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Ephren W. Taylor II, Chairman & CEO
W. Emerson Brantley III, Director
Don McCarthy, Director
Phillip St.James, Director
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Ephren Taylor has been hailed internationally as a wunderkind of the business world due to his unparalled accomplishment of becoming the youngest African American CEO of any publicly-held company. He has become known as a "Market Maker," a �Wealth Engineer,� and in economic development circles as a �high-performance visionary with the ability to make things happen, when nobody else can.� Although this recognition has opened many opportunities that directly benefit the company, there is much more to the man than media soundbytes indicate.
Mr. Taylor�s unique insights and experience provide City Capital with the dynamics that are allowing the company to engage in quantum growth. Over the last decade or so, City Capital�s CEO has started several successful companies, raising millions in investment capital for their growth. He has established partnerships with corporate giants including Citigroup, Sprint, Target and Wal-Mart to create workable programs with impressive results. Today, his efforts have brought City Capital diversified holdings that include real estate development, financial interests, oil and gas production, and more � with no signs of slowing down.
Many of the unique investment and development concepts that have fueled City Capital�s growth were originated by Mr. Taylor, in fact, his strategies earned him recognition as Kansas Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002. Taylor combines a keen eye for successful projects with an understanding of the business processes and strategies needed to make them succeed. Mr. Taylor has been tireless in his efforts to bring together city leaders and economic development groups, forge beneficial relationships, and find new projects to grow the company.
Taylor was asked by the board of City Capital to take over the reins as CEO in Spring 2006, while the company was still a Business Development Company (BDC). Under Taylor�s leadership, City Capital immediately began expanding its vision to one of quantum growth. By the end of that first year the company had acquired the Kansas City Historic Jazz District properties and begun sales; acquired Goshen with 6 billion cubic feet of gas reserves, and was in final negotiations for the Peregrine Falcon subdivision property (in which the city provided the land, clearing and all infrastructure). Mr. Taylor also secured a $50,000,000 equity line agreement with Rochester-based Lucian Group, to help accelerate the company�s growth. In January 2007, City Capital shed its BDC status to be better prepared to take advantage of additional opportunities for expansion.
This record of accomplishment would be impressive for a man of 40�even 50 but Ephren Taylor is not yet 30.
From an early age Taylor hit the ground running and hasn�t let up since. He started his first company at age 12 developing video games. At 16, he won Microsoft�s Teen TechFest Challenge, and using $1,000 savings he started a job search engine for teens. A scholarship from the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership further honed his business skills.
He quickly grasped the need to raise capital for business expansion, and personally raised over $250,000 from investors to build a popular online job search engine for teens and college students. He grow the company into highly-successful GoFerretGo.com valued at over $3.4 million, at the time the #4 Teen-Run company in America (independently rated by YoungBiz Magazine).
This financed yet another new company, COC Ventures, a faith-based initiative that focused on creating dramatic financial returns for church congregations through community real estate investments. His unique "outside-the-box" approaches turned traditional real estate investing upside-down.
Taylor knew real estate could be an outstanding vehicle for corporate and individual financial growth, yet he realized that properly approached it could also restore value and hope into communities by providing affordable homes for working-class families. These investment concepts, which focused on Empowering Local Communities With Socially-Conscious Investing And Development, led to the 2002 Young Entrepreneur of the Year recognition. The same concepts and vision have guided the activities of several subsequent companies including today�s City Capital Corporation.
As a lecturer, teacher and mentor Ephren Taylor is in constant demand. His �Urban Wealth Tour� will visit 18 cities in 2007 and present his economic empowerment message to thousands across America, bringing together educational, non-profit and government leaders to create positive change in urban communities. Many new project opportunities have resulted, new local key contact relationships established, and new prospective investors attracted to the company through the Tour.
