Meet Our team
Steven R. Wallace
CEO/Owner
435-224-3052
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Steven R Wallace is the sole owner of Black Oak Development. Mr. Wallace comes from a successful finance background, including a broad range of experience with private and institutional capital markets, having been involved with over $500M of transactions, a large part revolving around acquisition, development, and construction (“AD&C”).
He has over 16-years of extensive experience in all aspects of the opportunistic real estate and real estate finance markets. This includes identifying and structuring real estate developments, and related business opportunities, from acquisition, entitlement, design & construction, to include all stages of the development process, as well as financing the various stages of the project.
In 2007 Mr. Wallace founded Epic Capital Solutions to better take advantage of real estate financing opportunities. In 2017 Epic Capital acquired 50% of RoBUS Finance, LLC an investment banking platform for real estate debt, equity, and other related capitalization initiatives, including home mortgage finance.
Mr. Wallace has an extensive record of successfully completed projects across a diverse array of project-types and real estate asset classes. Project types include large master-planned developments, both commercial-retail and residential subdivisions, hotels, condominiums, self-storage, now focusing primarily on Senior Living related communities.
Shane Smith
COO
801-403-6988
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Shane Smith has been serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Black Oak Development since 2017. In this capacity, he has been responsible for planning, zoning, entitlements and overall development of the commercial and residential projects for the company. He has aided the CEO in evaluation of new development and financing opportunities, along with strategic business development opportunities.
Mr. Smith brings over 20 years of senior executive experience and has an exceptionally strong record of involvement and accomplishment in senior management assignments in a broad range of companies, including product development, manufacturing, software, telecommunications and music industry.
Prior to his executive experience, Mr. Smith practiced law for 25 years, advising companies through the critical stages of growth. In addition to strong business and legal background, have proven expertise in operations, management, negotiations, strategic corporate development, capital formation and mergers & acquisitions.
Management talents include strategic planning coupled with a management style that builds competence, confidence and enthusiasm among co-workers.
Mr. Smith earned his Bachelor and Juris Doctor Degree from Brigham Young University.
Nate Passey
CFO
801-707-6607
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Nate Passey has been acting as the Chief Financial Officer of Black Oak Development since 2017. In this capacity, Mr. Passey oversees financial reporting and analysis, accounting operations, tax strategy and strategic planning.
Before joining Black Oak Development Group, Mr. Passey provided CFO and operational finance services including financial analysis and reporting, budgeting, inventory management, data modeling, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll for small, medium, and large companies.
He has in-depth experience in real estate development, medical services, transportation/logistics, SaaS/technology, and manufacturing (medical device and food).
He earned a Master of Business Administration in 2013 and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Utah in 2006. Mr. Passey is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Utah.
Trevor Walston
Analyst/Controller
405-833-7005
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Trevor Walston has been serving as Analyst/Controller with Black Oak Development since 2018.
He has experience in city planning, working with the city of Pleasant Grove before coming to Black Oak Development, where he reviewed building permit applications and assisted in the approval process developments.
He also has experience with residential developments and construction. In this capacity, he has managed the accounts and bookkeeping aspects of operations.
Mr. Walston received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in 2018 and is attending the University of Utah to receive his Master of Science in Finance by December 2019. His focus of study is real estate finance and financial modeling.
Ben Nelson
Legal Counsel
801-664-0971
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Benjamin Nelson has been serving as legal counsel for Black Oak Development since 2015.
Mr. Nelson has a wide range of expertise on corporate governance matters concerning entity selection and organization, customization of operating agreements and other governing documents, employment practices, and compliance with securities and tax laws and regulations.
He is responsible for organizational and governance matters, including new entity formations, organizational restructurings, and inter-company agreements.
Mr. Nelson also has experience with real estate investors and developers with respect to real property purchase and sale agreements, debt and equity financings, joint venture relationships, commercial lease agreements, development agreements, and landlord/tenant relationships.
Mr. Nelson began as a transactional associate in 2012 with Pia Anderson Moss Hoyt and now works as a founding partner at Corporate Counsel.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University in 2009 and his law Degree from George Mason University in 2012 in which he concentrated in corporate and securities law.