Mission & Vision

Mr. Maxwell is responsible and accountable for the overall operations and management of 1ST Urban’s overall strategic directions, priorities and monitoring the performance of the company as well as the performance of each project.

Prior to merging his 30 years of experience to 1st Urban Community Development, Mr. Maxwell was an Executive Vice President of 24 Asset Management, LLC, a company focused on third-party asset management. He has Partner responsibilities for managing daily operations, client relationships and developing new business opportunities for the company. 

Prior to joining 24 Asset Management, Mr. Maxwell was Senior Vice President of Executive Asset Management and President of a consultant company called Asset Serve Management where he led efforts to increase the minority lending practices of several mortgage companies by building start up multicultural lending divisions, introducing sales and operational disciplines throughout the organizations, developing strategic plans for partnerships with various participants. His clients included, Washtenaw Mortgage Company, Allied Mortgage Group, Maverick Residential Mortgage, First Guaranty Mortgage, Net Bank, SMI Mortgage and Prime Lending, to name a few.

Mr. Maxwell worked for Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) for 12 plus years initially as a Team Leader, then Sales Manager and eventually promoted to a National Director. As Director of Marketing, Single Family Mortgage Business, he was responsible for developing and leading the company’s sales and marketing efforts with the underserved lenders. His efforts included attending and sponsoring ten national and regional conferences with local and national trade groups. He also increased business opportunities for trusted advisors and lenders by delivering an estimated of $4.5 billion in loan production (27,000 loans). Under his supervision his team achieved the following, successfully disposed of over 21,000 REO properties with an estimate in value of over $1 Billion, reduced credit losses to $70 million exceeding goal of below $130 million and reducing aged inventory from 10% to less than 5% of listed inventories.

As Director of Partnership Office, Mr. Maxwell was responsible for developing long-term investment plan estimated value of $7 billion over five years to expand Fannie Mae capacity to deliver products and services supporting the housing priorities in the communities we served. He also leveraged private and public funds, identified, and created low to moderate income mortgage products. As well as establishing and maintaining relationships with non-profit organizations, lenders, and public officials that addressed the housing needs of their underserved communities.

Education:

Mr. Maxwell holds a BBA from Northwood University, with a major in Business Administration, Management. He has also completed the Northlake Colleges and Commercial College- Texas Association of Realtors.

Organization Memberships

Mr. Maxwell is a former National Football League and Canadian Football League Player. He is an active member of the National Football League Alumni. He is actively involved in community service, with the NFL Alumni. He is also active with various trade groups such as NAACP, NAREB, AREAA, NAHREP, NREBA, NAR, and National Urban League. He is a well-known public speaker who is often sought to be a keynote speaker at many conferences. Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) – Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Alfreda Nickelson organized Almagest Construction, Inc. in 1976 after graduating from University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) and furthering her education in Civil Engineering at OSU. Nickelson’s first assignment as a General Contractor was in the Highway construction industry for ODOT (Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation) specializing in guardrail, right-away fencing and highway fencing and further her expertise in building roads, bridges, airport runways and infrastructure Projects.  As a General Contractor in the 80’s Nickelson became a member of AGC (Associated General Contractors) OKC Chapter, which was unheard of being a minority female in the construction industry. 

Ms. Nickelson first 3 projects was financed by a local minority bank in Oklahoma City, and three years later the local bank terminated funding, which left her to seek funding elsewhere.  The availability of funds became very difficult, and the state contracts paid net 30, but that did not stop her, Nickelson diversified her portfolio with a variety of construction projects to include fast food chains, stores, a wide variety of private commercial projects that paid upon completion.  She moved into other emerging markets and became a nationwide/international entrepreneur.  As a federal, state, and local government consultant recruiting minority and female contractors into the highway industry with SBA (8a) program, US dept. of Commerce and others.  Nickelson relocated to Dallas Texas in the late 80’s and was awarded the first DART Light rail project for Hensel Phelps, Austin, Texas. 

Ms. Nickelson has built up a pipeline of relationships over the last 40 years in the Construction and real estate community development industry, in cultural communities nationwide, due to major and local banks ceased funding for minority entrepreneurs. Clients began contacting Ms. Nickelson requesting funding for their projects nationwide and international, which she has been successful in assisting and mentoring clients the last 4 decades.  It is in her heart to help move most of the minority business forward in meeting their business goals.

EDUCATION 

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION – UCO - MARKETING/ FINANCE 

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY – OSU – CIVIL ENGINEER – MASTER STUDIES 

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA – OU – CIVIL ENGINEER URBAN PLANNING- MASTER STUDIES 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS 

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority  

Associated General Contractors of America – Minority Contractors Association

Horatious Harris is a serial entrepreneur that launched his national management consulting firm in 1996 after receiving his Electrical  

Engineering degrees from Tuskegee University in 1991 and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in 1994, Bachelors and Masters,  

respectively. However, it was in 2003 he pivoted to his passion of real estate by starting Sovereign Principles, LLC. It is in this organization  

that he begin exploring with viable construction options of modular homes as well as typical stick-build for single-family residential  

construction. The company was able to build a dynamic construction team with the support of his mentor Greg Wynn. Sovereign Principles  

became a part of the great shaping of the City of Atlanta Housing market.  

With 20 years of construction management experience, Horatious has intimate knowledge with construction methods, market changes, creative  

deal structuring and land development. Horatious has managed construction developments in multiple national markets with $10MM of open  

lines of credit and deal flow.  

Horatious has a vast network of superintendents, managers and contractors that have connect with trade organizations for reliable and  

competent craftsmen. As a community leader, Horatious has a vested interest in closing the wealth-gap in our communities. Homeownership  

is the single best way to start the process for families to create generational wealth. He believes that to whom much is given much is required.  

Those who have access to vast resources much provide opportunities to those who want a hand-up and not a hand-out. 

Horatious Harris 

Construction

EDUCATION 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE – TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY – ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MASTER OF SCIENCE – GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY – ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY – GEORGIA TECH – SCHELLER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS 

National Black Contractors Association (NBCA) 

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB – Durham) 

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc 

Oracle Certified Expert