MICHAEL EMEM
President & CEO
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Design building his first house at the age of 20, Michael is a proven leader in the built industry with over 19 years experience in residential architecture, construction management and real estate development. He has managed the construction of over 100 new and remodeled homes and over 250 new multifamily apartment units, contributing to over $100M in commercial development experience.
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At age 25, he was recognized by the Milwaukee Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 recipient and by the Milwaukee Times Black Excellence Awards as a Corporate Trailblazer.
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Michael obtained a B.B.A. in Finance & Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, an A.S. in Architectural Technology from Milwaukee Area Technical College and was selected as Valedictorian of Marquette University's 2015 ACRE graduating class.
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He has served on the board of directors at Pathfinders Milwaukee, Inc. and We Got This, Inc. He is married and a father of four.
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DESHEA AGEE, M.S., EDFP
Vice President
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Deshea is an innovative leader with over 15 years of experience organizing and implementing successful public and private sector partnerships. His expertise includes real estate and economic development, public process design, community outreach and program formulation.
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Deshea has extensive experience in government/municipal processes and funding tools, real estate financial analysis, business development, and community engagement. Deshea has played a key role in Milwaukee’s commercial corridor revitalization and was instrumental in the re-emergence of Milwaukee’s Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District. He has also led the efforts to grow the entrepreneurial and creative class in Bronzeville district.
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Deshea was recognized by the Milwaukee Business Journal as a 2019 Power Broker. He serves on the City of Milwaukee’s Bronzeville Advisory Committee, as well as on the Board of Directors of Employ Milwaukee and Safe and Sound. Deshea is married and a father of three.
MONTAVIUS JONES
Development Manager
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Montavius is an emerging leader in the real estate development and urban planning field in Milwaukee. As a development professional with a background in economic development, he understands how the built environment provides the foundation for sustainable communities that support both economic growth and quality of life. He has helped lead the development of 100s of units of affordable housing valued over $75MM in Wisconsin and Michigan.
His expertise in economic development provides him with a unique perspective on the importance of public-private partnerships and the role that real estate plays in driving economic activity. He has helped small businesses and property owners access over $1MM each year in public grant funding for commercial properties.
Montavius is the Chair of Milwaukee’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory committee. He is co-host of Urban Spaceship, a podcast and annual conference in Milwaukee.
