates, he has been intimately involved in the planning and execution of meetings, conventions, trade shows and incentives. Vendo is your contact for SECO Exhibit Displays and Sponsorships.