NW Arkansas EXECUTIVE Leadership Team - CHAPTER FOUNDERS
Billy Helvey
Ingram Capital
Billy Helvey is a driven, talented professional with a passion for business and networking. He holds the esteemed title of Vice President of Ingram Capital, and serves as co-founder of Contractors Closers and Connections in Kansas City, deeply committed to growth and development in the Missouri area. In his free time, he can be found exercising his passion for health – running, weight lifting, or playing with his three children – though not before cheering on his beloved Kansas City Chiefs.
With a heart full of love for his family (including the four-legged ones), an eagerness to connect with others in his community and beyond, and a sharp eye for successful investment opportunities in commercial real estate, Billy Helvey has truly created an expertly balanced life that never ceases to impress.
MICAH WALJE
RONCO CONSTRUCTION
Micah Walje is the Project Develop Manager at Ronco Construction’s Kansas City office. His role is a combination of business development and preconstruction where he pursues projects both locally and nationally. He pursues projects in multiple verticals including multi-family, hospitality, industrial, mixed-use, aviation, religious, office, retail, historical, educational, and infrastructure. He loves the process of helping build a book of business from scratch in new markets and building our brand nationally.
Micah has a natural knack for business networking. He is involved in a wide variety of CRE and AEC organizations, as well as many chambers of commerce. Micah’s peers have referred to him as a super-connector. He loves to connect people in a way that helps them achieve their goals and enjoys networking without the expectation of personal gain. He strives to be a person who is a good resource for my network.
BRYANT DAWSON
INGRAM CAPITAL
Bryant Dawson is a former oil and gas Project Manager and currently the CEO of Ingram Capital, LLC. He went from overseeing and organizing projects valuing over $5B to building a real estate empire through flipping and investing in single-family real estate. Bryant switched career paths over a decade ago to ultimately obtain time freedom and make his money work for him.
In the past 10 years, Bryant has conducted over 1800 single-family real estate transactions, built a property management company, and a construction company from the ground up to create a vertically integrated real estate empire. By his early 30’s Bryant has $50 million AUM.
NW Arkansas - BOARD MEMBERS
BRIAN WAGERS
ELEVATE COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT GROUP
Brian was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH where he played high school football and wrestling. He went on to attend the University of Kentucky where he majored in Business Economics and minored in Psychology. Shortly after college Brian joined the workforce as a sales professional quickly becoming a top producer. After living in Lexington KY for 6 years he moved to Northwest Arkansas where he started his real estate investing journey and now resides.
Brian has been investing in real estate, actively and passively, for over 6 years. He grew his family’s portfolio to 500 units before moving on to syndication where has now been involved in over $500M worth of apartment transactions and over 5,000 units through his experience as an owner and general partner.
Within Elevate, Brian focuses on educating investors on how they can grow their net worth and increase their wealth through multifamily real estate. Brian’s focus as CIO is helping those investors and other equity partners place their capital in Elevate’s strategic multi-family holdings. Brian also helps busy professionals and business owners develop a strategy for how they can take advantage of tax benefits and depreciation losses that are possible through real estate.
Brian is a strong believer in not only being the best financial version of yourself but in physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Brian enjoys time with his wife, baby boy, their two dogs, and two cats. He enjoys anything to do with physical fitness including weight training, boxing, jogging, and hiking.
RAVONNE JOHN
THE SUDAR GROUP
Ravonne John serves the Northwest Arkansas area with The Sudar Group. As a real estate agent, she desires to help connect others relationally and professionally. She is a driven businesswoman and an excellent communicator. Her personal experience in new construction, land purchase, foreclosures, and residential and commercial properties brings a level of comfort to her clients. Her desire to bring generational wealth through real estate to her clients shows in everything she does.
She is a wife and mother to two boys. When she isn’t carting kids to basketball and soccer practice, she advocates for foster care and adoption, both of which she has participated in. Ravonne has a passion for serving her community through her church and other local groups.
