Rick Mercer Core Qualifications

Over 35 years of hands-on experience at all levels of residential & commercial real estate development in Florida

Experienced in Commercial & Residential Real Estate Design & Development
Experienced in Heavy Civil Site Infrastructure Development Projects
Strategic Long-Range Planning, Programming, & Budgeting of Capital Improvement Projects
Construction Management of New and/or Rehab Commercial & Residential Projects
Architectural, Engineering, Environmental & Landscape Design Development & Permitting
Team Building, Administrative & Operational Oversight including Process & Personnel Management

Professional Capabilities

Collaborates well with principals and project stakeholders in creating long-range strategic plans including programming, budget analysis and scheduling to allow for the preparation and execution of annual work plans.
Results-driven leadership in creating multi-disciplinary teams in the programming, design, planning, architectural design, landscape design, civil/structural/environmental engineering, permitting and construction of private real estate and state-owned facility construction projects.
Effective communicator, customer service provider and project manager well-versed in the financial, strategic and operational aspects of project delivery.
Skilled Senior Level Project Manager with a strong track record of planning, designing, permitting and building large and complex real estate development projects on time and on budget.

Responsible for creating the long-range strategic plan, operational budgets and home delivery program for a $17mm annual non-profit organization which delivers 60 to 70 affordable housing units per year.
Successfully acquired, zoned and programmed 9 parcels of land to create new affordable housing neighborhoods, providing for an unprecedented 13 year lot inventory supply.
Responsible for managing annual land development projects with values of approximately $5.0mm.
Responsible for the architectural design, permitting, construction and delivery of 60 to 70 single family detached homes per year.
Hands-on management of corporate real estate portfolio, including scattered lot acquisitions and sales.
Directly responsible for assembling new community and facility development teams to include legal, planning, design, architectural, engineering and environmental consultants necessary for successful project completion.
Direct fiscal responsibility for an approximate $10.0mm annual land development, capital improvement, home construction and facilities management budget.
Responsibilities include team building, staff training and performance management/coaching.
Public agency presentations, board presentations and government agency interactions.

In 2003 (after leaving WCI) I created a Sole Consulting Proprietorship to assist former clients and colleagues in land acquisition feasibility analysis, community planning, financial forecasting and construction management.
I ceased operations of RMDCI in 2004 to begin employment with Elias Brothers Communities.
After 4 years, Elias Brothers folded during the real estate downturn, and I returned to my solo practice.
In 2012, I was recruited to join the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to combine certain financial and operational entities into a new State Agency so in late 2012, I once again ceased operations of RMDCI to begin employment with FDEP.
In April 2015, I returned to SW Florida and once again, picked up my solo practice which I operated successfully until 2017 when I was recruited to join Habitat for Humanity.

Bureau of Financial Management
- Responsible for the preparation of annual budgets and the administration of $400mm in annual appropriations to 3 state agency divisions including accounting and audit.
Bureau of State-Owned Lands Inventory
- Responsible for the development of the Legislatively mandated FL-SOLARIS land and facilities inventory program, a 6-yr $12mm information technology project.
Bureau of Design and Construction
- Oversight of all planning, design and construction for new State Park facilities and improvements, vendor facilities and facility renovations (including historic) for all 161 Florida State Parks.
- Created the programming strategy and long-range budget forecast for the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail from Key Largo to Key West across 29 FDOT bridges.
- Created and managed an architectural, engineering and construction management team responsible for over 100 annual new facility and facility renovation projects valued at $25mm with a backlog of $400mm in shovel-ready facility projects.
Bureau of Operational Services
- Direct oversight of 100 State Park concessionaires with annual sales in excess of $35mm.

As Chief Operational Officer, I led all land acquisition efforts, government agency entitlements, land development and residential construction efforts for a 120 unit per year homebuilding company with annual revenues of $45mm.
Responsible for the programming, design and construction of multiple office facility rehabilitation and expansion projects ranging from $250,000 space buildouts to $3.5mm commercial office building expansions.
Responsible for the planning, design and construction for a new $5.5mm corporate headquarters facility.
Directly responsible for acquiring 4 parcels of raw land for new residential neighborhoods totaling over 600 lots with a total projected sales volume of $150mm.
Hands-on management of site design, engineering, permitting, land development and home construction with a max volume of 120 units in 2006.
Created partnerships for multi-party/master-planned communities which included both residential and commercial components.

SW Florida regional Planning and Land Development director for a 600 unit per year building division which encompassed 15 master planned communities with annual land development budgets in excess of $50mm.
Direct responsibility for leading acquisition feasibility teams in the financial and operational review of new acquisition targets to include financial forecasts and risk assessments.
Responsibilities included assembling the professional teams as necessary for the design, planning, engineering, permitting and site development of new neighborhoods and master planned communities to feed a very aggressive homebuilding division.
Created long range community and operational plans to include budget forecasts, schedule forecasts and annual work plans to achieve corporate revenue goals.