MEET OUR TEAM
Founder & CEO
Nick is the founder and CEO of Mentis Capital Partners, a real estate investment firm focused on multifamily investments throughout the southeast. He is responsible for developing and executing new growth strategies, day to day operations, and has overseen the acquisition of the $85,000,000+ of assets under management.
Previously, Nick began his entrepreneurial career at age twelve with a lawn care business, selling it prior to starting his undergraduate degree. With the proceeds of the sale, he fully funded his college education, graduated in three years from Salisbury University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and started investing in rental properties while in college with a focus on residential and mixed-use properties.
NICK SIMPSON
DAVID HARKINS
Business Development & KP
David J. Harkins, President of Harkins Contracting Inc. has over 25 years of experience in concrete construction and general contracting in the Delmarva region. His firm has executed diverse portfolio of real estate construction worth over $800M in the last ten years. The firm specializes in mid-to high-rise concrete structures on the Eastern Shore and has successfully completed numerous oceanfront mid-rises in Ocean City, MD.
Having worked in the field and office for six previous summers, David joined the family concrete construction business full-time as an estimator and project manager upon graduation from college. By age 30, he was named President of the company. In 1999, David began his career in general contracting with the formation of Southern Builders, Inc. acting as CEO/President. The family business further vertically integrated in 2004 by starting Harkins Ready Mix Inc. to produce its own ready-mix concrete and to sell to retail customers.
In 2009, David formed his own general contracting business, Harkins Contracting, Inc. and retained key employees from Southern Builders, Inc. Harkins Contracting, Inc. and Harkins Concrete Construction, Inc. are the only general contractor and concrete contractor on the Eastern Shore that have the ability to manufacture their own ready-mix concrete.
David, a 1988 graduate of Parkside High School, grew up and resides in Salisbury. In 1992, he graduated from the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, with a concentration in Finance.
LEONARD ARVI, PH.D
Financial Advisor & Partner
Prof. Leonard Arvi assists Mentis Capital Partners by providing financial advice and real estate
modeling services on new deals. A Professor of Finance at the Perdue School of Business,
Salisbury University, Maryland. His expertise is in capital markets and real estate finance. In
2020, he was honored as Distinguished Faculty by the Salisbury University Alumni Association.
In 2014, honored by University System of Maryland Board of Regents' Faculty Excellence
Award for mentoring. He is actively involved in SU’s Capital Campaign, Strategic Planning &
Budgeting Committee, faculty financial affairs, fiscal advisory committee and numerous other
initiatives within the university.
Besides academia, Arvi is a serial entrepreneur. Over the years, he created StrategyD, an e-
business consulting firm in Bangkok; FinanceTutor, an executive education firm in Miami and
Verdeq Inc, a business/finance consulting firm in Boca Raton, FL. He is a founding board
member for a local non-profit, Wicomico Day School Foundation and currently serves as a
board member in the Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Wicomico county. Frequently
appears on regional TV networks affiliates of NBC, ABC to discuss economics and investments.
Prior to entering academia, Arvi worked as an IT Strategist, Research Analyst and Business
Analyst at the Stock Exchange of Thailand in Bangkok. His notable professional
accomplishments include the Thai fintech firm, settrade.com, design and management of online
learning for Thailand Securities Institute, revenue optimization for financial products and
developing IT infrastructure for one of Thailand’s largest publicly traded property development
firm, Goldenland PLC.
Arvi has earned Ph.D., M.S. in Finance Florida International University, M.S. in Computer
Science from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and B.S. in Chemistry from St.
Joseph’s College, India.
ALLIE LANE
Marketing Coordinator
Allie is the marketing and advertising coordinator for promoting and managing the Mentis brand. Allie attended the University of Southern Indiana studying Journalism and Communications and has more than 12 years of experience in the advertising industry. Previously, she spent five years as Composing Coordinator for The Daily Times in Salisbury before moving to broadcast media as an Account Executive for WMDT47. Most recently, Allie served as Director of Marketing for several student housing and multifamily communities.
Allie enjoys being active in our local community and has volunteered working events for the Wicomico County Board of Tourism and Salisbury Chamber of Commerce.
MEGAN MARKS
Administrative Coordinator
Megan is the administrative coordinator for Mentis, providing staff support and office systemization. Megan attended Goucher College where she received her B.A. in Environmental Studies and has started a M.A. in Environmental Management. She has 10+ years of customer service experience and over 5 years experience in office management and administrative work. Previously, she has provided administrative support to two environmental non-profit organizations in the Baltimore and D.C. areas.
Megan does professional photography in her spare time, and enjoys exploring new places as she acclimates to life on the Eastern Shore.