GOLDCREST FARM TRUST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Head of Acquisitions of the Mid - South Region
Brady Stanford is Head of Acquisitions of the Mid-South Region for Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors. Mr. Stanford is based in our Memphis, TN office and is responsible for sourcing and managing all farmland acquisitions in the region. Prior to joining Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors in 2016, Mr. Stanford has worked in investment management with Morgan Keegan and Duncan-Williams in Memphis, TN, and in commodity trading with Citi Smith Barney. Mr. Stanford is from Cleveland, MS and has been involved in farming and agriculture his entire life. He received a B.S. in Banking and Finance from Delta State University.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- COO
- Partner
- President
Edward Hargroves is a co-founder and Partner of Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors and serves on the Investment Committee. Mr. Hargroves is responsible for farmland property deal evaluation and execution, portfolio construction, capital markets, finance, fund management and administration, research and strategy and investor relations. Additionally, Mr. Hargroves is a co-founder of Vayda, a high-tech regenerative farming company. Vayda is focused on changing the paradigm of how food is produced. By facilitating the transition from conventional farming to high-tech regenerative farming practices that rebuild natural ecosystems, Vayda aims to produce food that is better for our planet, our people, and business. From 2008 to 2013, Mr. Hargroves was a senior analyst at two prominent hedge funds, SAC Capital Advisors and Duquesne Capital Management, where he primarily focused on research and investing in agricultural commodities markets. While at Duquesne, Mr. Hargroves worked for the team that co-founded AgCoA, the largest private farmland REIT in the United States, and which was sold to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Mr. Hargroves also worked in the Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets division at HSBC. Mr. Hargroves is a member of the Economic Club of New York. He received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Operations
John Tobin, CFA is the Director of Business Operations and is responsible for deal evaluation, portfolio construction and research. Prior to joining Goldcrest, Mr. Tobin was an Investment Manager at Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG), where he was responsible for valuation and managing the group's Investment Strategy Committee. Mr. Tobin has previously held investment analyst roles in public equities and fixed income at Manulife Asset Management. Mr. Tobin received a B.S. in Economics-Finance from Bentley University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Society Boston.
Job Titles:
- Southwest Regional Project Manager
- Western Project Manager
Jon Warkomski is the Southwest Regional Project Manager for Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors. Mr. Warkomski has 24 years of experience developing farm ground in the southwestern United States. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Agribusiness, with continuing education in the Texas A&M Executive Program for Ag Producers (TEPAP) program. In addition, Mr. Warkomski has farmed cotton, alfalfa, grain, and melons in Arizona.
Leita Hatcher is the Business Manager for Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors. Ms. Hatcher is based in our San Antonio, TX office and is responsible for managing finance, administration and bookkeeping, and investor reporting for the portfolio. Ms. Hatcher has managed numerous business operations from retail to construction, as well as a large, non-profit customer service platform. She received a B.A. in English from Austin College.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Region
- Vice President, PNW Regional Manager
Ross Farris is Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Region for Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors. Mr. Farris is based in our Nampa, ID office and is responsible for sourcing and managing all farmland acquisitions in the region. Prior to joining Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors in 2015, Mr. Farris served as Vice President for a regional agribusiness management and consulting firm, where he was responsible for sourcing farmland investment opportunities and managing due diligence and all farm management duties for his clients. Mr. Farris holds a B.B.A. in Business Management from Boise State University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Manager
- Vice President
Shane Bray is a Vice President and Senior Project Manager for Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors. Mr. Bray is based in Jonesboro, AR and is responsible for managing the development of over 28,000 acres in Arkansas and Arizona. Mr. Bray has managed farmland and development projects (to institutional grade levels) across 8 states, mostly in the south. Prior to joining Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors in 2017, Mr. Bray worked with an agricultural retailer in various sectors, including seed, pesticides, fertilizers, equipment and technology. He received a B.S. in Agribusiness from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, is a Certified Crop Advisor, and is pursuing accreditation with ASFMRA as an Accredited Farm Manager and Accredited Agricultural Consultant.
Steven Feldman is a co-founder and Chairman of Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors and Head of the Investment Committee. Mr. Feldman provides oversight of deals and the overall portfolio. Additionally, Mr. Feldman is a co-founder of Vayda, a high-tech regenerative farming company. Vayda is focused on changing the paradigm of how food is produced. By facilitating the transition from conventional farming to high-tech regenerative farming practices that rebuild natural ecosystems, Vayda aims to produce food that is better for our planet, our people, and business. Mr. Feldman is also a co-founder, Board Member and the Chief Executive Officer of Gold Bullion International, LLC, a leading physical precious metals asset management company which provides the physical precious metals platform for Merrill Lynch, UBS and various other prominent international wealth managers and banks. Prior to his roles at Gold Bullion International, LLC and Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors, Mr. Feldman was a partner at Goldman Sachs & Co., where he founded and served as the global head and Chief Investment Officer of Goldman Sachs Infrastructure Partners, overseeing a US$10 billion infrastructure fund focused on transportation and energy assets. Mr. Feldman also co-founded AGCOA, the largest private farmland REIT in the United States, which was eventually sold to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). In addition to his work in the financial markets, Mr. Feldman sits on the Board of Trustees for the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice and is the founder of The Penn Top Ten publishing franchise. Previously, Mr. Feldman was an associate attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Mr. Feldman holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from New York University Law School.