Key Takeaways
- • Carter Funds, a Tampa-based real estate acquisition and alternative investment management firm, appointed Deron Richens as Senior Vice President, Internal Sales and Distribution, according to a Business Wire release.
- • Richens will lead internal sales across Carter Funds' platform, including Aphorio Carter, Carter Exchange and Carter Multifamily, supporting nationwide distribution growth.
- • Richens brings more than 25 years of third-party distribution experience, most recently as SVP, Head of Internal Sales at Bluerock Capital Markets.
- • Carter Funds reports approximately $3.4 billion in assets under management as of May 2026 across data centers, commercial properties and multifamily real estate.
- • The hire is aimed at expanding relationships across the broker-dealer and RIA channels, per company president Gael Ragone.
Summary
Carter Funds, which describes itself as a fully integrated real estate acquisition and alternative investment management firm, has appointed Deron Richens as Senior Vice President, Internal Sales and Distribution, the company announced via Business Wire. In the role, Richens will oversee internal sales efforts across the firm's investment platform, which includes Aphorio Carter, Carter Exchange and Carter Multifamily, as the firm works to support the continued growth of its distribution strategy nationwide.
Richens brings more than 25 years of experience in third-party distribution, having built and scaled sales organizations across real estate, alternative investments, annuities and other financial products. Most recently he served as Senior Vice President, Head of Internal Sales at Bluerock Capital Markets, where the company says he contributed to sales and assets under management growth and enhanced sales processes and CRM strategies. Before Bluerock, he was Senior Vice President, Internal Sales at Griffin Capital Securities, supporting sales and AUM growth for non-traded REITs and interval funds. Earlier in his career he held leadership roles at MetLife Investors and AXA Distributors, focusing on third-party distribution, internal sales leadership and advisor training.
Carter Funds President Gael Ragone said Richens' understanding of distribution strategy, advisor engagement and sales process optimization will be "invaluable" as the firm expands its relationships across the broker-dealer and RIA channels. Richens holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, Real Estate and Law from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and maintains FINRA Series 7, 63 and 24 licenses.
According to the firm's company profile, Carter Funds operates through affiliates Aphorio Carter, Carter Multifamily, Carter Exchange and Allegiant-Carter Management, has a $4.4 billion history of real estate acquisitions, and as of May 2026 manages approximately $3.4 billion across data centers, commercial properties and multifamily real estate.
Richens brings more than 25 years of experience in third-party distribution, having built and scaled sales organizations across real estate, alternative investments, annuities and other financial products. Most recently he served as Senior Vice President, Head of Internal Sales at Bluerock Capital Markets, where the company says he contributed to sales and assets under management growth and enhanced sales processes and CRM strategies. Before Bluerock, he was Senior Vice President, Internal Sales at Griffin Capital Securities, supporting sales and AUM growth for non-traded REITs and interval funds. Earlier in his career he held leadership roles at MetLife Investors and AXA Distributors, focusing on third-party distribution, internal sales leadership and advisor training.
Carter Funds President Gael Ragone said Richens' understanding of distribution strategy, advisor engagement and sales process optimization will be "invaluable" as the firm expands its relationships across the broker-dealer and RIA channels. Richens holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, Real Estate and Law from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and maintains FINRA Series 7, 63 and 24 licenses.
According to the firm's company profile, Carter Funds operates through affiliates Aphorio Carter, Carter Multifamily, Carter Exchange and Allegiant-Carter Management, has a $4.4 billion history of real estate acquisitions, and as of May 2026 manages approximately $3.4 billion across data centers, commercial properties and multifamily real estate.
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