Mark Sampson is CEO of EFC and Managing Partner. He has over 33 years of structured finance and tax credit experience. His firms have raised in excess of $5 billion of municipal notes and bonds, corporate debt, equity and tax credit funding for a wide range of clients. He holds FINRA Series 7, 23, and 63 licenses.
He is Co-Founder of Energy Finance Company (EFC), established as a specialty financial services business to provide financing to buyers of renewable energy systems. In April 2009, Mr. Sampson and Mr. Tyson, EFC’s principals, partnered with Itochu Corporation to acquire SolarNet LLC. Through EFC, Mr. Sampson is a member of SolarNet LLC.
He has invested in numerous companies including: Flatiron Credit Company, as Co-Founder and Director, established as a specialty financial services business to finance small business property and casualty insurance premiums; Twin Dolphin Hotel, SA de CV, a Mexican Company set up to acquire a two thirds ownership interest in the Twin Dolphin Hotel, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; and Newman Financial Services Inc., an investment bank established to provide debt and equity financing to developers of affordable housing.
Mr. Sampson was President of First Interstate Securities and First Interstate Public Finance Company. These companies were wholly owned non-bank subsidiaries of First Interstate Bancorp (later sold to Wells Fargo Corporation). First Interstate Securities provided taxable investment banking products and services to First Interstate’s corporate customers in the United States. From formation to the sale to Wells Fargo, the firm raised approximately $8 billion dollars of common and preferred stock, convertible debt; asset backed securities and syndicated bank credit facilities for First Interstate clients. First Interstate Public Finance provided investment banking services to state and local governments, university and school systems and special districts within First Interstate’s Bank territory (twenty-two states west of the Mississippi).
As Director of Financial Analysis at the University of Southern California, Mr. Sampson ran a division of USC’s Financial Services Group, the organizational unit charged with managing the University’s financial affairs. He joined the Office of Cost Analysis as a Cost Analyst while attending the Graduate School of Business. He rose to the position of Director responsible for three departments: Cost Analysis, Government Accounting (financial reporting on all Federal Government research programs) and Gift Accounting (University Endowment). He helped launch the University’s municipal bond borrowing program and was one of the members of the team that pulled the University’s first investment grade ratings from S&P and Moody’s.