OZ MAGAZINE 2022 Top 25 Influencers issue 2.2 | Page 52

52 OPPORTUNITY ZONE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 2 • VOLUME 2

FRANK AUSTIN

PROPEL OPPORTUNITY FUND

With over 20 years of experience in real estate , finance and construction , Frank Austin is committed to providing consistent , strong returns to investors while empowering undeserved communities through strategic development that contributes to neighborhood revitalization and job creation . He has invested countless hours in community development and outreach programs , including developing neighborhood revitalization strategies , and creating and presenting workshops to help residents better their communities and lives . In 2015 , Austin received the iconic “ Iron Eyes Cody Award ” presented by Keep America Beautiful . He was also awarded the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis National Nobel Prize Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities , and the Presidential Lifetime Service Volunteer Achievement Award .

WHAT KIND OF TRENDS AND NEW INVESTMENT AREAS DO YOU THINK QOFS WILL FOCUS ON IN 2022 ?
In 2022 , the investment strategy of investing into a self-directed captive fund where investors have their own capital gain and projects will continue in an upward trend . We will see a notable rise in the trend for investment into agriculture projects located in rural areas and farming communities . Given the robust demand for investment in the mining industry , which includes the production of minerals , it is expected to gain the interests of investors . Although investing in mining can be highly volatile , they often make good long-term investments with high returns . A continuation of the new trends with crypto will carry over into 2022 .

CRAIG BERNSTEIN

OPZ CAPITAL

Craig Bernstein is a principal of OPZ Capital , a Washington , D . C . -based advisory management firm that provides consulting services to family offices and ultra-highnet-worth investors . Recognized as one of the nation ’ s leading Opportunity Zone Fund managers , Bernstein has previously spoken at the Global Institutional Real Estate Forum , National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries and NYU Stern School of Business . With over 20 years of real estate experience , he recently co-developed a mixed-use Opportunity Zone project in Charlottesville , Virginia . Prior to founding OPZ Capital , Bernstein was the chief investment officer and director of real estate for a single-family investment office .

WHAT KIND OF TRENDS AND NEW INVESTMENT AREAS DO YOU THINK QOFS WILL FOCUS ON IN 2022 ?
2021 ended on a high note with the S & P 500 closing near record highs and global private equity transactional volume exceeded $ 2 trillion for the first time in history . As we enter the new year , we expect investors to continue to have an insatiable appetite for Opportunity Zone Fund investments . Working on behalf of high-net-worth investors , we are constantly looking to identify unique investment strategies that are capable of delivering compelling risk-adjusted returns . As an example , one such Opportunity Zone Fund investment strategy that we are particularly excited about for 2022 is the conversion of distressed hotels into rental apartments .
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