Senior Management

James Dondero, founder and principal of NexPoint, is president and chairman of NexPoint Real Estate Finance’s board of directors. He also serves as president of NexPoint Real Estate Advisors, L.P., the Dallas-based parent company of NexPoint Real Estate Finance’s external manager. With more than three decades of experience and success in alternative investments, Mr. Dondero has built numerous integrated enterprises which make up a global investment network. Mr. Dondero’s expertise has allotted him the opportunity to serve on a number of executive boards in the real estate and financial services industries. He is president and chairman of the board of directors of NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc (NYSE: NXRT), and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of NexPoint Hospitality Trust (TSX-V: NHT.U). James Dondero’s commitment to advancing community and economic development, along with his dedication to philanthropy, have made him an avid supporter of many local organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He frequently contributes to initiatives working to improve education, conservation, and veteran affairs. Mr. Dondero is a member of the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business Executive Board and the George W. Bush Presidential Center Executive Advisory Council.

Matt McGraner has served as our Executive VP and Chief Investment Officer since March 2015. Mr. McGraner has also served as the Executive VP and Chief Investment Officer of NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. (NYSE: NXRT) since March 2015, as Executive VP, Chief Investment Officer and Secretary of VineBrook Homes Trust, Inc. since February 2019, as Chief Investment Officer of NexPoint Hospitality Trust since December 2018 and as a member of the board of directors and President of NexPoint Storage Partners, Inc. since November 2020. Mr. McGraner has also served as a Managing Director at NexPoint or an affiliate since May 2013. His primary responsibilities are to lead the operations of the real estate platform at NexPoint, as well as source and execute investments, manage risk and develop potential business opportunities, including fundraising, private investments and joint ventures. Mr. McGraner is also a licensed attorney and was formerly an associate at Jones Day from 2011 to 2013, with a practice primarily focused on private equity, real estate and mergers and acquisitions. While at Jones Day, Mr. McGraner led the acquisition and financing of over $200 million of real estate investments and advised on $16.3 billion of M&A and private equity transactions. Since joining NexPoint in 2013, Mr. McGraner has led the acquisition and financing of over $11.8 billion of real estate investments.

Brian Mitts, CPA serves as Chief Financial Officer, Executive VP-Finance, Secretary and Treasurer of NREF; as Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary and a member of the board of directors of VineBrook Homes Trust, Inc.; Chief Financial Officer, Executive VP- Finance, Secretary and Treasurer of NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. (NYSE: NXRT); and Chief Financial Officer, Executive VP-Finance, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary of NexPoint Hospitality Trust (TSX.V: NHT.U). Mr. Mitts also serves as a member of the board of directors for NREF and NXRT. Mr. Mitts is also a member of the investment committee of the Company’s external manager. Mr. Mitts co-founded NexPoint Real Estate Advisors, L.P. (“NREA”), as well as NXRT and other real estate businesses with Mr. McGraner and Mr. Dondero. Currently, Mr. Mitts leads NexPoint’s financial reporting and accounting teams and is integral in financing and capital allocation decisions. Prior to co-founding NREA and NXRT, Mr. Mitts was Chief Operations Officer of Highland Funds Asset Management, L.P., the external advisor of open-end and closed-end funds where he managed the operations of these funds and helped develop new products. Mr. Mitts was also a co-founder of NexPoint Advisors, L.P., the parent of NREA. He has worked for NREA or its affiliates since 2007.

Dennis “D.C.” Sauter, Jr. has served as our General Counsel since February 2020. Mr. Sauter has also served as the General Counsel of NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. (NYSE: NXRT) since February 2020. Previously, Mr. Sauter was a partner in the real estate section of Wick Phillips Gould & Martin, LLP in Dallas, Texas from January 2014 until joining NexPoint in February 2020, where he specialized in acquisitions, construction, financing, joint ventures and complex leasing for REITs, private developers, and institutional investors. Mr. Sauter’s primary responsibility is to manage all of our legal matters, including corporate governance, real estate transactions, and capital markets transactions. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. He has been a licensed attorney and member of the State Bar of Texas since 2001.