{{Short description|American businessman (born 1960)}} {{For|the baseball player|Ray Washburn}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Ray Washburne |image = Ray Washburne in 2021 (cropped).jpg | caption = Washburne in 2021 |office = President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation |president = Donald Trump |term_start = September 5, 2017 |term_end = March 1, 2019 |predecessor = Elizabeth Littlefield |successor = David Bohigian (acting) |birth_name = Ray Willets Washburne |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1960}} |birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Southern Methodist University (BA) }} '''Ray Willets Washburne''' is an American businessman, political fundraiser, and government official. He co-founded the M Crowd Restaurant Group, which owns Mi Cocina and other restaurants. He served as President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation from 2017 to 2019 and as a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board from 2019 to 2020.
Previously, he has served as an adjunct professor at Cox School of Business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smu.edu/News/2020/Featured-News/Washburne-gift-setting-pace-for-future-athletic-achievements|title=Setting the pace for future athletic achievements|website=www.smu.edu}}</ref> ==Career==
=== Business === Washburne is a co-founder of the M Crowd Restaurant Group, owning forty-six restaurants, including the Mi Cocina and Taco Diner restaurant chains.<ref name="dmag-village">{{cite web |last1=Guinto |first1=Joseph |date=October 21, 2010 |title=The New Emperor of Highland Park Village |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2010/november/ray-washburne-the-new-king-of-highland-park-village/ |access-date=April 25, 2017 |website=D Magazine}}</ref><ref name="qa-ray">{{cite web|last1=Auer|first1=Tonie|title=Q&A With Highland Park Village Owner Ray Washburne |url=https://www.bisnow.com/dallas-ft-worth/news/mixed-use/qa-with-highland-park-village-owner-ray-washburne-56398|website=Bisnow|access-date=April 25, 2017}}</ref> He also has real-estate developments in several states and is the CEO of Charter Holdings. In 2009, Washburne and his family bought the Highland Park Village, an upscale shopping center in Dallas, for $170 million (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=170000000|start_year=2009}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}).<ref name="dmag-village" /><ref name="qa-ray" />
In December 2020, Washburn'e HP Village Management was contracted by the owners of Knox Street District in Dallas to assist with the leasing, marketing, and management of their property.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2020/12/02/billionaire-michael-dell-investors-in-dallas-knox-street-hire-ray-washburnes-highland-park-village-team-to-lead-redevelopment/|title=Billionaire Michael Dell, investors in Dallas' Knox Street hire Ray Washburne's Highland Park Village team to manage it|date=December 2, 2020|website=Dallas News}}</ref>
In April 2022, Washburne's HP Village Management acquired a stake in the shopping center Phillips Place, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peoplenewspapers.com/2022/04/27/hp-village-owners-buy-stake-in-charlotte-shopping-center/|title=HP Village Owners Buy Stake in Charlotte Shopping Center - People Newspapers|date=April 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2022/04/26/highland-park-village-owners-buy-a-stake-in-charlottes-upscale-shopping-center/|title=Highland Park Village owners buy a stake in Charlotte's upscale shopping center|date=April 26, 2022|website=Dallas News}}</ref> In the same month, Washburne's Charter Holdings acquired Watters Creek shopping center in Allen, Texas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2022/04/07/highland-park-village-co-owner-ray-washburne-has-bought-allens-watters-creek/|title=Highland Park Village co-owner Ray Washburne buys Allen's Watters Creek|date=April 7, 2022|website=Dallas News}}</ref>
In July 2019, Washburne’s Charter DMN Holdings purchased an 8-acre campus that was home to the iconic Dallas Morning News "Rock of Truth" building for $28 million and announced development plans that included a boutique business hotel and entertainment amenities that would complement the city's new convention center that was under construction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Candy |date=2019-08-21 |title=What's Up Ray Washburne's Sleeve? Big Plans for the Former Dallas Morning News HQ |url=https://candysdirt.com/2019/08/21/whats-up-ray-washburnes-sleeve-big-plans-for-the-former-dallas-morning-news-hq/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=CandysDirt.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2025, he announced that the bulk of the property had been sold to an undisclosed entity that was planning to build a data center on the site, which he said was caused in part by the city's lack of communication about its development plans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Developer scraps plan to rework Dallas Morning News building - CultureMap Dallas |url=https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/dallas-morning-news-ray-washburne/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=dallas.culturemap.com |language=en}}</ref> Two months later in April 2025, he sold the property to the city of Dallas for $51.5 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-14 |title=Dallas to buy part of old Dallas Morning News property for $51.5M |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county/dallas-buy-part-of-old-dallas-morning-news-property/287-7c751c47-5190-47c9-84b6-59cfca77d53a |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In June 2024, Washburne's HP Village Management acquired Country Club Plaza in Kansas City from Macerich and Taubman Centers.<ref name="dallasnews">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2024/07/01/dallas-investors-plan-to-restore-historic-shopping-center/|title=Dallas investors plan to restore historic shopping center|date=July 1, 2024|website=Dallas News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/its-official-kansas-citys-country-club-plaza-under-new-ownership|title=It's official: Kansas City's Country Club Plaza under new ownership|date=July 1, 2024|website=KSHB 41 Kansas City News}}</ref> The acquisition followed a discussion at an Urban Land Institute conference in May 2024, where Nuveen, a lender associated with Highland Park Village, approached Washburne about a new project.<ref name="dallasnews"/> Washburne, who had previously invested over $100 million in Highland Park Village, would make a substantial investment in the Missouri complex with Nuveen remaining involved.<ref name="dallasnews"/> The redevelopment plan for Country Club Plaza includes its division into several districts, each dedicated to contemporary fashion, food and beverage, and luxury and designer goods.<ref name="dallasnews"/>
