Pioneer Alumni Spotlight
Life After East Bay
Epitomizing the Aura of Real Estate
Kameron served 6 years in the United States Marine Corps and deployed as an Engineer with a Combat Logistics Regiment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Concurrent with his service, Kameron sought personal and professional ambitions, devoting his education to better understanding the mental and physical effects of chronic stress disorders he found common amongst his Marines. Kameron also found early success as an angel investor in various ventures including Snowglobe Music Festival (acquired by MTV). After establishing himself as a consultant for early stage startups, he went on to help start Invicta Medical ($30M Raised), a medical device company developing an intelligent neurostimulation wearable designed to address the shortcomings of existing sleep apnea therapies. His research identified a unique association between Sleep Apnea and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Kameron’s entrance to real estate development came under the mentorship of Jerry Hunt, with whom he partnered at previous firms, including Quattro Realty Group and RPG Development Company. Kameron founded 300 Venture Group, a real estate development company that has acquired high profile properties throughout the bay area. He prides himself on being a student of urbanism and is inspired to transform under-performing asphalt into sustainable, cohesive environments.Q&A with Kameron
Why did you decide to attend Cal State East Bay?
CSUEB really chose me. I applied to three schools and only got into one, CSUEB. At the time I was serving at the Marine Corps Reserve Station Concord and CSUEB conveniently had multiple campuses in reasonable proximity to our base. What caught my eye, and what other schools didn't have, was the industrial/ organizational Psychology undergraduate program. I was searching for ways to merge both business and psychology.What is your fondest memory of Cal State East Bay?
My fondest memory was also the most taxing. With just 3 classes remaining, I took a hiatus from school to pursue a business venture in Palo Alto. I was slightly haunted by not finishing what I started and decided to return. I took night classes for two semesters after work to complete my degree even though I didn't want to go. Looking back at it, I'm proud I grinded through and got my degree.If you want to give advice to our students, what would that be?
My advice to pioneer students is to not be afraid to fail, investigate all of your interests, and be relentless. Use your 20’s to see what you like, your 30’s to find what you’re good at, and 40’s to make a lot of money.How has your education at East Bay helped with your endeavors?
Patrick Devine’s Compensation and Benefits class made me a mean negotiator.Tell us about your career and current job. What is something that you love about your profession?
I’ll try to keep this as short as possible as there were many twists and turns on my circuitous path.
I will start by saying; I owe much of my success to the United State Marine Corps. People have always granted me overwhelming respect and offered their service for my success and well-being. So many doors have opened for me just because I am a Marine. The Marine Corps also gave me a mission-accomplishing mindset, extreme team accountability, and a lifetime of “diddy” or sayings, to remind me of successful habits. The Marine Corps also broke me from the mold and thrust me into an unconventional path. Most 18-year-olds are not going through rigorous training toward a common goal. It’s not lost on any of us what we might have been doing if we did not enlist. College and the experience that comes with it, were always what I thought I was missing out on. I kept in contact with many of my high school friends and lived vicariously through their Facebook posts.
When I returned from Iraq I noticed the diverging paths we were both growing into. However, I also took notice of a group that was incredibly ambitious and was taking action. A friend of mine who was going to USC had fallen into a group that seemed like everyone had their own business or was ready to start one. I left a weekend visit with the saying “if you ever have something to invest in let me know.” A few weeks later they came to me with an opportunity to invest in a music festival, Snowball Music Festival in Colorado. I jumped at that opportunity, and that led to the next Snowglobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe (Acquired by MTV). At that time I didn't even know what the word due diligence meant but I dove in head first and learned the private equity business along the way.
Before I knew it, there were dozens of investment decks coming my way. I carved out a role for myself raising money and advising early-stage startups. After chasing opportunities for a few years I had an inflection point where I was deciding what I really wanted to do. I took a month off and went scuba diving six times a day before deciding to get into real estate development. I was lucky enough to get mentored by a well-established bay area developer, Jerry Hunt. I started doing that in 2017 and never left his side. We started 300 Venture Group in 2021 and have been off to the races acquiring property at the center of the city's focus, most notably the JCPenney at the Stoneridge mall and the Kohl’s site in Downtown Napa. We reimagine the properties for the highest and best use and long-term success. This includes working with the city staff to come up with a project plan and gain city council approval. I love being able to affect the world around me and create environments for people to interact with and enjoy.