Taylor�s high-profile has opened many media opportunities that directly benefit the company. He is in demand as an expert guest on local and national television and radio shows including CNBC�s �Big Idea�, FOX News� �Your World with Neil Cavuto,� �Bulls and Bears,� the �Tom Joyner Morning Show� and the �Doug Banks Morning Show� and many others. He has served as keynote speaker for dozens of colleges and business organizations; as a frequent guest panelist for events such as the Wall Street Economic Summit and the Congressional Black Caucus, Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda and many others. More recently he launched a national weekly radio show, �The Soul of Success� on XM Satellite radio. Each week Taylor, with co-host Emerson Brantley and special guests, discuss timely issues on business, investing and entrepreneurism. Even more importantly, it exposes hundreds of thousands of people to the concepts of community-based growth, and expands City Capital�s reach nationally.
Unlike many �corporate powerhouse� CEOs, Taylor focuses on socially-conscious investing and development while making profits for his investors. His approach has been compared to a national non-profit, but as a profit-based enterprise City Capital is able to invest and reinvest in communities and projects across the country. Taylor�s message to young people from coast to coast is one of empowerment and self-sufficiency. Even as he delivers this message to standing-room-only audiences on his Urban Wealth Tour, he is opening doors of partnership and opportunity with municipal, state, community and corporate representatives in each city. The Tour will visit 18 cities across the country in the current year. Many new project opportunities have resulted, new local key contact relationships established, and new prospective investors attracted to the company through the Tour.
The nation�s oldest Historically Black College, Cheyney University, recently asked Mr. Taylor to create the Ephren W. Taylor II Entrepreneurship Institute, which will begin accepting students in early 2008. Taylor has authored several books including "How To Start A Company While Broke," "250 Tips For Real Estate Investing," "25 Myths of Stock Based Investing," and is currently finishing his autobiography, tentatively titled �The Soul Of Success.�
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Emerson Brantley brings impressive capabilities and solid credentials to the position of Chief Communications Officer for City Capital Corp. In addition to first-rate skills as communicator, he brings over 30 years of expertise and national success in marketing and business funding. Serving as a member of the senior management team for a publishing and training firm, his marketing campaigns propelled the company through 1500% growth, two Inc. 500 listings, a successful merger, and a �132,000,000 IPO. As City Capital expands its operations globally, Brantley�s vision and focus on quantum business growth combined with a broad business understanding will become a prime factor for ensuring long-term success.
As CEO of Web3Direct.com, a private business consulting firm, Mr. Brantley has guided dozens of clients in the U.S. and internationally, helping them target and maximize their marketing efforts, and find the funding resources needed to fuel their growth. Mr. Brantley has developed successful marketing strategies for companies as diverse as transportation giant Fruehauf; global shipping innovator Emery Worldwide; industrial coatings manufacturer Bronz-Glow; real estate seminar and training trendsetter International Media Holdings; America's oldest non-profit organization American Forests and others. In addition, Emerson has worked closely with the national offices of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, and many other organizations. He has masterminded thousands of successful print, mail, online, radio and television campaigns, including the longest-running lead-generating television infomercial ever aired, generating millions of sales nationwide for the �Cash Flow Generator� real estate course.
In addition to his position with City Capital, Brantley serves on the board of an international funding group in the United Kingdom. Brantley has utilized his network of funding sources to provide City Capital with direct access to funding partners, and is directly involved in the quantum growth of the company. Mr. Brantley has actively been involved in the company�s rapid expansion into new markets. He helped redefine and target the prospective client base to maximize profits, and developed City Capital�s unique position statement of �Socially-Conscious Investing To Empower Urban Communities.�
Early to recognize the appeal of Mr. Taylor as the �Youngest African-American CEO of Any Public Company,� as well as the value of creating a socially-conscious company, Mr. Brantley developed extensive public relations and media programs beginning in early 2006. These campaigns not only built a groundswell of interest in the company and initiated dozens of media interviews; they also opened many invitations from local communities to engage in discussions on specific projects. As designated company spokesman, Brantley is empowered to speak on behalf of City Capital and Ephren Taylor whether to the media or before investor groups across the country. Mr. Brantley also serves as co-host with Mr. Taylor on City Capital�s weekly XM Satellite Radio show, �The Soul of Success,� on Family Radio XM170. The program gives the company a national forum to introduce itself and its projects to prospective city partners and investors. Most recently, his national campaign to promote Capital�s Credit-Investor Program has brought in hundreds of prospective investors.
