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This article is the first in a series intended to help you get to know our staff and the work they do at Rise.  Many people do not realize the level of expertise and the commitment to community development the people at Rise have.  These are the folks that are doing the hard and sometimes extremely complex work it takes to bring everything necessary together to lift the quality of life in our communities.  Look for periodic articles on other staff members in our blog!

On May 22nd, 2014, I started my day at 8 AM at the Rise Board of Directors meeting which was dedicated to reviewing our 2013 audit.
The first person I see when I walk in the room is Ron Kraus looking calm and prepared. Ron is Chief Financial Officer for Rise.  While listening to the CPA’s review of the audit I remember the unbelievable amount of hours and work Ron put into preparing for the audit, as the financial structure for Rise and its affiliates is extremely complex.  The review goes very well and the results are unmodified by the auditors, this is great news for Ron and for Rise.  When I return to the office there is an e-mail from Ron with all documents from the audit attached.  I also see another e-mail from Ron with detailed, updated information about our company 401K plan and an offer to answer any questions.  Ron is not only an excellent financial officer he is also a great administrator and always willing to help others in any way he can.

As always, my day gets busy with other things and in checking my schedule, as I frequently do throughout the day, I note that I will be attending an event presented by the St. Louis Landmarks Association “The 2014 Most Enhanced Awards”.  Rise received an award for our development in Dutchtown, Fox Manor Apartments.  Our Executive Director is facilitating the St. Louis City Consolidated Plan open house meeting that evening and informs me that, you guessed it; Ron Kraus will be accepting the award for Rise.  My job at the event is to network and photograph the event so I sit in the front row.  When Andrew Weil, Executive Director for the Landmarks Association of St. Louis announces the award for Rise, Ron accepts the award with a quiet grace and humility.  I sit and think about Ron’s day for a moment and it strikes me just how important Ron is to Rise, that he is always willing to do whatever it takes to meet the organization’s goals and is just a great guy to be around.  What a day! L.P.

Ron is responsible for all internal, external and regulatory financial reporting including financial statement preparation in accordance with GAAP, monthly Board of Director reports, account analyses, budget preparation, and oversight of all tax filings and both financial and regulatory external audits for Rise and sixty subsidiary entities.  He manages Rise’s investment portfolio and borrowings.  He is also responsible for the oversight and supervision of third party property management firms who manage property on behalf of Rise.

The Landmarks Association of St. Louis hosted the 2014 Most Enhanced Awards at the fantastically revitalized Sun Theater, 3627 Grandel Square, with grace, history and humor. This event recognizes excellence in restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of St. Louis’ architectural heritage. Executive Director of Landmarks, Andrew Weil, was MC for the evening and handled his role with humor, charm, and wit.
Many recognizable figures graced the stage including Steve Smith, a principal at The Lawrence Group and Mayor Francis Slay. Talk about a rising tide; Rise Community Development accepted an award for work on Fox Manor in Dutchtown and Jesse and Ron Mueller accepted their award for the role they played in the revitalization of Rise Coffee House in the Grove. Jesse quoted Martin Luther King: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
This was an important and inspiring event. Every person or group that received and award had a captivating story that went with their building or development. Congratulations to all the winners and to the Landmarks Association for hosting a wonderful event. I can’t wait for next year! L.P.