Robert Williams offers more than a decade of experience specific in the areas of residential mortgage lending, real estate sales, non-profit housing/development and project management. With a reputation for creating innovative ideas in non-profit development and creating systems and processes that allow an organization to move forward and implement their plans, Robert brings valuable insight on how to execute and reach the desired goals of a non-profit organization.

 

Beginning his professional career in retail banking, Robert became increasingly interested in residential lending.
his interest grew into a strong desire to assist first time home buyers and those in the affordable housing market.  Robert’s curiosity for this niche in housing allowed him to transition from branch manager to loan officer to running a start-up mortgage brokerage. While developing these specific lines of business, it allowed Robert to cultivate relationships with a network of local professionals who specialized in real estate lending and sales, business lending, City developers and non-profit housing organizations.  

 

While employed at Columbus Housing Partnership (Homeport), Robert completed his Master’s degree in Marketing
& Communications. His studies in marketing and communications augmented his natural innovative abilities.  Robert used these skills to craft several inventive methods that the organization initiated:

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• Neighborhood Signage- While working in a specified neighborhood contained within several side streets, Robert noticed that there was nothing visible to demarcate the area.  Robert penned a proposal to develop signage to put at the gateway of the community. A grant was written to obtain funds to get temporary signage. This in turn developed into a permanent stone signage structure, and the redevelopment and landscaping of the green space the signage stood on. The signage and green space now functions as a small pocket park and is maintained by Columbus Housing Partnership and the area residents.

 

• You Build It Program- Robert noticed that on their rehabilitated homes, one major obstacle with buyers was that they did not have the ability to make any selections of the finishes on their property. This was an advantage that new build competitors had over the homes that his organization sold.  Robert created a program that allowed prospective buyers to have selection options on their home. This made buyers more engaged throughout the construction process, and less likely to leave and purchase from new build competitors.

 

• Sales Presentations- A main component of Columbus Housing Partnership is their Home Buyer Education course. This educational course is where perspective buyers learn about the home buying process. At this time, the organization did not present to the classes about the homes that were available for purchase through the organization. Robert used his persuasive abilities to show his supervisor as well as the supervisor of the Home Buyer Education Course Program the benefits to the organization if they were to present to the students in the class.  Robert gained permission to create a presentation, and became the facilitator of this demonstration to upcoming classes. This presentation allowed the organization to capitalize on a natural source of potential purchasers, and keep some class participants as in-house buyers.

 

When hired by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Robert was charged with heading up their non-profit housing initiative. The goal was to revitalize 40 square blocks of residential housing which at the time had less than a 25% owner occupancy rate. From scratch, Robert developed housing acquisition strategies, created cost and development tracking applications, building specifications, and interviewed and hired general contractors.  Robert further developed his negotiating skills in brokering housing purchases, general contractor contracts and home sales purchase agreements. Robert also developed marketing strategies, such as signage, the template for the Healthy Homes website and multiple presentations for home sales and to increase the overall visibility of Healthy Homes to other organizations. The success of the organization’s initiative has led to Healthy Homes partnering with another non-profit, South Side Renaissance, to project manage their housing initiative. The initial success of the organization also led to them being able to secure over $1.5 million dollars from the City of Columbus of federal funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.  Robert has managed over 60 rehab and new build projects, as well as close to 75 owner-occupied home repair projects, and sold over 60 homes.  Adept with dealing with neighborhood civic associations, area commissions, and a wide array of other local organizations and individuals, Robert has become extremely proficient in communicating effectively with a diverse group of companies and people. For his career efforts at Nationwide Children’s Robert was nominated for induction into the 2014 edition of  ‘Who’s Who in Black Columbus’. In May of 2017, Robert accepted an opportunity back into banking at First Federal Bank. Robert will focus on small business and community development, using all of his experience in the non-profit sector to strengthen community/banking relationships.

 

Robert lives in Columbus, Ohio with his two teenage children, Devin and Aleighna, infant daughter Elle, and his wife Jessica.  Robert has a passion for sports and stays active with cross fitness, weight training, and attending his children’s sporting activities.  With a bachelor’s degree in English from The Ohio State University, Robert has always had an affinity for writing and reading.  Robert also has had a lifelong interest in classic cars, and is perpetually restoring his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.