Frank Hoffman

President, Strategus LLC

Frank A. Hoffman is President of Strategus LLC. With over 30 years of experience in innovative financing and incentive procurement for all types of businesses, Frank often takes the lead as the project finance and incentive manager for Strategus client projects. In addition to his role at Strategus, Frank is also a partner with the law firm of Ice Miller.

Prior to joining Strategus and Ice Miller, Frank was:

  • a partner with the law firm of Krieg DeVault for over 25 years (1991-2016);
  • executive vice president and in-house general counsel for Landmark Corporation, a real estate private placement securities firm (1985 to 1991); and  
  • a tax advisor - PriceWaterhouseCoopers (f/k/a Coopers & Lybrand) (1982-1985).

He is a frequent speaker on the subject of New Markets Tax Credit transactions, and has presented more than 1,000 times on NMTC and other complex economic development incentive topics over the past 10 years.
 
He holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University (1979), and a J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (1982).

 

Representative Experience

Frank's extensive innovative financing and incentive procurement experience includes the following:

  • Structured and managed to close 8 State Investment Tax Credit (Community Revitalization, Industrial Recovery and Venture Capital) Equity Financing transactions resulting in over $23M in State Tax Credit Equity and funding over $120M in total Project Costs.
  • Structured and managed to close 18 Federal NMTC Financing transactions that resulted in over $106M in NMTC Tax Credit Equity and funded over $450M in total Project Costs.
  • Structured and managed to close the $33 million Federal NMTC financing for the Ivy Tech Community College's Corporate College and Culinary Arts Training Center in Indianapolis that was recently visited by President Obama.
  • Structured and managed to close two (2) of the Top 102 New Market Tax Credit Financing Transactions (Marion – Winterfield & Indianapolis – Hoosier Gasket) selected by the National New Market Tax Credit Coalition from over $30,000,000,000 in transactions closed during the first ten years (2002-2012) of the Federal New Markets financing program.
  • Led in the formation of New Markets Tax Credit Programs for the Indiana Bankers Association and its 180 member banks (2004, $50 Million Statewide Allocation), the City of Fort Wayne (2008, $15 million City Allocation), the Town of French Lick and seventeen (17) participating southern Indiana counties focusing on rural projects (2009, $50 million Southern Indiana Allocation) and the City of Indianapolis (2010, $32 million City Allocation).
  • Structured and managed to close 11 Indiana Federal NMTC Transactions since 2005 resulting in over $66M in Federal NMTC Equity invested in Indiana.
  • Structured and managed to close Federal NMTC Transactions in Virginia ($65M), Louisiana ($112M) and Kentucky ($42M).
  • Structured and managed the combination of Indiana CRED Credit, Local TIF Bond and NMTC to fund $5.5 million start-up manufacturing plant in rural Indiana.
  • Structured and managed the combination of local TIF Bond and Federal NMTC to fund a $25 million hotel/indoor waterpark facility in rural Indiana.
  • Obtained over $28 million in ARRA economic development incentives and $53 million in permanent financing for Indiana start-up wind turbine component part manufacturers located in small towns in Indiana.
  • Structured and managed to closing over $500M in Federal Low-Income Housing and Historic Tax Credit financing transactions.
  • Obtained 100% property tax exemption for Section 42 for-profit partnerships.
  • Structured the first and only $2.4 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity transaction for Section 42 partnership funded with $6 million of Hope VI funds in Indiana.
 

Portfolio

View Frank Hoffman's Complex Incentives & Financing Experience Portfolio

Michael Flint

Vice President

Michael has over 20 years of experience in project management, procuring of all levels of public funds, project procurement, project funding, incentives and financing, as well as, assisting with regulatory hurdles.  Michael's primary sector of focus is on real estate development (affordable housing, student housing, single-family and commercial), business relocations and expansions resulting in new capital investment, job creation, workforce training initiatives; agriculture, transportations, brownfield–redevelopment and re-investment; expanded research and development investment; energy efficiency, renewable energy project investment and Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
 
His diverse strengths and abilities include acting as a "project manager" for developers, communities and authorities in locating, securing and implementing various types of economic development related funds.
 
