Meet The Game Changers
OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM
August Wolf
Founder and CEO
August founded Opportunity CRE to provide a model of immediate diversity impact in the CRE industry, specifically in title. He is a lifelong fighter for equal opportunity, transparency, excellence, and a believer in the power of diversity, sport-like team culture, and data. After a career in diverse track & field (1984 Olympian, 2-time National Champion), he founded several organizations offering financial support to nearly 100 mostly diverse college graduates training for the Olympic Games.
Upon retirement from the sport, August launched a 20+ year career at various investment banks (Kidder Peabody, Deutsche Bank, Lazard, Credit Suisse) and later entered the commercial title world, where he participated in over $5B of closings. August was also a 20-year board member of ESOP CAT reinsurance brokerage firm Holborn and was a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016. He graduated with a BA from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with a minor in Near Eastern Studies.
Jonathan Speed
Operations and Finance
With a career spanning over 35 years at Fortune 1000 financial and accounting firms (Manufactures Hanover Trust, Citibank, EY) and numerous Bay Area early-stage technology companies, Jonathan Speed specializes in building out business development, finance, and operations organizations. Within these organizations, Mr. Speed developed dynamic diversity and inclusion programs designed to engage employees, build talent pipelines—and drive business innovation and revenues.
Having served as a senior finance executive, company founder, and board member (for profits and not for profits), Mr. Speed works inclusively across business units to develop strategic plans and leverage and optimize organizational and administrative resources to meet business and diversity goals and objectives. Over his career, Mr. Speed completed over $15B in financial transactions.
Mr. Speed is building a comprehensive DEI program at Opportunity CRE—to create the most diverse agency in the industry, creating unique opportunities with strategic partners to increase the industry’s talent pipeline. He is also a venture partner at Waterman Ventures and a Coach at Alchemist Accelerator, where he also chairs the organization’s Memphis Hub advisory board and oversees a minority entrepreneurship initiative.
He received a BA in Political Science at Brown University and an MA in Military History from Norwich University. Mr. Speed serves on several boards, including the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection (Brown University), the Episcopal Impact Fund (San Francisco), the steering committee of the CFO Leadership Council, and the board of governors on Brown University’s Inman Page Council. Mr. Speed is emeritus trustee of The Corporation of Brown University and the San Francisco Housing Development Corporation. He is an advisory board member to five early-stage companies.
Jessica Figueroa
National Underwriting Counsel
Jessica started her legal career as a paralegal and did the hard work required to become an attorney in the State of New York. For 15+ years she has worked closely with attorneys and lenders, as well as borrowers, buyers, and sellers, to clear complex New York and national commercial and residential title issues. Her experience includes serving as Senior National Underwriting Counsel for Commonwealth Land Title Insurance, WFG, and earlier as Underwriting Officer for Title Vest and First American Title Insurance Company.
Jessica earned a BA at Hofstra University, and a J.D. from New York Law School. She is licensed to practice law in the State of New York. As a Hispanic professional, the mission-driven nature of Opportunity CRE, focused on underwriting excellence, as well as opportunity, inclusion, and sponsorship to diverse professionals in title insurance, made joining Opportunity a natural fit.