Carlton Jenkins

Prior to joining MJC Partners in 2017, Mr. Jenkins was a Partner with the Los Angeles based boutique Investment Banking Firm, The Yucaipa Companies, for over 15 years. While at the investment and merchant banking firm, Mr. Jenkins was primarily responsible for the management and oversight of the firms Impact Investing arm, The Yucaipa Corporate Initiatives Fund along with its related investment vehicles and its portfolio of investments. 

This $750MM plus fund series provides equity and growth capital to high growth potential businesses located in or serving America’s underserved and ethnic populations. The Fund is largely funded by institutional Investors and is one of the largest private equity vehicles in the country focused on improving the flow of capital to America’s underserved and emerging market business sectors.  

From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Jenkins served as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Founders National Bank of Los Angeles, which with over $125MM in assets was one of the country’s largest and most visible African American owned commercial banks and the only bank of its kind in Los Angeles at its opening. Mr. Jenkins orchestrated a sale of controlling ownership in the institution in 2000 and it continues successfully today in a new incarnation to serve the Los Angeles market.  Mr. Jenkins was also a Co-Founder of Dryades Savings Bank, the only minority-owned Savings Bank in New Orleans, Louisiana and was an original member of its Board of Directors and Chair of its M&A Committee while helping to orchestrate a successful sale of the institution in 2010.

Mr. Jenkins' commitment to the delivery of quality financial products and services to underserved communities along with his long history of DEI advocacy and his active and unselfish community engagement have earned him frequent media attention and a long list of professional and community awards.

Mr. Jenkins' broad range of social, civic and business involvements which presently include or have included service on various corporate, public and non-profit boards: 

• Bitvore Corp, the California State Board of Education; Hawthorne Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: “HTHR”)
• The KROGER CO. (NYSE: “KR”)
• Fred Meyer, Inc. (NYSE: “FMY”)
• National Community Investment Fund
• Bank of America National Community Advisory Panel
• U. S. Micro Inc.
• AFA Foods
• Inner City Radio Station Group
• ConnXus.com, an internet-based service that connects small and diverse businesses with Fortune 500 companies.  

Mr. Jenkins serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the California Hospital and Medical Center in Los Angeles. Mr. Jenkins has also served as a Los Angeles regional judge for the National Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards program which annually recognizes CEO entrepreneurial success and leadership in the Los Angeles marketplace. 

Mr. Jenkins served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the National Community Investment Fund, a national nonprofit equity trust focused on investing and supporting Community Development Financial Institutions across the U.S.  It is the largest investor in urban market focused financial institutions in the U.S. with over $300MM is AUM and has also been awarded over $200MM in New Market Tax Credit allocations to support its investing and lending programs in communities across the country. 

Mr. Jenkins also served as the lead outside Director and Member of the Board of Directors of ProAmerica Bank (OTC: “PMRA”), a Los Angeles-based commercial bank focused on the Hispanic marketplace until its sale in 2016. Mr. Jenkins also gives of his time as an advisor to a new group of BIPOC led Fintech organizations focused on the delivery of services to Urban and Ethnic consumers. He has also provided Advice and Financial Counsel to several Professional Athletes over the years. 

Mr. Jenkins matriculated at Dartmouth College with a major in Government and has completed various management level programs including the Executive Management Program at UCLA’s School of Business, and the Minority Business Executive Program at the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration. In 2008, Mr. Jenkins was awarded an honorary Juris Doctor degree from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.