Washburne is currently the Chairman of the Board of Sunoco, LP.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/announcements/new-members-adrienne-arsht-latin-america-centers-advisory-council/ |title=New members to the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center's Advisory Council|date=November 10, 2022 }}</ref> He is also a member of Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of SMU Cox School of Business Executive Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.dallaschamber.org/consuls-46-countries-meet-dallas-fort-worth-event-european-trade-mission-details-emerging/ |title= Consuls from 46 Countries Meet for Dallas-Fort Worth|date= February 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2009/08/16/smu-alum-ray-washburne-has-left-his-mark-around-dallas-with-ventures-in-real-estate-restaurants/|title= SMU alum Ray Washburne has left his mark around Dallas with ventures in real estate, restaurants|website=Dallas Morning News|date= August 16, 2009}}</ref>
=== Government === On June 5, 2017, President Trump nominated Washburne as president of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.<ref name="opic">{{cite web |last1=Livingston |first1=Abby |title=Trump taps Dallas businessman Ray Washburne for administration post |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/05/trump-nominates-another-texan-his-administration/ |access-date=June 5, 2017 |website=Texas Tribune}}</ref> The U.S. Senate confirmed him by voice vote on August 3, 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Caroline |date=August 3, 2017 |title=Senate confirms Hutchison for NATO, Washburne for investment office |publisher=Dallas News |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2017/08/02/senate-poised-approve-hutchison-nato-ambassador-washburne-overseas-investment-office-head |access-date=August 7, 2017}}</ref> He worked to increase the OPIC's funding and activities despite the Trump administration's previous plans to shut down the agency.<ref>{{cite news |last=Saldinger |first=Adva |date=August 20, 2018 |title=Opinion | Poor Countries Have an Unlikely Ally Close to the White House |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/opinion/ray-washburne-opic.html |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 25, 2018 |title=U.S. development agency looks to boost funding to $60 billion |newspaper=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-development-opic-idUSKCN1M501M |via=www.reuters.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Garrett |date=October 24, 2017 |title=Head of OPIC says it's here to stay |url=https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbyist-profiles/356791-head-of-opic-says-its-here-to-stay |website=TheHill}}</ref> In 2018, Washburn led the effort to create the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) which replaced OPIC with a merger of entities from USAID, State Department, and OPIC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dfc.gov/media/opic-press-releases/opic-president-and-ceo-ray-w-washburne-addresses-organization-american|title=OPIC President and CEO Ray W. Washburne Addresses the Organization of American States on Women's Empowerment | DFC|website=www.dfc.gov}}</ref>
In February 2019, Washburne announced he would resign as OPIC's head on March 1.<ref>{{cite web |date=2019-02-10 |title=Washburne Resigning From OPIC After Restructuring of Agency |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-10/washburne-is-said-to-resign-from-opic-march-1-amid-restructuring |access-date= |publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ray Washburne steps down as US development finance head |url=https://www.ft.com/content/43ae3c2c-2f09-11e9-8744-e7016697f225 |website=Financial Times}}</ref>
In 2019, Washburne was appointed to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ferran |first1=Lee |date=August 28, 2019 |title=Trump's secretive intelligence advisory board takes shape with security pros and GOP donors |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-secretive-intelligence-advisory-board-takes-shape-security/story?id=65222244 |access-date=April 14, 2020 |work=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 20, 2019 |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-appoint-personnel-key-administration-posts-26/ |access-date=April 14, 2020 |work=whitehouse.gov |via=National Archives}}</ref>
In 2019, Washburne was appointed to the advisory board of the US Military Southern Command.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntcarhalloffame.org/|title=NTCAR Hall of Fame Home Page|website=ntcarhof}}</ref>
