Investor Program Agenda
Program Partners
Opportunity Appalachia: Investor Convening Day 1
Welcome & Opening Remarks
February 23rd, 2020, 1:00 – 1:30 PM
Welcome to the Opportunity Appalachia Investor Convening! The opening session will bring us together to understand capital challenges facing communities in Appalachia and how we are collectively working to implement new financing solutions.
Donna Gambrell
President & CEO
Appalachian Community Capital
Welcome:
US Senator Joe Manchin (WV)
Tom Barkin
President
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Tim Thomas
Federal Co-Chairman
Appalachian Regional Commission
The State of Opportunity Zones & Investor Education
1:30 – 2:15 PM
What have we learned about Opportunity Zones in the last three years? This panel will also provide an overview of OZ Fund (QOF) structures used for different project types.
Moderator
Tiffany Hollin-Wright
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
John Lettieri
President
Economic Innovation Group
Ira Weinstein
Principal
CohnReznick LLP
Marc Schultz
Snell and Wilmer attorney
Project Pitch Sessions
Communities have been working with Opportunity Appalachia to develop OZ projects ready for investment. Each community will present their project for 10 minutes, and then there will be opportunities for investors to schedule private meetings with project teams at the end of the day.
Project Listing here
Moderator
Monica Miller, WV Community Development Hub
Round 1
Cohen Building Project (NMTC funding), Grafton, WV
Micronic Technologies (QOF funding), Bristol, VA
Staats Building Project (QOF, HTC, and NMTC funding), Charleston, WV
20 Federal Place (NMTC and HTC), Youngstown, OH
Stretch Break
Moderator
Shannon Blevins, Vice Chancellor, Economic Development, UVA Wise
Round 2
Thundercloud Fiber Network and Data Center, Huntington, WV
City of Galax, Vaughan Furniture Building (NMTC and HTC funding), Galax, VA
Hotel Swisher (CDFI and QOF funding), Somerset, OH
Bristol Sports Complex and Events, Bristol, VA
Closing Remarks
Reflections on the day’s conversations.
Donna Gambrell
President & CEO
Appalachian Community Capital
Private Meeting with Project Sponsors – Cocktail Hour!
Investors will have the opportunity to sign up for 15-minute private virtual meetings with individual projects and communities.
Opportunity Appalachia: Investor Convening Day 2
Welcome & Opening Remarks
The second day of the Opportunity Appalachia Investor Convening opens with a look at the day’s events, a reminder of lessons from Day 1, and a focus on the importance of engaging a diversity of financing partners in OZ transactions.
Donna Gambrell
President & CEO
Appalachian Community Capital
Welcome:
US Senator Shelly Moore Capito (WV)
Maurice Jones
President
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Insights from Investors
A variety of different investors are engaging in partnering with Opportunity Funds, including banks and corporations, venture capitalists, and impact investors, to name a few. Who are they and how can you engage them to consider investments in your community? During this session, a roundtable of investors will discuss their approaches, what motivates them, and the types of investments they are considering in local Opportunity Zones.
Katie Kramer, Vice President, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Sam Spencer, CEO, CEI-Boulos Capital Management – QOF
Kevin Rogers, SVP, PNC Community Development Banking – QOF
Hannah Vargason, Director Strategic Initiatives, NCIFund – CDFI
Bryan Phipps, Chief Development Officer, People Incorporated Financial Services – CDE
Project Pitch Sessions
Communities have been working with Opportunity Appalachia to develop OZ projects ready for investment. Each community will present their project for 10 minutes, and then there will be opportunities to schedule private meetings at the end of the day.
Moderator
Katy Farber, Vice President, OhioSE
Round 3
Canal Warehouse Restoration (HTC project), Chillicothe, OH
Prichard Revitalization (housing / LIHTC), Huntington, WV
Green Industrial Manufacturing Ecosystem Inc., Struthers, OH
Morgan County Improvement Corporation, McConnelsville, OH
Public Investors and Opportunity Zones
Public agencies will join the conversation to discuss how they are participating in and supporting OZ projects.
Moderator
Michelle Foster, President, Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
Aaron Morris, Deputy Administrator, USDA-RD (DC)
Tracey Rowan, WV State Director, U.S. EDA
Matt Weaver, Associate Director, Virginia Dept. Housing and Community Development
Lydia Mihalik, Director, Ohio DSA
Project Pitch Sessions
Communities have been working with Opportunity Appalachia to develop OZ projects ready for investment. Each community will present their project for 10 minutes, and then there will be opportunities for investors to schedule private meetings with project teams at the end of the day.
Moderator
Jay Beekman – Director of Investments, LOCUS Impact Investing
Round 4
Tygart Hotel (NMTC and HTC funding), Elkins, WV
Zanesville Gateway Project 9118, Zanesville, OH
mount TERRA redevelopment, Bluefield, VA
Investing in Appalachia – what we’ve learned
Our closing discussion will feature leaders from Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia sharing their thoughts about developing projects, raising capital, investing in communities, and increasing economic development opportunities for the Appalachian region.
Moderators:
Ray Daffner
Opportunity Appalachia
Donna Gambrell
Appalachian Community Capital
Panelists:
- Project sponsors: Keith Barker, Manager, City of Galax (VA); Dave Clark, Director, Woodlands Development Group CDC (WV)
- Community leaders: Misty Crosby, Director, Buckeye Hills Regional Council (OH); Jina Belcher, Director, New River Gorge Development Authority (WV).
- State officials: Shannon Blevins, Vice Chancellor – Economic Development, UVA Wise.
Private Meeting with Project Sponsors – Cocktail Hour!
Investors will have the opportunity to sign up for 15-minute private virtual meetings with individual projects and communities.
