With extensive real-world experience in development and finance, the firm’s founder sought to create a full-service real estate investment firm, which would not only be able to partner and invest in real estate, but would also have the capability to direct and manage the development of its own investments. By bringing together collaborative industry teams and premier debt and equity sources, the firm pursues value and risk-adjusted returns in real estate assets across North America.

EnvironCapital was established with a mission of being a flexible, agile, creative, and responsive partner in real estate investment and development. At the same time, the firm never relinquishes its set of core values consisting of integrity, collaboration, and excellence. One particular strength of the firm is its ability to maintain the broader vision while executing on the smaller details which make an investment or project a great success.  EnvironCapital draws on a comprehensive wealth of knowledge of the real estate development cycle, recognizing and adapting to market shifts, and managing development and investments over a diverse number of asset classes.  Through its pool of national resources and stakeholders, the firm galvanizes an innovative team to carry out investment strategies and to deliver superb development projects.

Architecture, urban planning, and placemaking are focal points of the firm in its developments, and where possible, it promotes converging development with sustainability and environmentally sensitive design. In the end, EnvironCapital strives for municipalities and neighborhoods working in concert to create vibrant communities and projects which enhance the environs and surroundings of the area. The firm seeks like-minded partners who also believe that the manner in which you achieve success is more important than the reward of success itself.

Michael Van Epp

Principal / Founder | Environ Capital LLC

Michael is Principal and Founder of EnvironCapital and has over 18 years expertise in acquisitions, finance, entitlements, development, and management of real estate assets in more than two dozen markets across the United States. Prior to founding EnvironCapital, Michael held senior roles with a $2.5 billion bank holding company and a $1.4 billion private equity firm in the Midwest. In these roles, he managed, among other things, upwards of a half billion in residential development land, master planned communities, and commercial real estate. He initially started his career in real estate development with a regional development and investment firm in Scottsdale, AZ and 3 national home builders situated in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Las Vegas. Michael regularly participates in industry organizations such as PCBC, NAHB, and ICSC.  Michael is former vice chair of a national Community Development Council with the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Michael holds a bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is an emeritus member of the advisory board for Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

advisors

Frank Busch

Chief Executive officer | THOMAS TITLE

Mr. Busch is Founder and CEO of Thomas Title & Escrow, a multi-state title and escrow services firm. Prior to founding the company in 2006, Mr. Busch served as Corporate Counsel of a $4 billion bank holding company, where he was primarily responsible for advising the bank and its affiliates on M&A, regulatory matters, credit decisions and structuring supplier relationships. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Busch was a corporate and securities lawyer in the Phoenix office of Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., one of the largest firms in the Western U.S. He advised public and private companies in M&A, debt and equity issuance, securitization and venture capital financing.

Mr. Busch holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona with magna cum laude distinction, as well as a juris doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law.  He is a licensed member of the bar in both Arizona and California and a former trustee of the UC Hastings College of Law.

Charley Freericks

Executive | Catellus Development Corporation

Mr. Freericks is a senior executive with Catellus Development Corporation, a national mixed-use developer in North America.  Leading Catellus' operations in Arizona, Mr. Freericks is overseeing the development of the Novus Innovation Corridor, a 330-acre mixed-use redevelopment of Arizona State University’s Athletic Facilities District in Tempe, AZ. Prior to joining Catellus, Mr. Freericks spent 20 years with DMB Associates, Inc., most recently serving as President from 2012 to 2016.  DMB is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based developer of large-scale, best-in-class planned communities and mixed-use commercial properties, recognized nationally for its people and projects.

Prior to DMB, Mr. Freericks served as President of Talley Realty Group, a real estate development and finance division of Talley Industries, Inc. (NYSE), where he worked in executive roles from 1989 to 1996. His background in the land use and real estate development industry also includes serving as senior marketing consultant for Grubb & Ellis commercial brokerage services in Phoenix.

Mr. Freericks holds both a bachelors and masters degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University.  He is chair of ULI Arizona, chair of the Arizona Community Foundation, and board member and chairman emeritus of Fighter Country Partnership and Fighter Country Foundation at Luke Air Force Base. In addition, Mr. Freericks is a former board member and past chair of Valley Partnership, the Arizona Zoological Society, and the Arizona Advisory Board of the Trust for Public Land.

Ripun Mehta

Managing Partner | Novistra Capital

Mr. Mehta is Managing Partner at Novistra Capital, a global financial services firm that provides a wide range of services with a specific focus on transaction advisory in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, debt syndication, private equity financing, and joint venture partnerships. Throughout his career, Mr. Mehta has advised large multi-national corporations such as Genpact, HP, Max, Xerox, and other companies across the healthcare, media, events, IT, and BPO industries, completing over 40 M&A and private equity transactions. He splits his time between offices in New York and New Delhi.

Mr. Mehta holds a bachelors degree in Commerce from Shriram College of Commerce, University of Delhi and a masters in Business Administration from the London Business School, London where he was a Sumantra Ghoshal Scholar.  He is an active angel investor and sits on the board of the India chapter of AIESEC, a non-profit which provides a global platform for leadership development across 110 countries, where he has been recognized as one of its most successful “40 under 40” and inducted into its global alumni hall of fame.