- Bral M. Spight / President and CEO
- Lee Reid Jr. / CFO and Treasurer
- Dennis Deer / VP for Workforce Development and Community Outreach
- John Dallas / Strategic Advisor
- Jeffrey Kuta / Chief Counsel
- Carl Spight, Ph.D. / Chief Technical Officer
- Dorine Poole Office Manager
- Tiffany Chinn Administrative Staff
- Willie Brown Operations Technician
- Shannon Hunt Operations Technician
- Shawn Johnson Operations Technician
- John Evans Operations Technician
Bral M. Spight / President and CEO
Throughout his career, Bral Spight has advanced an understanding of the intersection of public, private, and civic interests in the development of mixed-use urban areas. He is also Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Initiative at City Colleges of Chicago.
Spight was previously Chief of Staff with the Public Building Commission of Chicago, a $350-million enterprise charged with developing new police, fire, library, and education projects. He has been a developer with Joseph Freed and Associates as well as with SIVIC Real Estate, LLC, a firm he established in 2002 to pursue retail and mixed-use urban development projects. His first exposure to non-traditional agricultural concepts was as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company.
Spight holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business. top
Lee Reid Jr. / CFO and Treasurer
Lee Reid's expertise includes strategic development, urban planning, architectural design, and construction and facilities management, as well as extensive work on sustainable projects, including greenhouses. Reid has directed innovative commercial and residential projects that support communities through the strategic development of affordable housing, local businesses, infrastructure improvements, and related training and employment opportunities. He is also President of Revere Properties, LLC, specializing in real estate development, architectural design, construction, and facility management.
Previously, Reid was Senior Project Manager for Mesirow-Stein Real Estate Services and has served as Director of Development for the Habitat Company and Senior Project Manager for United Airlines. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the American Planners Association, and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. top
Dennis Deer / Vice President for Workforce Development and Community Outreach
Having witnessed firsthand the effects of gangs, drugs, and other social issues in the West Side Chicago neighborhood where he was raised, Dennis Deer has devoted his career to working with disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations, developing training and counseling programs to support positive life choices. He is also President of Deer Rehab Services Inc. and Law Enforcement Family Training Services, which offer training, curriculum design, and consulting services. The author of several books, he has conducted leadership, diversity, psychology, and conflict-resolution courses for the Cook County Sheriff's Training Institute, and has led trainings for schools, jails, and law-enforcement agencies across the country.
Deer has worked with state and county government to craft public policy and legislation around issues of domestic violence and rehabilitation and employment of formerly incarcerated individuals. He holds an MS in Rehabilitation Psychology and a BS in Elementary/Special Education from Jackson State University and a Doctor of Christian Psychology degree from Agape International Institute. top
John Dallas / Strategic Advisor
In addition to his role as Urbaponics Strategic Advisor, John Dallas is CEO and Chief Alignment Officer for Hillview Partners Network LLC, a pacesetting executive coaching and consulting firm. Previously, Dallas served as president of five technology-based service companies in New York; Washington, DC; and Chicago. He also served as President and CEO of Chicago Title Credit.
Dallas currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Leadership in the Arts Certificate Program of the University of Chicago Graham School and is a frequent guest lecturer at DePaul University and for companies, associations, and professional organizations around the country, and as chair and moderator of the Chicago Thought Leadership Forum at the Gleacher Center. top
Jeffrey Kuta / Chief Counsel
Formerly a partner with Holland and Knight, Jeffrey Kuta is widely recognized in the field of affordable housing and community investment, finance, and development. In his work, Kuta brings together real-estate law and mortgage finance, equity syndications, partnerships and joint ventures, securities law, and tax law. He has pioneered legal techniques adopted by the tax credit syndication industry and is active in bar association, civic, and governmental work on affordable housing and community development. Kuta's practice includes tax credits, other government assistance and debt financing of real estate, and business development in large urban and smaller, low-income areas. Kuta maintains a private practice in addition to his responsibilities with UrbanPonics. top
Carl Spight, Ph.D./ Chief Technical Officer
Dr. Carl Spight provides leadership, technical management and direct services in all areas of hydroponic system monitoring, control systems operations, and technology infrastructure support (including information technology and data communications). He has more than 40 years of experience in both high-technology industry and university positions. Most recently was Chief Information Officer (CIO) and executive assistant to the president of Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Chicago. Dr. Spight holds a Ph.D. from Princeton Universtiy in astrophysical sciences and an electrical engineering degree from Purdue University. top
