ACG South Florida 2024 Economic Forecast

Ruth Yang is the Global Head of Thought Leadership for S&P Global Ratings. In her role, she is responsible for the content distribution strategy for Ratings’ thought leadership. She also manages the Credit Research & Insights team which delivers forward-looking, actionable insights on market-moving trends and their effects on credit—leveraging proprietary data, analytical expertise, and cross-discipline approach. CR&I’s research includes risk assessments, rating transition analyses, and credit market forecasts.

She has over 25 years of experience in the leveraged finance markets including managing leveraged finance content and operations globally for Leveraged Commentary & Data and developing the strategy for Fitch Solutions’ leveraged finance offerings.

Ruth has an A.B. in History from Harvard University.

Justin Gratz is an Executive Director and Head of Investments with J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In this role, Justin leads a team of investment professionals to meet the complex and nuanced needs of wealthy individuals and families. The team provides advice on portfolio construction, asset allocation, manager selection, and opportunistic trading across both public and private markets. Justin has more than 12 years of investment experience. Justin originally joined J.P. Morgan in 2008, focusing on multi-asset class trading strategies for the Private Bank’s Global Investment Opportunity desk in New York. There, he was responsible for capital markets dialogue and execution for some of the wealthiest and most sophisticated private clients globally. Justin subsequently spent time with Citi Private Bank and Barclays Wealth Management, where he was a key member of similar efforts focused on opportunistic and thematic capital markets trading and advice for individuals, families, foundations and hedge funds. In 2018, he moved to Florida to rejoin J.P. Morgan and play an influential role in expanding the firm’s presence and reach within the local community. Justin graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a B.S. in Biochemistry and Economics. He holds FINRA Series 7, 9, 10 and 66 securities licenses.

Mr. Tagle is a Jupiter native and Director at Palm Beach Capital. His primary responsibilities include new deal origination, fundraising, and investor relations.

Prior to joining Palm Beach Capital, Juan was a Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase in the Middle Market Banking and Specialized Industries Group. There, for 12 years, Juan led a team of South Florida-based Middle Market Bankers and worked very closely with companies ranging from $20M-$1B in revenues. Juan was responsible for overseeing the delivery of various product sets, including senior credit facilities, debt capital markets, investment banking, and treasury management solutions. Juan was licensed 79 and 63 (both inactive).

Juan is also very involved in local community engagement efforts and currently sits on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County.

Juan is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, BS in Finance.

Ari Roloff is the director of business development for Crowe, a top-ten provider of accounting, advisory, audit, and tax services. Ari is responsible for developing market-facing initiatives in the Southeast and heads up the private equity channel that builds Crowe's brand and provides – both for the firm and its clients – opportunities for growth. 

Ari spends a significant amount of time developing business relationships in the healthcare and private equity space to identify and cultivate successful client and referral opportunities. To that end, he actively participates in organizations that support entrepreneurship and the finance community, such as the Association for Corporate Growth, where he is a current President. 

 Ari has nearly 16 years of experience in the management of both public and private company consulting services and sales teams, as well as professional service marketing and business development in all industries.  Before his time at Crowe, Ari was the National Director of another top-ten advisory firm.

Mr. St. Romain serves as Vice Chairman with CBRE’s Florida Debt & Structured Finance Team which focuses on investment sales of existing properties and developable land; arranging permanent, bridge, and construction financing; and structured equity. He has over 27 years of diversified real estate experience. Denny joined CBRE with partner, Jubeen Vaghefi, in 2023 to bolster the firm’s established multifamily presence in the State of Florida. The two are partnered with Robert Given to spearhead the statewide platform. He has over $25 billion in closed transactions experience including over $5 billion in the last seven years.

Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. St. Romain was a Vice Chairman and Managing Director of two different global real estate firms for 13 years where he was Co-head of the Capital Markets practice in Florida. Prior to that, Mr. St. Romain was a founding partner and served as President and CEO of a SEC Registered Investment Advisor which subsequently became Trade Street Residential, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRE) which focused on acquiring, owning, developing and operating apartment communities in the Southeastern US. From 2000 to 2004, Mr. St. Romain also worked in the investment sales and mortgage banking subsidiary of a multi-national real estate service firm. He has also worked for a large Architectural and Engineering firm in Miami as a consultant in the master planning, feasibility and financial structuring of cruise ports, cargo ports, airports and their related retail, hotel and entertainment development pieces for tourism destinations worldwide.

Mr. St. Romain received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami. He is active in St. Anthony Parish in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and is a member of the Urban Land Institute and National Multihousing Council. Mr. St. Romain also was honorably discharged from the United States Coast Guard. He lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with his wife of 23 years and three children.