Honoree: Lisa Bhathal Merage

Co-Founder, Chief Impact Officer & Managing Partner
Revitate

Lisa Bhathal Merage joined the family business, RAJ Swim, in 2006 after graduating from USC and three years later launched LUXE by Lisa Vogel, a line of chic, upscale swimwear sold at luxury retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, which earned her the national title of “Designer of the Year” at the 2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim. She then launched RAJ Capital, the alternative asset division of the Bhathal Family Office. It included an opportunity zone investment platform, RevOZ, which has invested more than $1.3 billion in opportunities that have been designated for economic growth. This enterprise led to Revitate, a scalable, diversified investment management platform that partners with visionary business-builders with the talent and drive to achieve transformational economic and social impact.

Two primary real estate initiatives include Revitate Cherry Tree, with a focus on preserving attainably priced housing opportunities for working Americans in the Midwest; and Revitate Impact, a social impact platform centering on Opportunity Zone investments with a commitment to integrate positive impact into development projects in the form of new jobs, housing, economic activity, environmental and community benefits. Along with her family, Merage is co-owner of Sacramento Basketball Holdings LLC. The firm owns the Sacramento Kings franchise of the NBA, Golden 1 Center, the Sawyer Hotel and residences, and is the developer of the Downtown Commons entertainment and sports district in Sacramento. With a philanthropic passion for both the arts and education,

Merage is on the board of the Orange County Museum of Art as well as involved with Segerstrom Center as an Angel of the Arts. She has served as a trustee for both Sage Hill School and St. Mary’s IB World School. Merage was also chair of the board of Gen Next, a nonprofit aimed at education reform, economic growth and national security. Today, she is a champion for social impact through property investment. As Merage puts it, “Impact... starts with a belief that building a wellrun business that solves meaningful problems and consistently delivers value to employees and investors is, in itself, a form of positive social impact.”