Having worked as both a university treasurer and a higher education investment banker, Harper has over thirty years of experience in higher education finance. Prior to joining the Yuba Group, Harper served as a Managing Director in the Higher Education and Nonprofit banking group at Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Bank. In his role as an investment banker, Harper assisted public and private colleges and universities and other nonprofit organizations across the country in all facets of developing and implementing capital markets financing strategies, including investment-grade and non-investment grade transactions, derivatives, and commercial bank-funded structures. Harper also worked with real estate investment management firms and with public infrastructure developers and investors to provide buy-and sell-side advisory services related to public-private partnerships and has experience with concession agreements, privatized student housing arrangements, lease-leaseback structures, and ground lease structures.
Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Harper served as Associate Vice President and University Treasurer at Cornell University. During his six years at Cornell, Harper was responsible for procurement, investment accounting, plant accounting, accounts payable, bursar, cash management, debt, and university policy functions. Earlier in his career, Harper worked in higher education and nonprofit investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, UBS Securities, and PNC Capital Markets.
Harper graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Political Science and Communications and received an M.S. in Public Policy and Management, with a minor in Business Administration, from Carnegie Mellon University.
Municipal Advisor Licenses:
Series 50 Municipal Advisor