ERIC HOVDE, TRUSTEE
Eric Hovde is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hovde Capital Advisors LLC, an asset management firm, and President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Hovde Private Equity Advisors LLC, a private equity firm. Both firms are focused exclusively on the financial services sector. Mr. Hovde is responsible for the investment strategy and day-to-day oversight of the portfolio investments managed by Hovde Capital Advisors LLC and, along with the portfolio manager, directs Hovde Private Equity Advisors investment process and provides oversight to portfolio companies for the firm’s private equity fund. In these capacities, Mr. Hovde provides the investment teams with strategic direction and guidance in their investment decisions.
Prior to the formation of the private equity fund, Mr. Hovde led the firm’s affiliated merchant banking activities, using the firm’s proprietary capital to acquire numerous controlling interests in community banks, thrifts and other nonbank financial services companies. Prior to Hovde Capital and Hovde Private Equity, he was a founder of Hovde Financial, a business which he established and developed into a top-tier investment bank in the bank and thrift industry. Read More…
STEVE HOVDE, TRUSTEE
Steve Hovde established Hovde Financial’s Chicago office in 1988. As President and CEO of Hovde Financial, Mr. Hovde is responsible for managing its investment banking activities, and the strategic development of mergers and acquisitions of bank and thrift institutions, and branch acquisitions and divestitures. In this role, he has negotiated transactions in excess of several billion dollars in deal value and provides the firm’s investment bankers with technical and strategic advice on client transactions.
Mr. Hovde also serves as President of Hovde Financial’s affiliated securities broker/dealer, Hovde Securities LLC. In this capacity, he has been involved in the conversion to stock form of mutual thrift institutions and private placements of equity and trust preferred securities. In addition, he is a principal of the managing member of Western Acquisition Partners LLC, which owns a significant interest in Sunwest Bank of Orange County, California.
Prior to joining Hovde Financial, Mr. Hovde was General Counsel and Vice President of a national commercial real estate development firm and an attorney with a 200-member law firm based in Chicago, specializing in real estate law. Prior to that, Mr. Hovde practiced accounting with a Big Eight public accounting firm in Chicago. Read More…
NICOLE BICE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Nicole Bice joined the Hovde Foundation as Executive Director in 2015. With over 20 years of experience in philanthropy, project management, and international development, Nicole is responsible for identifying partners, developing projects, and overseeing operations and grants. She partners with the trustees to design and implement the foundation’s philanthropic strategy, drive organizational excellence, and meet community needs. Nicole has served on local and international boards and recently co-founded Renewal Philanthropy, a collaboration among funders whose aim is to combat injustice by supporting survivor-driven change. Nicole is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged, marginalized, and impoverished people worldwide.
Previously, Nicole worked with the World Council of Credit Unions – the global trade association and development agency for financial cooperatives – to implement more than 50 financial inclusion-related development programs. While there, Nicole led an initiative supporting the care of orphans and vulnerable children. Her passion for and involvement in this project drew her attention to the Hovde Foundation.
Nicole has an MBA from the University Of Wisconsin School Of Business and a B.A. from Lawrence University. She is fluent in Spanish, has traveled extensively, and drinks too much coffee.