DLP Capital Founder & CEO Don Wenner Named National EY Entrepreneur of the Year® (Service Category)

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. & BETHLEHEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DLP Capital is proud to announce that its Founder & CEO, Don Wenner, has been named a National EY Entrepreneur of the Year® winner in the Service category. The award was presented at the EY Strategic Growth Forum® in Palm Springs, California, where Wenner stood out among 40 national finalists selected from 224 regional recipients—one of just ten national winners across all categories.

"This recognition is a powerful affirmation of the mission that drives us every day at DLP Capital."

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The achievement highlights Wenner’s commitment to addressing the housing affordability crisis, scaling purpose-driven innovation, and building Thriving Communities across the Sunbelt and beyond.

A Pennsylvania-born entrepreneur with a Purpose-Driven Mission, Wenner founded DLP Capital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at the age of 21 while studying finance at Drexel University. With no investors and limited resources, he built the company up from a small home-buying and brokerage operation into one of America’s fastest-growing private real estate firms.

One of the earliest moments that shaped his leadership was helping his first-ever client, Cynthia, who was facing eviction after 22 years in the same apartment. From driving through a snowstorm to pick her up for closing to personally helping move her belongings, Wenner quickly realized his work wasn’t about transactions—it was about transforming lives.

That purpose has since guided the company’s evolution into an impact-driven organization focused on providing safe, attainable housing for working families.

By 2014, Wenner had articulated a refined mission for his company: “To transform lives through the building of Thriving Communities.” He expanded DLP into a vertically integrated firm: real estate brokerage, property management, development, construction, short-sale negotiation, investment funds, and eventually community banking with the 2023 launch of DLP Bank.

Under Wenner’s leadership, DLP Capital has achieved sustained growth, including an average annual growth rate exceeding 50%*, 13 consecutive years on the Inc. 5000, and the launch of affiliated financial services. Wenner also developed the proprietary Elite Execution System, a growth framework shared in his bestselling books, which has guided DLP and other organizations in scaling effectively while maintaining culture, discipline, and purpose. Today, over 600 team members across the organization are united by values of drive, grit, curiosity, and humility, all working toward the company’s mission: transforming lives through the building of Thriving Communities.¹

Building Thriving Communities Across the Sunbelt

While DLP Capital remains deeply connected to its Pennsylvania roots, the company has since relocated its headquarters to St. Augustine, Florida, with additional offices in Bethlehem, PA, and Asheville, NC. Today, DLP Capital manages more than $5.5 billion in assets** providing multifamily communities, single-family rentals, manufactured housing, outdoor hospitality, and workforce housing solutions designed with affordability and quality at the forefront.

While DLP’s portfolio spans across the nation, Florida has become a cornerstone of its growth story. Among the company’s projects, Gateway Jax’s Pearl Square in downtown Jacksonville exemplifies its mission in action. The multi-phase revitalization effort, exceeding $2 billion in private investment, will transform nine city blocks into a walkable live-work-play neighborhood with mixed-use residential buildings, public green spaces, retail and dining, and Jacksonville’s first full-service grocery store (Publix) in decades.² While a standout project, Gateway Jax is only one of many developments bringing DLP’s mission to life.

About the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award: The EY Entrepreneur of the Year® award, created by Ernst & Young (EY), is one of the most prestigious recognitions in business, honoring leaders who demonstrate long-term value creation, innovation, growth, and societal impact. Winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process involving independent panels of past awardees, CEOs, and business leaders who assess each candidate.

The judges praised Wenner for building “a diversified powerhouse where prosperity and purpose go hand in hand,” noting his impact on millions of working families through affordable housing and community-focused development.

Reflecting on the award, Wenner said, “This recognition is a powerful affirmation of the mission that drives us every day at DLP Capital. Our purpose starts with ‘Dream. Live. Prosper.’—what DLP stands for—and it's more than just a name. We’re passionate about investing in housing that is affordable for working families and making an extraordinary impact by transforming lives through the building of Thriving Communities. This award reflects the tireless work of our entire team and the belief that business can be both purposeful and profitable.”³

DLP Capital plans to channel this recognition into continued momentum, accelerating development in Jacksonville and beyond by scaling its affordable housing strategy and deepening its commitment to impact.

About DLP Capital: DLP Capital is a private, diversified real estate investment firm dedicated to developing, financing, and managing attainable housing for America’s workforce. The firm’s portfolio spans multifamily and single-family residences, manufactured housing, and outdoor hospitality assets, with a focus on creating safe, sustainable, and community-driven living environments. DLP Capital operates a series of evergreen investment funds for accredited investors and leverages proprietary platforms and frameworks, including its Elite Execution System, to help clients grow while supporting the firm’s mission of building Thriving Communities. For more information, visit DLPCapital.com.

* PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

** As of June 30, 2025. AUM is the value of the assets DLP Capital manages, which includes real estate and real-estate backed loans.

1. EY US announces Don Wenner of DLP Capital as an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Florida Award winner. Businesswire. June 2025.
2. Our Projects. Gateway Jax.
3. EY US announces Don Wenner of DLP Capital as an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Florida Award winner. Businesswire. June 2025.