TAYLOR CAIN
NATIONAL CATASTROPHE RESTORATION
Taylor is a key member of the Business Development team at NCRI – National Catastrophe Restoration, Inc., and is passionate about forging lasting connections in the field of restoration. Born and raised in Alma, Arkansas, Taylor’s roots run deep in the community. She attended the University of Arkansas, shaping her foundation for a career marked by dedication and professionalism. She has lived in Kansas City since 2015.
With a family that still calls Arkansas home, Taylor finds herself returning frequently, reinforcing her commitment to the region and its people. Her journey into the restoration industry led her to NCRI, a prominent national Restoration Contractor with a legacy spanning 52 years.
At the core of Taylor’s professional philosophy is the belief that transparency, quality service, and effective communication are the cornerstones of successful business partnerships. These values align seamlessly with NCRI’s commitment to excellence when providing emergency response to any natural or man-made disaster.
What sets Taylor apart is her genuine love for people. She thrives on the opportunity to meet new individuals and delights in building enduring relationships. Her enthusiasm for connecting with others extends beyond the boardroom, reflecting a genuine interest in understanding the needs of both clients and colleagues.
Returning to her home state has been an exciting chapter for Taylor. Armed with a wealth of experience and a dedication to the principles that make NCRI a leader in the industry, she looks forward to contributing to the restoration and rebuilding efforts in Arkansas.
CONNOR WELTMER
CROSSROADS REAL ESTATE GROUP
Connor is an Associate at Crossroads Real Estate Group specializing in Tenant and Landlord Representation for the sale and leasing of multiple sectors of Commercial Real Estate from Retail to Industrial. His focus is the Kansas City Metro and plans to expand his client base in NWA. Connor is currently working on obtaining his Arkansas Salesperson License. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in May of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in finance with an emphasis in Real Estate. He is eager to expand his network into NWA, with the goal of creating long-lasting relationships in both KC and NWA.
Connor joined Crossroads in the summer of 2021 as an intern, where he obtained his license in Kansas and Missouri. Following that he became a full-time Associate at Crossroads. Since joining Crossroads, Connor has used his financial background to assist in selling and leasing over $10 Million.
Before Connor began his career with Crossroads, he worked with several home remodeling and construction companies in the greater Kansas City area which helped him give a great starting point for his career in the Real Estate industry.
If you are unable to find Connor in the office, he will most likely be at the gym, in a tree stand, or wakeboarding at the lake.
CHRIS COLLINS
OLSSON
Chris has 18 years of experience in aggregates, construction, sales, and management and currently serves as Senior Business Consultant for Olsson. Chris has an extensive network and knowledge of Northwest Arkansas while also being heavily involved in the Arkansas Associated Builders and Contractors currently serving on the NWA Council. Chris has been married to his wife Janet for 20 years and just welcomed their first grandchild. Hobbies include golf, riding the Razorback Greenway, and now snuggling with his new grandbaby.
JOSE SOCORRO
JAN PRO OF ARKANSAS
Jose Socorro serves as a Regional Director for Jan-Pro of Arkansas for the NWA / River Valley area. He also currently serves on the Oral Roberts University Alumni Board and Seal Team Lead for LatinXNA. Prior to Jan-Pro, Jose worked for J.B. Hunt Transport, Central States Manufacturing, & OK Foods. Jose resides in the Fort Smith area with his wife and two sons.
BRANDON HURST
SURFCO RESTORATION & CONSTRUCTION
Brandon has served the NWA community in the disaster restoration industry for over 10 years. His passion and dedication to exceeding client expectations have been demonstrated from small residential losses to multi-million dollar commercial losses. As a native of Bentonville with deep roots in the community, his passion for the area only continues to grow.
His experiences as a disaster restoration professional in multiple roles and as an Army veteran have prepared him to assist clients with emergency response planning. This gives Brandon a well-versed skillset for responding to any emergency by providing turn-key restoration solutions to the community. Brandon’s role on the national team at Surfco Restoration & Construction LLC allows him to serve locally in the NWA community and nationally for major natural disasters and commercial insurance losses.
When he isn’t at work, Brandon can usually be found enjoying many of the outdoor and local amenities with his wife, Olivia, and their young daughter, Charlotte.