Managing Principal and Founder

Rich Harris is a managing principal and founder of Newport Venture Capital. Rich has 20 years of experience arranging financing for real estate projects. The more than $3 billion in real estate financings he has completed include joint-ventures, mezzanine debt, construction loans, participating mortgages, highly-structured debt and long-term mortgages.

Prior to founding Newport Venture Capital in 1996, Rich was a national director, Structured Finance, for GE Capital. He was responsible for originating, structuring and marketing tax-exempt bond financings for income-producing properties located throughout the United States. In addition, as head of asset management for the western U.S., he was responsible for restructuring under-performing joint-ventures, direct investments and leveraged debt financings. From 1989-1991, he was director of finance for Hopkins Real Estate Group in Newport Beach, Calif., arranging debt and equity financing for the firm's retail and office properties. Prior to Hopkins, he held various corporate finance and real estate lending positions with Wells Fargo Bank and Bank of America in San Francisco.

Rich has served as a board member of Riva Historical Society (Milan, Italy), Riva Club USA and Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, and as a trustee of the University of California Foundation. He is an active member of various real estate and finance associations. Rich received his bachelor of science degree from the University of California, Davis and is a licensed real estate broker. He is an avid tennis player and enjoys vintage wooden boats and international travel.