Biography

Joseph A. Fleming, CFA (“Joe”) is a Principal, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of B.E. Blank & Company. He is a seasoned financial executive with more than eighteen years of well-rounded financial experience.

In 2000, Joe joined PwC as an assurance associate in his hometown of Memphis, and later received an early promotion to senior associate in PwC’s Las Vegas office. It was there that Joe met the work requirements to receive his CPA designation. In 2004, Joe joined the Inland Group in Chicago, where his purview expanded to cover finance. As VP of Finance, he was instrumental in financing a $8 billion real estate portfolio. Emerging from the credit crisis in 2008, he led efforts to refinance 65% of the fund’s debt during 2009 and 2010, closing only the second CMBS transaction since the start of the great recession. Joe also managed internal operations reporting, loan servicing, budget and forecasting, and institutional investor relations. In 2011, Joe was recruited to Cincinnati to serve as VP of Finance at Phillips Edison & Co. (PECO), a real estate fund manager focused on growing through the REIT fund structure. Joe was able to make an immediate impact in setting public-company standards for financial reporting, controls, operations, forecasting and valuations. PECO ultimately raised $1.7 billion in its first REIT fund, and Joe led structuring efforts and launched its second REIT fund before his departure. Most recently Joe served as Chief Financial Officer of a rapidly growing real estate developer. He oversaw all financial and administrative aspects and assisted in strategic planning and execution related to the firm’s transformation from a $50 million family-owned company to a $200 million employee-owned enterprise. Joe focused on raising and structuring debt and equity capital, and managed all matters related to accounting operations, finance, HR, IT, risk management, asset management and investor relations.

Joe holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, graduating magna cum laude in 1999, and was named to the Dean’s List for seven semesters. During his undergraduate studies, Joe was one of only eight business-major students selected to attend Notre Dame’s London program in the fall semester of 1997. Joe also holds a Master’s in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame, graduating with high honors in 2000. Joe was awarded a full academic scholarship for this program, and was elected president of his class. Joe also holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), which he has held since 2012. During his time in Cincinnati, Joe was an active community service leader, in large part, through his efforts with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati.