As part of their strategy to scale their capital and investment infrastructure, The Menkiti Group, a real estate firm based in Washington, DC with additional offices in Worcester, MA, has expanded their internal capital and investments team. Melissa Lee joins the enterprise as the Senior Vice President of Capital and Investments along with John Daniels who will serve as Director of Investments. The Menkiti Group is expanding its role as an intermediary by aligning new sources of capital with emerging neighborhoods and real estate developers. This division aims to scale their Neighborhood Investment Model thesis by deepening the process for identifying and creating additional access points to capital for a diverse set of talented real estate entrepreneurs.
As an extension of The Menkiti Group’s mission to transform lives, careers, and communities through real estate, the expansion of the capital and investments team provides an opportunity for the enterprise to deploy capital in new markets while maintaining its commitment to local communities. The firm’s experience working in emerging neighborhoods, double bottom line approach, and current pipeline of projects leaves them poised for rapid growth.
“Expanding our capital and investments team is an initiative driven by our commitment to advancing economic equity and our desire to bridge the gap between societal impact with traditional real estate. Melissa Lee has had an exemplary track record in delivering strategies and analytical solutions to both community and government organizations,” said Bo Menkiti, CEO and Founder of The Menkiti Group. “As an enterprise we are growing rapidly and with ample opportunities in the pipeline we knew it was time to expand the capital part of our platform.”
Ms. Lee, who will lead the MG Capital and Investments division, joins the enterprise with over two decades of finance experience with expertise in investment management and treasury management across multiple industries. In previous roles Ms. Lee oversaw a $2+ billion real estate portfolio at the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System with the responsibility for advancing the asset class strategy through the deployment of capital into domestic and global private real estate funds. Ms. Lee also served as the Director of Treasury Operations at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), where she executed the organization’s cash, debt, and investment strategy. In addition, she served as a Trustee on several of WMATA’s Retirement Plans. Most recently, Ms. Lee served as the Founder and Managing Principal of Lee Squared Consulting Group, LLC where she developed financial strategies for community development organizations.
As the Senior Vice President of Capital and Investments, Ms. Lee will lead all structure and growth of the capital, investment, and fund management activities. Her institutional investment and treasury background will serve as a means to cultivate existing investor relationships and build new partnerships that align with forthcoming investment funds. She will be supported by Mr. Daniels, who most recently worked in private equity for Vista Equity Partners. Mr. Daniels will leverage his proptech, real estate development, acquisitions, and management consulting experience to support the deployment of capital as the firm continues to scale.
“This is an exciting time to join The Menkiti Group. We have an amazing opportunity to advance our thought leadership around transforming the lenses through which we approach real estate and neighborhood investment. We are looking forward to the collaborative ways in which we can shift the real estate paradigm to create multi layered investment opportunities that unlock the overlooked potential of places and people,” said Melissa Lee, Senior Vice President of Capital and Investments. “The ability to connect social impact and financial returns only makes what we are charged with more compelling and personally fulfilling.”
Over the last 17 years, The Menkiti Group has established a strong track record of success and developed over two million square feet of catalytic projects in Washington, DC and Worcester, MA. By expanding their capital and investments team, the enterprise is formalizing their successful performance in investing in emerging neighborhoods and talented entrepreneurs. The capital and investments team is focused on working with investment partners to deepen the reach and impact of their real estate investment strategies, with an emphasis on supporting diverse developers in the real estate space.
