Trey White’s philosophy is defined by investing in forward-thinking solutions with an eye toward technology and first-to-market advantages. He was born a third-generation entrepreneur in Dallas. Understanding that being first to market is a huge advantage, he directed energy toward achievements that positioned him ahead of competitors in emerging markets. To date, Trey White has placed capital of more than $1.5B into companies he founded or co-founded.
Trey White co-founded NewHomeSearch, a revolutionary electronic real estate listing service for Realtors® and new home builders, gained 100% penetration in the Dallas market within two years of inception and grew to ten markets with an innovative client-server-based application. NewHomeSearch, renamed HomeBuilder.com in 1996, created the first Internet portal for searching real estate listings, quickly expanded to seventy-five markets and became the official Web site of the National Association of Homebuilders. Mr. White oversaw the merger of HomeBuilder.com with Realtor.com and participated in taking the two companies public as HomeStore.com, raised $800M in two offerings, drove stock to $160 per share and resulted in a $9B market cap at its peak.
In 2002 Trey White began investing in multi-phased, single-family, residential developments and, in 2003, provided the start-up capital to form Marlin Atlantis. This new entity, under the direction of an outstanding management team, took advantage of low interest rates and strong residential housing markets in Texas. To date, Marlin Atlantis has entitled and/or developed eighteen residential communities, including five master-planned developments in major Texas markets. The enterprise has deployed more than $200M in capital and is one of the largest residential community developers in Texas, with more than 20,000 single family lots in inventory. Marlin Atlantis is currently in the process of designing a $500M theme park in Houston, Texas named EarthQuest. EarthQuest will be the first mega theme park built in the US since DisneyWorld. Its unique position in the Houston market is projected to attract over 3M visitors per year and raise the bar in entertainment while delivering an eco-conscious message.
Also in 2003, Trey White founded White Energy, a company funded to take advantage of the high cost of oil, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels by building destination, fuel-grade, ethanol plants. In 2005, White Energy received its air permit to build in Texas. The first new facility created a destination plant trend that continues today in Texas, California, New York, Colorado, Kansas and Florida. White Energy produces 250M gallons of ethanol in three facilities, the fifth-largest US producer and the largest Texas refiner of fuel grade ethanol. To date, White Energy has deployed over $500M into renewable energy investments.
Mr. Trey White has created and pioneered markets using a best-of-breed management team methodology as he leads several organizations, charitable as well as for-profit, against which other companies and efforts are measured. His mental and physical cornerstones for success include surrounding himself with smart, experienced, respected individuals at the top of their industries. He and his associates possess the ability to take measured risks, cultivate instincts for emerging markets, and demonstrate the acute market-awareness necessary for properly timed exits. He considers these aspects of business acumen “simple rules for a complex world, instrumental in stacking odds toward the probability of success.”
