Ray Washburne is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Charter Holdings, a private real estate investment company. Washburne is also the former president and chief executive officer of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a self-sustaining US government agency that helps American businesses expand into developing markets by providing them with tools to manage risks associated with foreign direct investment. Nominated for the OPIC presidency by then President Donald Trump on June 5, 2017, Washburne was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 27, 2017, and by the full US Senate on August 3, 2017. Washburne served until February 28, 2019. He served on the president’s Intelligence Advisory Board from May 2019 until January 2021.
Washburne has a long history working in business and has held several executive positions. Mr. Washburne is a member of the Advisory Council of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and He co-founded and co-owned M Crowd Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Mi Cocina, Taco Diner, and The Mercury restaurants, with various locations around the United States. Additionally, he served as the president and managing director of Highland Park Village, an upscale shopping plaza in Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Washburne actively participates in a number of associations, including global business organizations, nonprofits, and real estate councils, such as the World Presidents’ Organization, The Real Estate Council, International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, Veritex Bank, SMU O’Neil Center Advisory Board, SMU Tower Center, Dallas Museum of Art Committee on Collections, and Baylor Health Care System Foundation.
Mr. Washburne has spent a great deal of time in Africa. He recently funded the construction of a new k-12 school for 300 children in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.
He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and has served as an adjunct professor at SMU Cox School of Business.
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