Robert L. Labbé, Founder and President
MorCap Fund Advisors, LLC
Mr. Labbé, a veteran real estate and mortgage banking executive and attorney, founded MorCap in October 2007 and has served as President and Chairman since inception. Mr. Labbé has over twenty (20) years of experience as a principal and senior executive in residential finance having transacted in several billion dollars of real estate deal flow nationwide.
Prior to MorCap, Mr. Labbé was Co-Founder, General Counsel and Managing Director of Lenders Direct Capital (2003 - 2007) and its affiliate Lenders Republic Financial, nationwide mortgage bankers with cumulative loan production of several billion dollars. Mr. Labbé was also Co-Founder and Partner, Mazda Butler LLP (2003 – 2007) an Irvine, California commercial law firm along with Mark N. Mazda (JD, Columbia) and Mark Butler (JD, University of Michigan).
Mr. Labbé was Co-Founder and Senior Executive of OMC Solutions/Online Merchants (1999 - 2002) and Co-Founder, President and Chairman of First Allegiance Financial, a national specialty finance company (1996) acquired by national bank City Holding Company (CHCO) in 1997, with whom he held senior management positions and was a bank officer through 1998.
Mr. Labbé was lead attorney for nationwide brand name lender DiTech (1995) from inception of the Company through its expansion to forty three (43) states. DiTech revolutionized mortgage lending in the United States with billboard and direct to consumer television advertising and was later acquired by GMAC (1999) for over $200 million.
Mr. Labbé practiced law as an attorney with one of Canada’s leading national law firms, Martineau Walker for five (5) years, representing clients such as Royal Trust Company, Pepsi Cola (Canada), Olivetti (Canada) and World Wildlife Fund. Mr. Labbé served on the firm’s Canada – US Trade Law Committee and was sponsored by the firm to write the New York Bar examination in 1987.
Mr. Labbé holds law degrees from McGill University (Montreal, Canada): BCL (1982), LL.B (1983); and was Valedictorian (Summa Cum Laude) St. Lawrence College (Canada); Admitted in Quebec, Canada 1984; New York 1987; California 1990; Licensed Broker with California Dept. of Real Estate.
Shone Clark, Executive Vice President and Managing Director
Shone Clark has been Executive Vice President and Managing Director of MorCap since October 2008 and has been working closely with MorCap since March 2008. Mr. Clark has sourced, acquired and sold over 1,750 distressed single family assets in over forty (40) states as a principal in the past twenty four (24) months through his various entities. Mr. Clark is one of only a handful of private parties in the nation with transactional experience as a principal in closing several $100M + multi-state REO transactions and the complexities involved therewith.
Mr. Clark has broad experience in sourcing REO pools nationwide through his extensive network of contacts in the banking, investment banking, title services and loan servicing communities as well as with the GSE’s and quasi-governmental agencies, including the FDIC. On the REO marketing and disposition side, Mr. Clark also brings contacts and working relationships with premier national auction houses such as www.williamsauction.com, with whom he has closed several hundred million dollars in distressed residential business as well as with nationwide REO Realtor networks. Mr. Clark attended the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Mr. Clark has with his family office been a principal in several successful business enterprises over the past fifteen (15) years in both California and Nevada.
Jennifer Page–Pena, Director of Operations
Mrs. Page-Pena is responsible for the Company’s day to day operating activities and the execution of its business strategies.
Mrs. Page-Pena manages and oversees the entire process of closing the acquisition of bulk pools, including initial evaluation of assets, asset inspections, valuations, title matters, property preservation services, compliance with vacant property registration (VPR) laws and ordinances, HOA interface, tax service management, REO disposition services, agent appointment and the management of property held for sale or rent.
Prior to joining MorCap in September 2008, Mrs. Page-Pena worked for over seventeen (17) years in underwriting, management and senior executive positions with a variety of nationwide residential lenders, including Lenders Direct Capital, Lenders Republic, DiTech, City Mortgages Services, a division of City Holding Company, Capital Direct Funding and Imperial Credit Industries. Ms. Page-Pena has worked in senior management positions for the past twelve (12) years with Robert L. Labbé.
Mrs. Page-Pena’s most recent senior management position for a nationwide lender was as Chief Operating Officer of Lenders Direct Capital, a nationwide mortgage bank funding over $1 Billion in residential mortgage loans per annum with over 300 employees. From August 2003 through September 2007 Mrs. Page-Pena managed all nationwide wholesale and retail mortgage lending operations for Lenders Direct, including risk management, underwriting, quality control, loss mitigation and training. She also developed and implemented policies and procedures for operations and served as a member of the Risk Management/Credit Committee with underwriting exception authority.
Craig M. Neil, Chief of Technology
Craig M. Neil is CEO of Newport SEO and is Chief of Technology for MorCap as of Jan 1, 2009. Craig was CTO of MorCap from October 2007 through December 2008. Craig's team at Newport SEO is responsible for maintaining MorCap’s state of the art proprietary software and technology and oversees database management, analytics and website design.
