MEET THE ALPHA REAL ESTATE SUMMIT ORGANIZERS

 

Arthur L. Fleming
Summit Founder, Fleming Connections

Arthur L. Fleming has almost 40 years of results-driven experience in an array of leadership positions in financial services, housing finance, land use law, and academia. Recently retired as a senior executive with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Arthur is the owner and principal of Fleming Connections. Fleming Connections is a consulting firm with expertise in CRA, community lending, public/private partnerships, financing structures, land use law, urban planning, etc.

As Senior Vice President and Director of Community Investment Services for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta), Arthur was the FHLBank Atlanta’s community investment officer and was a member of the FHLBank Atlanta’s executive management committee, and other committees including credit and collateral; diversity and inclusion; and chair of the community investment committee. Arthur leads and manages FHLBank Atlanta’s community investment, economic development, and affordable housing businesses, products and services.

Arthur provided the strategic, executive, technical, and hands-on leadership for nearly a billion dollars of subordinate debt and real estate equity portfolio consisting of over $6 billion in development and approximately 200,000 units of rental and ownership housing. Before joining FHLBank Atlanta, Arthur was the Chief Lending & Investment Officer for the Opportunity Finance Network, Inc., (OFN). Prior to OFN, Arthur served as the Senior Director for the Southeast Region and Director of Housing Finance for the Fannie Mae Foundation. In this role Arthur leveraged his significant background in nonprofit development and finance by working with local developers in providing both operational and real estate capital.

Arthur is a frequent speaker at events typically delivering over 25 public presentations annually at industry conferences and forums. Mr. Fleming is the recipient of many awards in recognition of his contributions to the affordable housing industry, including being honored by the Governor of Florida and by the Palm Beach County Commission. Arthur has served on many boards including the Martin Luther King Washington DC Memorial Foundation.

He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University in 1981, a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning in 1984 and a Law (JD) degree from the University of Florida in 1985. Florida State University recognized Arthur in 2019 as one of their “Grads Made Good” and Arthur was appointed to the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees. Arthur is a life member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

 

Thomas A. Tatum
Summit Founder, Tatum Endeavor Group

Thomas A. Tatum – The Tatum Endeavor Group, LLC – Born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, Thomas A. Tatum is a 1983 graduate of Clark College, (now Clark-Atlanta University).  Upon his graduation from Clark, he was selected as a Teaching Mission Intern at the Africa Literature Centre in Kitwe, Zambia.  In 1991, Thomas graduated from the University of Akron with a master’s in urban planning.

The City of Akron, Ohio has employed Thomas since October 1989.  In May of 2023, Thomas was appointed as Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Akron.   Previously, he served as Division Manager for the Department of Neighborhood Services.   Thomas has also worked as Housing Rehabilitation, Senior City Planner with several neighborhood-planning initiatives including the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout the city.  Thomas was appointed by Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic to serve on the Summit County Abandoned & Vacant Property Task Force.  Thomas excels in community development, project planning & evaluation and leadership development. He retired from the City of Akron at the end of 2023 to pursue other opportunities.

Thomas serves on the boards for Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc. (www.alphahomes.org).  He is credited as a Co-Executive Producer for the PBS Emmy winning documentary, “An Answer from Akron”, which discusses the history of Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc. He served as Chairman for the 2018 Development, Revitalization and Private Public Partnership Conference to be held in Akron in October. Thomas has also served on the National Alumni Board for the University of Akron.  Mr. Tatum served as the Chairman for the Board of the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning Organization (NEFCO).  Mr. Tatum also serves as an Advisor to the Akron Realtists Association. Thomas is a Board member of the Development Fund of the Western Reserve.  Mr. Tatum served as the Headquarters Commission Chairman for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  He also serves as the Executive Advisor for Community Development Advisor to the General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Dr. Willis W. Lonzer III.  Thomas is also co-creator of the Alpha Real Estate Summit scheduled for January, 2024, (www.alpharealestatesummit.com).

Thomas volunteers several community organizations including Event Chairman for the 2008-12 & 2019 Akron Area March of Dimes March for Babies. Mr. Tatum is a two-time recipient of the President’s Award (2010 & 2011) for the March of Dimes; over the past few years Tatum and his team helped contribute to the raising of over $500,000.  Tatum has received local recognition receiving the 2009 University of Akron Greek Alumni Service Award and the 2009 Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for Service in Government.  A member of the Leadership Akron Class of 2000, Thomas is an active public speaker about leadership, community and economic development, and community empowerment through research, education and courage. Thomas is the recipient of the 2014 March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award of Excellence. Thomas has been selected as a recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award for the University of Akron, Office of Multicultural Development.  In 2018, Thomas launched the Tatum Endeavor Group, LLC, specializing in community, economic and leadership development consulting. In January of 2024, Thomas was co-creator of the Real Estate and Development Summit held in Nashville, Tennessee.

Of all his titles, the most important are Son to the late Thomas and Bertha Tatum, Brother to the late Timothy A. Tatum, Husband to the former Milistine Delaney, and Father to Lauren Selena and Thomas II.

 

Deirdra Cox
Summit Organizer, Community Sustainability Enterprise

Deirdra Cox is Founder and President of Community Sustainability Enterprise (CSE). Her 30+ years of CRA Community Development banking and Affordable Housing lending experience equipped has her with the leadership, vision, passion, a circle of influence and depth of knowledge needed to launch CSE in Metro Atlanta in 2016 and expand her community and economic development thought leadership throughout the Southeast.
 
Deirdra’s uncanny knack to forge impactful collaborative partnerships, that drive local community development efforts, has resulted in multiple cross-collaborative partnerships across the state of Georgia, between current CSE clients and several Fortune 500 companies. CSE’s evidence-based program model transforms the socioeconomic trajectory of low income/high potential families, one generation at a time, through the following “success service” pillars: Mental and Physical Wellness, Educational Attainment, Financial Capability, Workforce Development and Career Advancement, Entrepreneurship.
 
Deirdra’s Level 5 Leadership style, makes her the ideal Community & Economic Development Strategist, for organizations and entities looking to develop long term business and community development strategies that will positively impact families, businesses and communities in a way that will shift the socioeconomic trajectory of America. Deirdra and the CSE team provide Community & Economic Development Coaching to leaders and their teams, who want to make a difference in how they incorporate their local communities into their corporate growth strategy. Deirdra also supports local and national 501c3’s in their cross-collaborative program development, implementation, and funding efforts.
 
Deirdra is a pioneer in the banking industries CRA-Community Development landscape. Deirdra’s innovative community development efforts resulted in the development and implementation of the first “School-Based Public-Private Partnership” (SBPPP) in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), which produced two full-service financial services centers inside of Meadowcreek and Central Gwinnett High School’s in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Her collaborative efforts have provided access, exposure, and experience to over 17,000 youth and adults to CSE’s “success pillars.” Deirdra’s long term goal for CSE, is an expansion of the CSE cross-collaborative program model across the United States while impacting local and national policy in the Community and Economic Development landscape, too ensure that next level self-sufficiency and socioeconomic wellness are tangible goals for every human being and community.