John Renne, Ph.D., AICP
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Dr. Renne is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Priority Funds. He is best known as a global expert on transit-orient development (TOD). He is the creator of the trademarked Renne-Greschner TOD Index® that tracks the values of homes and apartments in TODs across the U.S. and applies modern portfolio theory in comparison to the FTSE Nareit U.S. Real Estate Index. Dr. Renne is also a Professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida where he directs a research center and oversees over 150 undergraduate students in urban planning and urban design. Dr. Renne has published three books, including Adaptation Urbanism and Resilient Communities in 2021. He has over 130 publications that focus on TOD, land use, transportation, sustainability, and resilience and his work has been cited by others over 3,300 times according to Google Scholar. Dr. Renne has served in leadership positions with professional associations and from 2013 – 2019 he was an Honorary Research Associate with the University of Oxford. Click here for more information about Dr. Renne.
Eric Greschner, J.D
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Mr. Greschner is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Priority Funds. He is also a co-founder of the trademarked Renne-Greschner TOD Index® which tracks the values of homes and apartments in TODs across the U.S. and applies modern portfolio theory in comparison to the FTSE Nareit U.S. Real Estate Index.
Mr. Greschner worked on Wall Street as an institutional research analyst and market strategist for a leading firm. He is also a Managing Partner at Regatta Research & Money Management, LLC, a SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm he founded in 1998. Mr. Greschner is a leading wealth manager with a commitment to ethics. He was listed along with the founder of Vanguard, John Bogle, legendary commodity investor Jimmy Rogers, and the leader in socially responsible investing, Amy Domini of the Domini mutual funds as one of the “Wall Street 50” in author Kim Curtin’s book: "Transforming Wall Street: A Conscious Path for a New Future. "
He has also been interviewed by Money Magazine, Kiplinger's, Bloomberg, Morningstar, Thomson-Reuters, International Finance Review, Wall Street Transcripts, Risk Magazine, etc.
Peter Rodrigues
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Mr. Peter Rodrigues is a highly accomplished Co-Founder and Managing Director at Priority Funds, a leading real estate investment firm. In addition, he serves as an Executive at Roger & Sons Concrete, Inc., a prominent concrete construction company with operations in New York City, the surrounding regions, and South Florida.
Mr. Rodrigues' expertise and vision contributed to the successful completion of several landmark projects in New York City. Under his leadership, the Spiral at 66 Hudson, a unique supertall with a spiraling outdoor green space all the way up the building, was developed by Tishman Speyer, with Pfizer as the main tenant. Furthermore, he led the completion of 432 Park, the tallest architectural concrete structure in the western hemisphere until recently.
Mr. Rodrigues has managed over $1 billion in commercial construction projects, including some of the most iconic and unique structures in Manhattan and beyond, showcasing his vast experience in the industry. He has led the completion of two towers at Hudson Yards, including the tallest tower there, as well as 425 Park Ave, the new Citadel HQ designed by Lord Norman Foster. In addition, he managed the construction of the Business Center at Columbia University, Manhattan West Building II for Brookfield, and the retrofit of One Madison Ave, involving building a new elevator core in a 70-year-old existing building, with IBM as the main tenant. Moreover, he and his family are currently developing a new traditional neighborhood development featuring about 140 units and 40,000 SF of "amenity" commercial space in a rural/suburban town with limited walkability.
Ryan Hayden
Associate Director
Ryan Hayden is an accomplished Associate Director at Priority Funds. In addition to helping establish the fund’s deal pipeline, their skills in project analysis, marketing, and communication coordination with sponsors and investors, have been instrumental in the success of Priority Fund I.
Ryan is committed to providing excellent investor care, investing in walkable cities and transit-oriented development, and promoting sustainable growth.
Ryan holds a summa cum laude Bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from FAU and has gained extensive experience in the real estate investment industry.
Paula Lopez
Assistant Director
Ms. Lopez is a Planning Consultant and Assistant Director at Priority Funds. She brings invaluable expertise and insight to the due diligence process for investment deal analysis, as well as the development and maintenance of social and marketing outreach campaigns.