Mr. Brantley received his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Florida State University in 1976, and holds international professional listings in Who's Who of Business Leaders Worldwide and Certified Marketing Executives. He has served on many civic, business and non-profit boards, including as Past President of Sales & Marketing Executives.
Emerson has written or co-authored several business books: "The Maxims of Marketing," "Internet Profits Now;" "How It Gets Done," "21 Secrets of Real Estate Millionaires;" as well as many courses, manuals, sales pieces, and guest feature articles.
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Donald R. McCarthy brings a vast resource of international trade, business development and government relations expertise to City Capital Corporation. He served for fifteen years as the Barbados Consul to the United States and for nine years as the Senior Business Development Manager for the Barbados Tourism Authority. Working with both government and private entities he skillfully developed mutually-beneficial relationships in trade and international investment. As a member of the City Capital team, McCarthy�s unique international business expertise and leadership skills play a key role in advising and guiding company expansion into third world development and international petroleum business.
As Consul for Barbados his direct responsibilities included overseeing all consular affairs, trade and investments; advising U.S. corporations and investors on offshore banking and investment opportunities in Barbados; maintained relationships with state Mayoral and Gubernatorial offices, as well as with the U.S. State Department and Office of Protocol, and with regional of state and federal U.S. law enforcement offices.
Mr. McCarthy has served on numerous international boards, including as Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Chairman of the Marine and Ecological Research Foundation. He has also served as a Director of Ramnat Financial Group and for Distinctive Luxury Vacations; the Greater Los Angeles World Trade Center Association and the Los Angeles Diplomatic Corps, among others.
An internationally-recognized expert on international tourism, trade, international marketing and the Caribbean Basin Initiative, he is a highly sought-after lecturer at major universities, including Pepperdine University�s MBA program, the University Of Austin, Stanford University; and business organizations such as Pan Am Airlines at their Annual Sales Conference and various Caribbean Tourism Organization Seminars.
Mr. McCarthy brings an intimate understanding of the processes and requirements for successful development in the Caribbean. City Capital has already been approached by governments in the region in need of affordable housing for their citizens. Mr. McCarthy�s extensive experience helps City Capital avoid many of the obstacles faced by other developers in the area, and better equips the Company as it expands internationally.
After completing his Bachelors and Masters of Business Administration at the Western States University in Fullerton, CA, McCarthy continued his postgraduate education and training at Pace University, University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity, and other specialized programs worldwide.
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Phillip St. James� early training was in computer science, but after receiving his Masters in Business Management left the world of IT to find ways of marrying corporate wealth with social outreach. He followed his heart into an entirely new career in the field of international outreach missions and corporately-sponsored social programs. His achievements in this area have been no less impressive.
First working as Community Affairs Representative, and later as Vice President Of Domestic Programs, for Heart-To-Heart International in Kansas City, MO, in 2000 St. James assumed management duties over U.S. Corporate Relations for Aventis Pharmaceuticals at their North American Headquarters. In 2006 he was appointed U.S. Manager for Corporate Giving and Philanthropy for sanofi-aventis, Europe�s largest (and the world's third largest) pharmaceutical company, where he specializes in corporately-sponsored social and community programs.
He brings an outstanding understanding of the management and logistic requirements of complex operations in an international marketplace, as well as a keen understanding of how to meet the needs of individuals and communities in a cost-effective way, with long-lasting results. Mr. St. James possesses the unique combination of a brilliant mind and a compassionate heart. This combination of business skills and humanitarian passion that live in Phillip St. James make him an ideal member of the City Capital team. Mr. St. James has been instrumental in structuring many of City Capital�s initiatives in �Socially-Conscious Investing To Empower Urban Communities.�
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