JON HAAHR
Managing Principal
Silver Portal Capital
Delivering Institutional Quality Capabilities Through and Entrepreneurial Mindset
Mr. Haahr has over 25 years of experience in the capital markets, with a track record that exhibits a depth of investment banking and real estate expertise in advising and raising capital for both private and public companies. He has been managing underwriter, placement agent and advisor in over $11 billion of equity, debt and financial advisory transactions for the real estate industry from 1992 to the present, involving well over 100 transactions.
Mr. Haahr directs a team that provides services in the areas of capital formation, strategic advice and portfolio sales to a focused group of private and public real estate-related clients owning commercial, healthcare and lodging assets. He has significant background in advising and raising private capital for leading companies in the industry. Examples include a $150 million equity joint venture for Inland Real Estate Corporation (NYSE: IRC), GMAC Mortgage’s $206 million initial equity capitalization of a new mortgage REIT, a $200 million equity joint venture for The Olson Company, an affordable housing developer, $115 million in convertible preferred equity raised for lodging REIT Innkeepers USA (NYSE: KPA), and a $75 million equity equity joint venture for SIMEON Commercial Properties, a life science owner/developer. In addition, Mr. Haahr has advised multiple company boards on strategic alternatives and on becoming internally advised and managed.
Prior to forming Silver Portal Capital, Mr. Haahr was Co-Head and Managing Director of Real Estate Investment Banking for First Union Securities (now Wachovia Securities) from 1999-2000, where he was instrumental in re-engineering the group’s business and calling strategy. In addition to responsibilities as group head during this period, Mr. Haahr founded and headed the Private Transaction Group, which was established to link private institutional capital sources with private and public real estate companies.
Mr. Haahr also founded and ran the Real Estate Lodging and Leisure Group at EVEREN Securities (successor firm to Kemper Securities) from 1991 until joining First Union. Under his direction, the group established a significant market presence and became a leader in working with non-core real estate asset types. In addition to real estate expertise, Mr. Haahr also has experience in the financial services sector, with past transactions involving multiple mergers, sale assignments and capital raising for both foreign and domestic financial institutions.
Mr. Haahr received his MBA in Finance from the University of Iowa, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Iowa State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He maintains a number of industry affiliations including the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a past and present member of various corporate boards including Great Lakes REIT (NYSE: GL) and Arlington Hospitality, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOST). Mr. Haahr also serves as Trustee of the Real Estate School at the University of Wisconsin; and speaks regularly at a variety of industry events.