She has conducted extensive academic research in transportation planning, including leading a highly successful campaign to improve the commuting experience of students attending college campuses in South Florida. Ms. Lopez's unique skill set also includes a keen ability for social outreach. However, her passion and focus remain centered around transportation planning, sustainable development, and the establishment of walkable communities. Ms. Lopez is dedicated to leveraging her expertise in planning and research to help foster the creation of prosperous neighborhoods.
She holds both a Bachelor's Degree in Urban Design and a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, both with cum laude distinction from FAU.
Luis Banos
Executive Consultant
As an executive consultant at Priority Funds, Mr. Banos is responsible for conducting in-depth deal evaluation and investment guidance during the investment due diligence process. His brokerage, development and asset management experience at Felicity Property Co., a New Orleans-based real estate firm focused on historic preservation and urban development, enhances the extensive skillsets of the other Priority Funds team members.
With a deep appreciation for architecture and design cultivated by his upbringing in New Orleans, Mr. Banos combines his passion for the built environment with his expertise in finance and project management to help guide investment decisions at Priority Funds. His background in commercial real estate lending, corporate finance, and commercial and residential development has equipped him with a keen eye for identifying profitable opportunities and mitigating potential risks. Mr. Banos holds a B.B.A. in Real Estate and an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia.
Melinda Kulpa
Executive Consultant
Mrs. Kulpa worked for over a decade in the commercial real estate industry through various roles. She began in commercial asset management, where she excelled for five years, overseeing a diverse portfolio of REIT-owned medical office buildings and a substantial 1.25 million+ square foot industrial and retail portfolio in Colorado and Arizona.
From there, Mrs. Kulpa transitioned into commercial real estate brokerage and analysis. As an integral part of the ERES Companies, she supported their transactional and financial analysis needs as lead transaction manager for the brokerage division and lead investment analyst for the capital division. Throughout her career thus far, she has managed $150M+ in commercial real estate brokerage transactions both domestically and internationally. She has completed comprehensive analyses of equity-funded capital investments for ground-up developments to opportunities in the hospitality, industrial, and multifamily sectors for investments ranging from $10 million to $250 million.
Currently, she is working as a commercial real estate agent in downtown St Pete, FL for KW Commercial, as well as independently in Colorado. She also serves as an Executive Consultant for Priority funds providing in-depth analysis and research for potential investments.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado - Boulder (as well as a Certificate in Real Estate), and a Master's degree in Real Estate and Construction Management from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.
Current Licenses & Memberships:
- Colorado Real Estate License (operates as an independent agent)
- Florida Real Estate License (agent with KW Commercial - St. Pete)
- Member of Florida Gulf-Coast Commercial Association of Realtors (FGCAR)
- Member of National Association of Realtors (NAR)
Jesse Bailey
Executive Consultant
Mr. Bailey is an Executive Consultant to Priority Funds. He has seven years of multifamily experience at Greystar, where he supported the operations of a Florida portfolio consisting of over 30,000 units under management; served as the lead reporting analyst for a 9,000+ unit client portfolio in the sunbelt; and completed development consulting assignments for Florida development projects. Mr. Bailey also served as Vice President of Development at Navarro Lowrey Properties, a development company based in West Palm Beach, Florida, responsible for the development of the Flagler Banyan Square mixed-use project. Mr. Bailey is a Florida licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Florida licensed Real Estate Broker, member of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, and a founding member of Strong Towns, a nonprofit dedicated to making communities financially strong and resilient. He is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Accounting with a concentration in real estate finance.
Fehu, the inspiration behind our logo.
Fehu is an ancient word that translates as “wealth,” “cattle”. Our ancestors considered cattle and livestock as wealth that was acquired or built, not wealth that was simply inherited from the family or clan. The concept of wealth earned from one’s hard work is a goal that transcends all generations. At Priority Funds, building wealth for our investors through hard work, our extensive network, proprietary research, and expertise drives our team every day.
We understand what you’re looking for.
As investors ourselves, we’ve been in your shoes. We have faced the very same problems.
"What can we do about low projected returns in many investments and the high volatility?"
"Where can we find good deals so we can properly fund our retirements and while sleeping soundly at night?"
As parents, we also understand where you are coming from. We too ask what can we do to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem facing the world? In our own way, how can we leave it a better place for our children and grandchildren?
This is why we founded Priority Funds. To make money for our investors while doing good.