Kevin Newell

Kevin Newell embodies firsts.
The first of his siblings to graduate from college.
The first African American to build and own a multifamily commercial development in downtown Milwaukee.
The first African American to partner with an NBA team to develop a commercial entertainment district.

Newell received international recognition as a real estate partner with the Milwaukee Bucks, serving as developer and owner of Five Fifty Ultra Lofts, a key venture in the new $1 billion live-work-play entertainment district.

A proud graduate of Milwaukee Public Schools, Newell went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, serving as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated chapter president, earning a BBA in general management, and one month later graduated from Marquette University’s Associate in Commercial Real Estate, or ACRE, program. He finished at the top of his ACRE class, which allowed him to intern at the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. Within six months, he was hired full-time as a senior underwriter/asset manager at WHEDA.

In 2009, he earned an MBA emphasizing finance and management. And he quickly put that business, finance, and real estate acumen to use. In 2010 he founded Milwaukee-based Royal Capital Group, a venture and holding company focusing on urban development and innovation. As CEO, he leads the company’s strategic efforts across multiple platforms, including real estate, healthcare, food and beverage, venture and technology, and social responsibility.

In February 2023, Newell was elected to the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, which reported having almost $127 billion in assets at the end of 2022. Also, the Milwaukee Business Journal named Newell to their 40 under 40 list. He has also been named a National Top Real Estate Executive, Regional Top 75 Power Broker, and Top 48 Most
Influential African Americans in Wisconsin.