The hard work and dedication of our members forms the bedrock of The Real Estate Council’s efforts to catalyze community investment in Dallas, influence public policy, propel careers, and develop the leaders of tomorrow. Each month, we are spotlighting TREC members who have made significant contributions to our community investment initiatives and continue to push the limits of what our organization and its partners can accomplish for our city. This month, we are proud to recognize William Holland of Balfour Beatty Construction and Jonathan Stephens of StreetLights Residential!

William Holland, Balfour Beatty Construction

Please describe the TREC Community Investors project you are presently working on and any responsibilities you have. I have been able to be a part of the Cedar Crest Community Center team, which is revitalizing an existing event space in South Dallas. My responsibilities thus far have included assisting in estimating material quantities. I will also be a participant in the TREC Young Guns Project to renovate a quadplex owned by St. Philip’s School and Community Center this coming summer. Please list any other TREC programs you’ve participated in (leadership development programs, TREC PAC/Public Policy Committee, boards you’ve served/roles, etc.). Young Guns – Breakfast Groups Young Guns – Rising to the Top Young Guns – St. Philips Project Committee Volunteer Inner-City Development Corporation ICDC (TREC Partner) – Mill City Townhomes Development Committee ICDC is a fantastic nonprofit organization that takes a multifaceted approach to empowering and educating people to develop financial health, gain and grow their job skills, start and grow small businesses, and help them become first-generation homeowners. I am absolutely amazed at the success that they have in accomplishing these goals. How did you begin volunteering with TREC Community Investors? What has the experience been like? I am a believer in Jesus and serving others is paramount to living out my faith. I have been a member of TREC for almost three years now, but I knew very little about TREC Community Investors. I saw the opportunity to help serve at the Real Estate 101 for Nonprofits, and that really inspired me to participate in helping educate developers and people that care about improving our amazing City of Dallas. I learned so much from each of them and have made some lasting friendships. It was so awesome to see the impact that Kawanise and Felicia and the others at TREC Community Investors have with so many people who want to provide solutions to homelessness and other issues plaguing our city. TREC Community Investors is the real deal. They build awesome relationships and they truly impact so many. I would highly recommend anyone passionate about serving and making a difference to learn more about how you can serve here. It really opened my eyes to so many needs that my fellow neighbors have, and how real estate and construction is so much bigger than just making a paycheck. We have the opportunity to change the world through our projects, one life at a time.

Jonathan Stephens, StreetLights Residential

Please describe the TREC Community Investors project you are presently working on and any responsibilities you have. I assisted with the Financial Feasibility workshop within TREC’s Real Estate Bootcamp earlier this year. I oversee the financial models for my company’s east region, so I wanted to share my finance and excel experience with aspiring developers. I supported participants as they progressed through the case study portion of the workshop by answering questions specific to their case. More importantly, I also tried helping them understand the ‘why’ behind their questions so they could apply the knowledge to future projects. Please detail any other Community Investors projects within the last five years and your role(s). I have not had the opportunity to work on other Community Investors projects, but I look forward to assisting with more projects in the future. Please list any other TREC programs you’ve participated in (leadership development programs, TREC PAC/Public Policy Committee, boards you’ve served/roles, etc.). In the past, I have volunteered in various roles with FightNight. I am also fortunate to have been a part of the Mentorship Program the past two years. TREC has many thoughtful leaders in the community who are happy to share advice and growing pains, and I’ve really appreciated my mentors’ guidance in progressing my career in multifamily development and finance. How did you begin volunteering with TREC Community Investors? What has the experience been like? I signed up for multiple committees when I joined TREC two years ago, including the Community Investors team. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I have been able to meet talented individuals both within and outside of TREC. I’m thankful for the experience and would encourage others to join as well!