Craig A. Spencer is the Chairman & CEO of Arden Group, established in 1989 as a fully integrated real estate company focusing on acquiring, developing and managing high quality real estate assets in the top 25 U.S. MSAs. The company has purchased and developed more than $7+ billion of real estate consisting of industrial properties, office buildings, full-service, resort and luxury branded condominiums. Arden’s asset management group has managed more than $12+ billion in assets.
Mr. Spencer is the Principal of Arden Fund Management, LLC which operates Arden’s discretionary real estate equity and debt funds. Under Mr. Spencer’s leadership, Arden Group launched its private equity fund management business in 2012 with its flagship equity funds. In 2016, Arden Group augmented its equity business with the launching of Arden Credit Fund, an investment fund that originates and acquires performing loans and preferred equity backed by a diversified portfolio of high-quality commercial and multifamily real estate in primary markets in the United States. Arden launched its Opportunity Zone business in 2019 with a focus on multifamily and student housing in top U.S. markets. Finally, Arden launched Arden Digital Ventures in 2022 focused on investments in property related technologies (“Prop-tech”). Arden Fund Management has raised in excess of $2 billion and in 2017, 2018, and 2019 was ranked #1 Globally by Preqin as the Most Consistent Fund Manager for all funds, all strategies and as the Top Performing Private Real Estate Fund in 2020.
In addition to leading Arden Group, Mr. Spencer has participated in several non‐real estate ventures including the acquisition and subsequent sale of Admiralty Bank to Royal Bank of Canada in February 2003. He was also a founding board member of Anchor Commercial Bank based in Palm Beach, Florida. Mr. Spencer was Founder/Co‐Owner with Jon Bon Jovi of the Philadelphia Soul Arena Football Team, helping the team become the 2008 World Champions. Messrs. Spencer and Bon Jovi in 2006 established and are the Co‐Chairmen of the JBJ Soul Charitable Foundation, which has provided 700 housing units along with educational programs to homeless men and women and veterans. The Foundation through its Soul Kitchens has served over 500,000 meals.
Mr. Spencer attended the University of Florida and earned a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. Craig is a licensed attorney who specialized in real estate, banking and bankruptcy law. He is a Research Sponsor and frequent guest lecturer at the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and serves on the Georgia State School of Law Board of Visitors.
Footnotes :
- 2017 was ranked #1 Globally by Preqin as the Most Consistent Fund Manager for all funds, all strategies
- Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers for 2017 was published in the 2017 Alternative Assets Performance Monitor. Preqin’s performance rankings are measured by net IRR. Arden Fund Management tied for #1 ranking in Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers. No compensation was provided by Arden in connection with obtaining this ranking.
- 2018 was ranked #1 Globally by Preqin as the Most Consistent Fund Manager for all funds, all strategies
- Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers for 2018 was published in the 2018 Alternative Assets Performance Monitor. Preqin’s performance rankings are measured by net IRR. Arden Fund Management tied for #1 ranking in Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers. No compensation was provided by Arden in connection with obtaining this ranking
- 2019 was ranked #1 Globally by Preqin as the Most Consistent Fund Manager for all funds, all strategies
- Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers for 2019 was published in the 2019 Global Real Estate League Tables. Preqin’s performance rankings are measured by net IRR. Arden Fund Management tied for #1 ranking in Preqin’s rankings for the Most Consistent Top Performing Closed-End Private Real Estate Fund Managers. No compensation was provided by Arden in connection with obtaining this ranking.
- 2020 was listed as a Preqin Top Performing Private Real Estate Fund
- Preqin’s rankings for the Top Performing Private Real Estate Fund for 2020 was published in the 2020 Global Real Estate League Tables. Preqin’s performance rankings measured by net IRR. No compensation was provided by Arden in connection with obtaining this ranking.