Michael's vast experience contributes to his overall flexibility, understanding and ability to negotiate with various levels of government and private/non-profit sources to initiate projects from start to completion.  These sources include Federal Earmarks, Federal, State and Local Grants, USDA Loan Guarantees and Rural Energy for America Programs (REAP), New Market Tax Credits (NMTC), Federal Historic Tax Credits, Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and other HUD programs, Brownsfield Loans and Grants, Economic Development Agency (EDA), Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Tax Increment Financing (TIF) EDGE Tax Credits, and all types of transportation related financing/funding.
 

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Michael's extensive project management, along with financing and incentive procurement experience, includes the following:
 

Economic Development

  • Managed process of locating, submitting documents and securing financing for financial initiatives to fund inventory, equipment, real estate purchases and working capital.
  • Managed process for applying for EDGE tax credits from initial concept to submitting application, award, contract and compliance and filing reports. 
  • Managed project for local developer and demolition of former shopping center by utilizing TIF funds.
  • Managed funding sources for economic development types of projects from the following type of sources, EDA, USDA, CDBG, FEMA, HRSA and FHWA.
  • Assisted large not for profit with creating strategy, locating funding source and receiving award for work force training program.

Agribusiness

  • Managed from initial phases of project development applying for USDA Business and Industrial loan guarantee to negotiating with bank and submitting application to award.
  • Managed from initial concept to funding and completion of a regional salt distribution center in rural area.
  • Managed the funding for CNG fuel stations and purchase of new CNG trucks.
  • Managed from initial concept to designation of a Foreign Trade Zone in rural eastern Kentucky to assist with development of new River port.
  • Managed federal designation that assisted with receiving federal funding for water and sewer, transportation projects, community revitalization, environmental remediation, historic, and flood control.
 

Local Government

  • Managed three relinquishments projects related to state road convened to local government.
  • Assisted with funding and or development of building and developments lease back to state.
  • Managed locating, applying for and awarding of funds to assist Private Colleges in development of new facilities.
  • Managed government relations for BP Oil Spill for plaintiffs Steering Committee in New Orleans.
  • Managed government relations activity and assisted with amici briefs with the Supreme Court for Mississippi River Gulf Outlet case related to Hurricane Katrina.
  • Managed public involvement and funding recommendation related to Taken case related to Mississippi River Gulf Outlet court case against US Army Corp of Engineers. 
  • Managed government relations activity related to Public Private Partnerships regarding toll road and bridges projects.

Housing

  • Managed development and application for several affordable housing projects securing bond financing and low income housing tax credits.
  • Managed and developed market rate housing with retail.
 

Portfolio

View Michael Flint's Project Portfolio.

Shawn Peterson

Vice President and Director of Innovative Finance & Incentives

Shawn E. Peterson helps businesses manage complex incentive and project finance transactions. He has a breadth of experience with federal, state and local economic development incentives and project and working capital financings for high growth businesses and impactful nonprofit organizations.

 
Shawn has more than 13 years of economic development, tax and public and private finance law experience with a focus on real estate development and business relocations and expansions resulting in new capital investment, job creation and workforce training initiatives. In doing so, he has served as counsel for local, regional and state economic development entities, developers, expanding businesses and high growth companies. Shawn has served as lead financing counsel for the state’s largest private, urban New Market Tax Credit project and the state’s largest community revitalization and enhancement district project. He has assisted Northern Indiana organizations in securing more than $70 million for regional entrepreneurship, workforce and development initiatives from corporate, philanthropic and governmental sources. He has also worked with state leaders to enhance capital formation initiatives, increasing state program leverage ratios from 1.2 to 1 to nearly 10 to 1. 
 
Shawn has also served as past Vice President and General Counsel for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). There, he negotiated agreements that led to more than 7,500 jobs and $1.3 billion in capital investments. He also secured more than $100 million in federal funding for entrepreneurship and green energy programs.
 
Prior to serving at the IEDC, Shawn served as counsel for the South Bend Redevelopment Commission and the City of South Bend Board of Public Works on various real estate, municipal finance and economic development matters, and as an attorney at a large law firm counseling corporate and municipal clients on various development, financing and planning matters.
 
In 2011, the Indiana Lawyer presented Shawn with the Leadership in Law - Up and Coming Lawyer award.
 
Shawn received his bachelor’s degree with high distinction from Indiana University (2000); and holds a J.D. from University of Notre Dame Law School.