Prior to joining MorCap Mr. Neil worked as Senior Contract Programmer for The William Lyon Company (Duxford Financial), one of the nation’s premier builders, where he developed custom software, server configuration, database management, data encryption, website, web design and Internet security services. From January 2003 - February 2007 Mr. Neil was Senior Programmer for Lenders Direct Capital Corporation where he developed the Loan Origination System (LOS), compliance regulation software and document processing solutions for over $100 Million per month of mortgage loan production in forty (40) states. He managed over 300 system users and was directly involved with management in providing custom software solutions for new products, regulatory requirements, streamline workflow and reduction of manual processes through custom software automation, optimizing the bottom line.
In 2004, Mr. Neil founded and served as President and CTO for Realatek, Inc., a provider of web based solutions to Real Estate Agents. He developed Real Estate portals for agents to debut properties, offered MLS feeds, contact management, and marketing solutions.
In 2001, Mr. Neil co-founded and served as President for Best Leads Ever, LLC. Mr. Neil developed a network of lead generating web sites to provide marketing solutions for the mortgage industry. Development included data management solutions, sales & marketing, and statistical data reporting solutions.
Robert W. Ferguson, Chairman
MorCap Financial Group, LLC
Mr. Ferguson joined MorCap Financial Group, LLC as a principal and serves as the company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Ferguson is responsible for developing the company’s overall strategic business plan to maximize the capital procurement efforts of MorCap Advisors LLC’s acquisition and disposition of distressed assets. Mr. Ferguson’s career spans over 35 years in the fields of real estate and finance, including construction, development, securities, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and all forms of structured financing, both privately and publicly.
Prior to joining MorCap Financial Group, LLC Mr. Ferguson has served in several executive positions. He most recently served as President of a local real estate acquisition and development company engaged in the extended stay hospitality industry. Also, he held the position of Director of Corporate Finance for a southwest regional based land developer, and as Executive Vice President of a diversified real estate and finance company. In addition, Mr. Ferguson serves as Chairman of the Realty Group of Irvine, a California based real estate firm he founded in 2006, and serves as Chairman and CEO of Real Estate Services & Technology, Inc, a technology based firm designed to provide financial solutions and services to financial institutions and investors. Mr. Ferguson has owned and operated several other companies during his business career including a contracting firm and general securities company, and has held all of the necessary licenses to operate these businesses at both the state and federal level.
Mr. Ferguson has been actively involved in community service for many years. Recently, he served from on the board of directors of North Irvine AYSO (“American Youth Soccer Organization”), and from 1999 to 2007 served as its Regional Commissioner. During that same period, Mr. Ferguson was a member of the Irvine City Sports Committee and served as its Chairman from 2002 to 2008. Previously, Mr. Ferguson served as a volunteer coach of both Troy and Savanna High Schools in football and track & field. He remains an active participant in the planning of the Sports Park at Orange County’s Great Park and recently served as a panel member in the forward planning process for the City of San Juan Capistrano.
William R. "Russ" Colvin, President & CEO
William R. “Russ” Colvin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of MorCap Financial Group, LLC. Mr. Colvin is responsible for the overall operations of the company, and oversees the nationwide capital procurement efforts of MorCap Fund Advisors, LLC, a national leader in analytics, due diligence, acquisition and disposition of distressed residential assets.. Mr. Colvin has been actively involved in commercial and residential real estate finance for more than 28 years.
Prior to joining MorCap Financial Group, Mr. Colvin was a Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of CORE Realty Holdings, LLC where his responsibilities were to oversee all company operations including the financing, acquisitions, management, asset repositioning, and capital raising efforts for CORE investment properties throughout the United States. He directed all facets of the company’s business activities, including investor relations. He was a member of all key company management committees, including the Investment Committee, and Operations Committee. Mr. Colvin continues to serve as Chairman Emeritus of CORE Realty Holdings, LLC. Prior to forming CORE Realty Holdings, LLC, he served as President and Co-Founder of another leading real estate syndication and capital advisory company. Mr. Colvin has served in executive positions for Hawthorne Savings Bank, Fidelity Federal Bank, IMPAC Commercial Capital Corporation, American Nationwide Funding Corporation, and Saddleback Mortgage. Mr. Colvin is a current member of the National Investor Relations Institute, the Tenant-in-Common Association (TICA) and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
Mr. Colvin is also actively involved in community service activities as a life member of the Orange County Sheriff's Advisory Council, a member of the board of directors of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Youth Foundation and chairman of the development committee, The Los Angeles Police Historical Society, The Los Angeles Police Foundation, and a member of the ISE board of advisors for the RAND Corporation. In September of 2006, Mr. Colvin was awarded the prestigious Jack Webb Award by the Los Angeles Police Historical Society for his service to law enforcement and youth. In March 2007, Mr. Colvin received the prestigious “Inspiration Award” from the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation for his service to youth.