Current Board Members
Michael L. Wheet, Chairman
Currently serving as Managing Director with Frasca and Associates, a leading independent financial advisor primarily to transportation clients, Michael L. Wheet has more than 22 years of experience in the area of public finance. Mr. Wheet has participated as issuer, lawyer, financial advisor and investment banker, in the issuance of over $10 billion of bonds during his career. Before joining Frasca and Associates, Mr. Wheet's vast array of experience includes: 4 years as Managing Director in the Public Finance Department of Merrill Lynch & Co; 11 years as Director in the Public Finance Department of Citigroup Global Markets Inc, a New York based investment bank, formerly named Salomon Smith Barney; and several years as a Vice President with Lazard Freres and Co. where he was responsible for a numerous amount of that firm's financial advisory clients, including the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Prior to becoming an investment banker, Mr. Wheet was a lawyer and local government official in the District. During the period from 1981-1986, he was employed in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Finance, where he worked on the District's reentry into the capital markets through the first sale of bonds by the city in the twentieth century. During his employment with the District, he was responsible for overseeing the issuance of over $1 billion of general obligation and revenue bonds by the District. He has also been employed as an attorney by two national law firms engaged in the practice of municipal finance and state and local government law from 1979-1981 and from 1986-1988.
Mr. Wheet received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1979 and his A.B. degree from Harvard University in 1976.
Derek Ford, Vice Chairman
Mr. Derek Ford is currently a Consultant, with more than 14 years of progressive financial experience within the private, governmental and non-profit sectors. He has served in the positions of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Treasurer, Senior Auditor, Tax Associate, Financial Analyst and Real Estate Agent. Previously Mr. Ford managed the finances of a local community development organization, and provided financial and compliance oversight of the District of Columbia governmental operations on behalf of the DC Office of the Inspector General. During that time, he identified over $150 million of unsubstantiated monetary benefits from the implementation of procurement, payroll, property, personnel and budget systems.
His additional experience includes performing financial statement audits and consulting to numerous federal government departments and agencies in accordance with the CFO Audit Act of 1990. Mr. Ford was also an accountant and finance associate with Charles E. Smith, where he provided financial expertise to the commercial and residential sections of the organization.
As a Ward 7 resident of the District of Columbia, he served as Campaign Treasurer for both the Committee to Elect and Re-Elect, Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander (D). Also, Mr. Ford serves as Treasurer for the Ward 7 Democrats. Mr. Ford received a B.S. in Accounting from North Carolina A&T State University in 1996 and was a member of the US Army Reserves for 8 years.
Leila Batties
Leila Batties is a partner in the real estate section at the law firm of Holland & Knight; her practice focus is land use and zoning. In this capacity, she represents property owners, developers and investors in all aspects of the real estate development approval process. Ms. Batties works with governmental agencies and regularly appears before governmental boards in order to secure comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, site plan approvals and legislation in support of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional projects. She regularly works with public agencies on a range of development-related matters, including, but not limited to, schools, roadways and other infrastructure; negotiates and drafts land development agreements; conducts land use and zoning due diligence; and prepares zoning opinion letters.
Ms. Batties is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Florida. She graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. She holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.A. in Communications from the University of Miami.