leigh ferguson

Responsible for facilitating Downtown real estate development and investment, assisting the Downtown community with issues affecting the business environment, advancing Downtown planning and attracting new business and development projects that result in the expansion of employment, tax base and wealth creation in Downtown New Orleans.

Led the effort to convert a long-abandoned department store into an office, retail and entertainment mixed-use development, combining multiple tax credits, municipal and conventional debt and equity in a major urban revitalization project in a complex financing structure. Managed development of 100,000 square foot retail/office mixed-use project through completion. Managed professional teams including finance, architecture, engineering, leasing, property management, and other disciplines.

Principal executive in charge of privately-held real estate investment, development, and property-management company. Activities focused on special situations including urban mixed-use development and revitalization projects, market-rate loft apartments. Most significant project was the conversion of a severely distressed public housing complex into a six hundred unit, mixed-income downtown HOPE VI project, the first in Birmingham. Dealt with diverse professional teams of attorneys, lenders, government agencies, contractors, architects, engineers and others to successfully bring multiple phases of projects to completion.

Chief executive officer of private real estate investment and management company that included a two million square foot portfolio of office, commercial and industrial properties.

Joined CNE as an interim CEO during a stressful time for the organization and grew it into a thirty million dollar a year, nationally recognized, non-profit, public-private housing and community development company. Financed and/or developed approximately 500 units of housing per year. Working in conjunction with all local financial institutions and their CEOs, FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Mayor and City Council, and local philanthropists, expanded CNE to include socio-economically diverse, urban neighborhood redevelopment. Achieved Community Development Financial Institution certification for CNE through the US Department of Treasury and formed an additional CDFI for broader range of economic development finance, including raising seven million dollar capitalization in the local community. Managed teams of professional lenders, underwriters, financial executives, accountants, risk managers and others to accomplish objectives and growth according to a clearly-defined business plan consistent with the organization's mission.

Oversaw the formation, startup and managed the operations of Washington, D. C. area subsidiary of a publicly traded British-based production home building company, a subsidiary of John Laing Construction, plc.

Developed multiple office buildings and a high-rise hotel for the Winkler Companies, including managing all professional disciplines, leasing and financial transactions.