=== Political fundraising === Washburne was actively involved in raising money for George W. Bush's presidential campaigns in both 2000 and 2004, and in the following years continued to raise money for the Republican Party.<ref name="nyt-bush">{{cite news|last1=BARBARO|first1=MICHAEL|last2=HABERMAN|first2=MAGGIE|title=Bush Campaign's Demand for Fidelity Ruffles Some Republican Rivals|work=The New York Times |date=February 26, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/us/politics/jeb-bush-campaigns-demand-for-fidelity-ruffles-some-republicans.html?_r=0 |access-date=April 25, 2017}}</ref> In 2011, he became finance chairman of Governor Tim Pawlenty bid for President.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/10/13/141303832/romney-camp-is-slow-to-attract-former-bush-donors |title= Romney Camp Slow To Attract Former Bush Donors|website=NPR}}</ref> Later, in the 2012 presidential election, he backed Mitt Romney, the Republican Party's nominee, and became the campaign's Texas co-chair, while also raising money.<ref name="npr-romney">{{cite web|title=Romney Camp Slow To Attract Former Bush Donors|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/10/13/141303832/romney-camp-is-slow-to-attract-former-bush-donors|website=NPR|access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref><ref name="dallas-christie">{{cite web |last1=Gillman |first1=Todd |title=Chris Christie nabs Ray Washburne as finance chief for 2016: report|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2015/01/12/chris-christie-nabs-ray-washburne-as-finance-chief-for-2016-report|website=The Dallas Morning News|date=January 12, 2015 |access-date=April 25, 2017}}</ref> Following the 2012 election, in which Romney was defeated, Washburne became the finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, during which he raised $160 million (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=160000000|start_year=2012}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) for the party.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-ray-washburne-is-top-candidate-for-energy-secretary/ |title= Ray Washburne is top candidate for energy secretary |website=CBS News|date= December 7, 2016 }}</ref>
In 2015, he became a part of Chris Christie's 2016 campaign for president, serving as the finance chairman.<ref name="dallas-christie" /> Christie subsequently conceded in the race, and after Donald Trump emerged as the Republican front-runner, Washburne raised money for Trump's campaign and became the vice chairman of the Trump Victory Committee, which acted as a bridge between the campaign and the RNC.<ref name="tribune-trump">{{cite web|last1=Svitek|first1=Patrick|title=With Some Uncertainty, Texas Donors Begin Pitching in for Trump|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2016/06/06/texas-republican-donors-begin-coalesce-around-trum/|website=Texas Tribune |date=June 7, 2016 |access-date=April 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-03-09/trump-seeks-to-install-christie-ally-as-top-republican-party-fundraiser |title=Trump Seeks to Install Christie Ally as Top Republican Party Fundraiser |work=Bloomberg |date=March 9, 2016 |access-date=June 25, 2016}}</ref> After Trump's victory, he was the head on the Trump transition team for the Commerce Department.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/21/president-elect-donald-trump-considering-ray-washburne-for-secretary-of-interior.html|title=President elect Donald Trump considering Ray Washburne for Secretary of Interior|website=CNBC |date=November 21, 2016 }}</ref>
In 2020, Washburne played a role in convincing Trump to call for restoring a tax break allowing corporations to fully deduct restaurant meal and entertainment costs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-tax-policy-idea-wasnt-on-the-table-then-famous-chefs-called-the-president-11585879311|title=This Coronavirus Tax Policy Idea Wasn't on the Table. Then Famous Chefs Called the President.|first=Richard Rubin, Andrew Restuccia and Rebecca|last=Ballhaus|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=April 3, 2020|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/4b50dd9806e6d31607b23dfe38df4408|title=Calling Trump: When connections help steer virus supplies|date=April 11, 2020|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/dr-anthony-fauci-tells-tucker-carlson-hes-certain-efforts-to-slow-coronavirus-spread-are-having-an-impact|title=Dr. Anthony Fauci tells Tucker Carlson he's certain efforts to slow coronavirus spread are having an impact|date=March 19, 2020|website=Fox News}}</ref>
==Personal life== Washburne was born in Dallas, Texas in 1960, and was raised in Highland Park, later graduating from Southern Methodist University. In 1997 he married Heather Hill, a descendant of H. L. Hunt.<ref name="dmag-village" />
In 2021, Washburne committed $5,000,000 to SMU to construct the new Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.<ref name="SMU">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/washburne-stadium-dedication-april-2022|title=Making new strides with Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium|website=www.smu.edu}}</ref> The facility has been recognized as one of the finest facilities for college soccer and completed the urban design of the campus.<ref name="SMU" />
==Awards and recognition== * Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peoplenewspapers.com/2022/12/08/ray-washburne-to-join-north-texas-commercial-real-estate-hall-of-fame/|title=Washburne Joining North Texas Commercial Real Estate HOF|date=December 8, 2022 }}</ref> * North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors Hall of Fame (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntcarhalloffame.org/past-inductees-2006-2022|title=PAST INDUCTEES (2006 - 2023)|website=ntcarhof}}</ref> * Distinguished Alumni of the Southern Methodist University Award (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smu.edu/alumni/events/distinguished-alumni-awards/recipients/2023/ray-w-washburne|title=Ray W. Washburne '84|website=www.smu.edu}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.opic.gov/who-we-are/people/ray-w-washburne Biography at OPIC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928201010/https://www.opic.gov/who-we-are/people/ray-w-washburne |date=September 28, 2018 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Washburne, Ray}} Category:1960 births Category:Businesspeople from Dallas Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign Category:Living people Category:Overseas Private Investment Corporation officials Category:People from Highland Park, Texas Category:Texas Republicans Category:First Trump administration personnel