Foundational Pillars

Lyman Phillips is the Founder and CEO of Golden Lion Capital Investments, a Palm Beach based commercial real estate advisory and investment firm specializing in industrial assets, strategic 1031 exchanges, and early-stage ventures. With deep roots in hospitality and commercial real estate, Lyman drives the firm’s bold vision, spearheading high-stakes investment strategies and overseeing over $300 million in transactions to date.

A strategic thinker with a sharp eye for abstract value, Lyman brings a rare blend of market intuition, cultural fluency, and geographic insight—giving Golden Lion Capital a competitive edge in major U.S. markets. His network is vast, his execution relentless, and his leadership defined by clarity, energy, and impact.

Beyond the boardroom, Lyman is committed to purpose-driven leadership. He serves on the Committee for Palm Beach Young Professionals, is Co-Chair of the 2025 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Visionary of the Year Campaign, and leads the UMass HTM 50th Career Day Anniversary Campaign. He is also a board member of Impact Media and the University of Massachusetts Amherst Hospitality and Tourism Management Department.

Lyman recently helped raise $120,000 in just 10 weeks for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and contributed over $30,000 to Clean Miami Beach to help preserve Florida’s coastline. He is currently establishing the Golden Lion Capital Endowment Fund at UMass Amherst to support future leaders in hospitality and tourism.

Michael is on the Investments team within the Golden Lion Capital Advisory Group. Working primarily on the advisory arm, he collaborates in the acquisition and disposition of single tenant retail, office and industrial properties.

Originally from Stoughton, MA, Michael moved to South Florida after graduating from UMass Amherst with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management within the Isenberg School of Management. Michael has a strong hospitality background within the luxury country club industry with management level experience at three of the most decorated private clubs in the country. He draws from these experiences to assist high net worth individuals, family offices, trusts, developers and private capital reach their investment goals.

Michael is creative and free flowing with his ideas, providing innovative solutions for our clients and investors. He is empathic, an excellent arbitrator and never compromising in providing the best for whomever he represents.

Gene is a highly accomplished real estate professional with extensive domestic and international experience and has facilitated over $500M in real estate transactions. He is adept at facilitating strategic partnerships within the capital stack, and his ability to source lucrative deals and provide innovative solutions to complex real estate challenges has been pivotal to his success.

With a strong hospitality background, Gene also brings nearly eight years of experience with Starwood Hotels and Blackstone’s hospitality division.

Mr. Verett’s entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found two successful organizations: NextGen Hotels and Ink Hospitality. As CEO of NextGen Hotels, he spearheaded the company’s specialization in managing underperforming hotel assets, achieving a remarkable track record of revitalizing struggling properties. As COO of Ink Hospitality, a management and consulting firm, he focused on ground-up new construction projects, demonstrating his expertise in development and project management.

Baron Christopher Hanson is a Private Investments Advisor with Golden Lion Capital, specializing in Commercial Real Estate (CRE) assets, 1031 Exchange services, and Joint Venture partnerships across Florida, the Carolinas, and key markets nationwide.

Baron brings an authentic, value-driven, and tactical approach to private Retail, Industrial, Hospitality, Office, and Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) properties, from vintage value-add to newly-built and absolute NNN.

A two-time Harvard graduate with honors, Baron is a former international rugby player and coach. His academic endeavors have included psychology, urban planning, architecture, law, and real estate development finance.

Passionate about value-add retail and industrial properties, including their economic impact and benefit to investors, Baron advises acquisitions and dispositions based on thorough underwriting and diligence on each property.

A CCIM candidate and member, Baron led RedBaronUSA, a turnaround management and growth strategy firm for over 25 years. Known as “The RedBaron,” he advised business and government leaders across the country, with most engagements involving intensive CRE analysis and decisions.

Baron has been published in Harvard Business Review, Inc., Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, LoopNet, NBC News, The Washington Times, Charleston Post and Courier, The Palm Beach Post, and other top-tier platforms.

As a fiduciary, Baron combines confidential underwriting integrity with real-world CRE ownership, tenancy, and condition information. His value to clients is unearthing that critical clarity needed to close underperforming, cash-flowing, and path of growth transactions.

Jeff Feldman is a global real estate executive with a career spanning billions in project value across the U.S., Caribbean, Costa Rica, and the Middle East. From launching Florida operations for a major New York contractor, delivering over 1M SF of multifamily, commercial, hospitality, and luxury residential, to personally overseeing Development Marketing for a flagship initiative of the Saudi Crown Prince’s Vision 2030 $63B transformation plan, Jeff brings a rare mix of vision, execution, and international expertise.

Cole Scanlon is a real estate professional, technology entrepreneur, and growth marketer. He is a Development Manager at Mount Duke Group, a real estate company, and the owner/CEO of Banyan Strategy Group, a growth marketing company. A military veteran, Cole served as a Scout Sniper Platoon Commander and Intelligence Officer in the United States Marine Corps. He is also the co-founder of FairOpportunityProject.org, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and holds degrees from Harvard and Oxford.

Nina Japitana is an accomplished Professional Executive Administrative Assistant with a wealth of experience supporting diverse industries. Hailing from the Philippines, Nina has spent over a decade providing assistance to businesses across various sectors. Her expertise spans technical, marketing, hospitality, and customer service, where she has honed her skills in managing people, assisting CEOs with daily operations, facilitating sales closures, and handling a myriad of administrative tasks. With a proven track record, Nina is adept at navigating the complexities of the modern business landscape, ensuring seamless operations and optimal productivity.

Nina is driven by an unwavering passion for supporting businesses and ensuring the seamless execution of day to day tasks. Her primary objective is to deliver world-class customer service to every individual she collaborates with. Drawing on her extensive experience and keen attention to detail, Nina consistently strives to exceed expectations, leveraging her skills to optimize operational efficiency and foster long lasting relationships. Nina embodies a commitment to elevating business performance and enhancing the overall customer experience.

Daniel Wagner, Esq. is a prestigious AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell signifying that he places in the highest category for legal abilities and ethics. Daniel focuses his practice on real estate related matters, commercial transactions and litigation and asset protection. Since 2006, he has reliably advised his clients in the purchase and sale of real estate and business assets, including developers, investors, lenders, business owners and associations. Throughout his almost two decade long career, he has been recognized as an elite lawyer and featured on several news media outlets locally, nationally and internationally. Daniel routinely closes complex transactions and is a team player, always understanding his clients’ needs and ultimate goals.

Alex is a Senior Account Executive with Accruit, one of the nation’s leading Qualified Intermediaries. With a deep expertise in real estate tax deferral strategies, including 1031 Exchanges and real estate partnerships through Self-Directed IRAs, Alex has guided hundreds of clients across the country through successful tax deferral transactions. He is passionate about empowering clients with comprehensive and personalized service to optimize the 1031 Exchange process. Alex is also a Continuing Education Instructor for the 1031 Exchange in multiple states.