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Creating Wealth through Redeveloping Our Communities
Jerry McGaughy, CPEP
Real Estate Private Equity Professional / Affordable Housing Specialist
For over two decades, Jerry McGaughy has been a driving force in affordable housing and community development. As a strategic consultant, he brings a proven track record of building vital partnerships that transform both urban and rural communities.
Drawing on his extensive real estate background and robust professional network, Jerry excels at bringing the right partners together to make affordable housing projects a reality. His collaborative approach has helped countless communities thrive through thoughtful development initiatives.
Throughout his career, Jerry has masterfully connected real estate opportunities with capital, working closely with CDFI Funds, family offices, financial institutions , and investment advisors to fund projects that make a real difference in communities.
Jerry was among the first champions of the U.S. Department of Treasury‘s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. From the moment the CDFI legislation passed, he became one of its most passionate advocates, helping other understanding the powerful impact of CDFI certification.
One of Jerry’s proudest achievements was founding the Atlanta-based BusinessLINC Community Loan Fund, a $50 million initiative that provides vital loans and technical support to underserved businesses and real estate projects. His influence reached all the way to Washington, D.C., where he played a key role in developing the National BusinessLINC Coalition a collaborative effort between the Clinton Administration and Business Roundtable.
More recently, Jerry orchestrated an impressive joint venture with a global real estate private firm to create the Epic/Virtual Opportunity Zone Fund I, LP. This $100 million Opportunity Fund focuses on investing in multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial development projects throughout Atlanta’s designated Opportunity Zone communities.
Jerry’s strong educational foundation includes a BA in Finance from Howard University in Washington D.C. He has further distinguished himself with certifications as a Private Equity Professional from Columbia Business School and as a Real Estate Investment Analyst. From both Wharton Business School and Wall Street Prep.
Tom Stokes, CPM, CCIM, CAPS, MPM
Property Management and Commercial Leasing
Tom oversees the operation and management of several office, industrial, and self-storage properties, as well as a portfolio of multi-family properties and single-family homes. He holds the Certified Property Management designation awarded by the Institute of Real Estate Management; the Certified Apartment Property Supervisor designation from the National Apartment Association; the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation from Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute; and the Master Property Managers (NARPM).
Tom has been affiliated with NARPM since the mid 1990’s and he and the firm hold the highest level of certification offered by the organization. He has served in various leadership roles including president of the Atlanta Chapter of NARPM and on the association’s National Board of Directors as Chairman of the Publications and Marketing Committees. He received a Master’s in Business Administration from Georgia State University with a concentration in Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University with majors in Computer Science/Mathematics and English Literature. He has taught business and computer classes as adjunct professor at Oglethorpe University.
Jim LaVallee, MAI
Investment and Development
Jim LaVallee has a multi-faceted background in real estate development and operations. His aptitude is focusing on and analyzing new real estate investment opportunities and asset repositioning analysis. With a background in real estate valuation in addition to formal education in finance. Mr. LaVallee has participated in a variety of consulting, valuation, due diligence and underwriting activities.
Prior to Joining EpiCity, he served seven years as a Vice President of Citicorp Real Estate, a division of Citicorp. His experience there was diverse, including loan workouts, loan portfolio purchases, and new loan originations. He has experience with both portfolio lending and real estate conduit financing. Before working with Citicorp, Mr. LaVallee worked in the Atlanta office of CB Commercial, a national real estate firm, where he was involved in consulting and valuation work.
Mr. LaVallee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from Georgia State University. He holds a MAI (Member of Appraisal Institute) designation and is a certified appraiser in the State of Georgia.
More than anything else, Jim loves spending time with his wife, Lyn, and their two kids. In the community, Jim is a parent volunteer for Atlanta Junior Rowing, a board member and former board chair for Georgia Avenue Community, and a support of Zoo Atlanta. Whether hiking, mountain biking or snow skiing, the family always enjoys quality time together.