Michael Mooney

As a Titan of industry what are some key strengths and unique selling points of your company and what do you believe sets your organization apart from your competition?

MLG Capital’s talented and tenured team is one of its strongest assets. Our principals alone have over 200 years of combined CRE experience – having navigated virtually every situation that one can experience in this industry. That expertise, combined with MLG’s fresh and focused talent – like our nine CPAs who bring an advanced tax skillset to our organization – has contributed to our proven success and strong national reputation. In addition, our firm has a deep commitment to transparency and ethics in everything we do. That dedication has been recognized time and again by investors and partners and continues to strengthen the relationships that drive our impact.

What excites you most about the future direction of your company or industry?

MLG has always been a leader in finding creative ways to invest in real estate and developing unique offerings that are advantageous to our investors. That consistent creativity excites me for MLG’s future as I know the firm is overflowing with talented team members who will continue to deliver new ideas and approaches. A recent example is MLG’s innovative, first-of-its-kind Legacy Fund, which offers owners of appreciated real estate assets a passive, tax-deferred and diversified exit strategy that avoids common pitfalls of other divesting options. It is a unique solution in the industry that acquired its first property in 2021 and has grown significantly to include more than $1.6 B of exited and estimated current value across 20 states, as of 6/30/2024*. *For active and pending investments, the Estimated Current Value is based on the Managing Member’s estimate of current value. Recent acquisitions are generally valued at the acquisition price. For pending investments, the Estimated Current Value is the acquisition price. Amounts for pending investments are estimates and may change. MLG Capital may still in the process of raising the equity for the pending investments.

Can you describe your company’s approach to corporate social responsibility, and how you are making a positive impact in your community or beyond?

The motto at MLG is “Making a Difference, While Making a Living” and that spirit rings true from the top down at the firm. MLG is actively involved in giving back to the community – donating time, talent and treasure to help those in need through our MLG Cares employee-led initiative. I 2023, MLG Cares annually dedicated over 300 hours of volunteer time per employee to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Hunger Task Force and Milwaukee Public Schools. In addition, MLG took its charitable mindedness to the next level in 2021 by launching a unique way for the firm’s investors and the company to create a greater impact. The “Making A Difference” Initiative (MAD) was created to provide entities and individuals the opportunity to invest in private real estate while using the returns as a means to contribute to charitable organizations focused largely on youth education and financial literacy in the greater Milwaukee area (a cause that has been close to the company since our founding). Investor participants elect a contribution program option in which a portion, or all, of their investment returns are redirected to the selected charitable organization, and MLG Capital has committed 100 percent of its profit share from MAD allocations to the charitable organizations. Based on MLG’s projections, commitments to the MAD Initiative have the potential to yield tens of millions of dollars for charity over the course of their fund life and, to date, investors have pledged over $13 million to the initiative.

Can you tell us about any upcoming product launches or innovations that you are particularly excited about?

MLG Capital’s history of innovation dates all the way back to our founding in 1987. From our roots in corporate brokerage and land development to our work today as a nationally recognized and ranked private equity real estate investment firm, the MLG team has consistently evolved and adapted to the changing real estate market. Over its tenure, the firm has successfully migrated to a diversified fund strategy, providing investors the opportunity to participate in portfolios of real estate assets rather than individual deals. Since that transition, MLG has emerged as a national player – eclipsing $7.2 billion in total market value, as of 6/30/2024. Their latest Fund, MLG Private Fund VI, is set to close late 2024 and anticipates a continuation in Funds to follow shortly after, and the team will continue to execute smart real estate deals that provide strong returns and value to our investors through the lens of believable and achievable assumptions. The firm also recently launched the unique Legacy Fund, which offers owners of appreciated real estate assets a passive, tax-deferred and diversified exit strategy that avoids common pitfalls of other divesting options.

Can you describe a recent accomplishment or milestone that your company achieved, and how it has positioned you for future success?

MLG Capital’s recent accomplishments are vast, but of note this year is the opening of a new office in Denver – marking our fourth location – and our recognition for the fourth consecutive year as an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Company. MLG has achieved significant and sustainable growth over the past several years, growing and launching new private real estate funds, expanding its team to more than 900 employees and continuing to identify and acquire smart real estate deals. As of 6/30/24, MLG Capital has active, exited or pending investments totaling approximately 47.6 million square feet of total space, which includes over 41,000 multifamily apartment units. Their portfolio has spanned across the U.S., into over 24 states, with exited and estimated current value exceeding $7.2 billion. 

How do you ensure that your company is attracting and retaining top talent, and fostering a positive and inclusive company culture?

MLG Capital is well known nationally for its strong company culture, which we intensely nurture each and every day. The firm was founded with the driving mission of “Making a Difference, While Making a Living” and a deep commitment to “Absolute Integrity.” That mission and commitment remains strong today and are two of the many attributes that differentiate MLG Capital from other real estate investment companies and help attract top talent. As a clear sign of the bonding effect of our corporate culture in this time of highly mobile workers, out of our 25 most recent hires we have lost only one person and that was due to the all-compelling draw of her becoming a full-time mother to her newborn. We are also proud of our diverse and talented team, which includes a number of individuals who have been honored regionally and nationally for their contributions. MLG Capital team members have been recognized as Multi-Housing News Rising Stars, GlobeSt. Multifamily Influencers, GlobeSt. Women of Influence, Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 awardees, Milwaukee Business Journal C-Suite awardees, Waukesha County Business Alliance Emerging Leaders and more. 

How do you ensure that your products or services are meeting the needs and expectations of your customers?

We have constant interaction with our investors, and we make it easy for them to get in touch with us through our intuitive and user-friendly investor portal. We also have a sizeable and tenured investor relations team that works hard to nurture relationships with our investor partners. Ultimately though it goes back to our principle of Absolute Integrity and, with that, total transparency to our investors. Our ethics, openness and transparency have built a foundation of trust and respect with our investors that permeates all that we do.