# Fernando De Leon

> Fernando De Leon is the Dallas-based founder and CEO of Leon Capital Group and a co-founder of commercial real estate marketplace Crexi. Born in Brownsville and raised in Matamoros, he attended school across the border, earned a Harvard degree, and built a Texas real estate business into a diversified family holding company. His education philanthropy includes the De Leon Scholars Program at Saint Joseph Academy.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Leon Capital Group
- **Organizations:** Leon Capital Group, Crexi, De Leon Family Foundation, Horatio Alger Association
- **From:** Brownsville, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High school diploma, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, Harvard College
- **Known for:** Founded and leads a holding company with twelve independently managed subsidiaries., Co-founded Crexi., Graduated cum laude from Harvard College.

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Worked as a bilingual translator for American real estate developers in Mexico; negotiated ownership stakes in development projects.
- **2001** — Graduated from Harvard College and began his professional career as a Goldman Sachs analyst in New York.
- **2006** — Founded Leon Capital Group.
- **2007-2008** — Sold residential property ahead of the financial crisis and subsequently acquired distressed assets.
- **2015** — Co-founded commercial real estate marketplace Crexi.
- **2022** — Gave $1 million to Saint Joseph Academy to establish an endowed scholars program and educator award.
- **2025** — Received the Horatio Alger Award.
- **2026** — Ranked No. 40 on Forbes Self-Made 250.

## Achievements

- Founded and leads a holding company with twelve independently managed subsidiaries.
- Co-founded Crexi.
- Graduated cum laude from Harvard College.
- Received the 2025 Horatio Alger Award.
- Established an endowed education program through a $1 million gift to his former school.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Published a D CEO column questioning data-center ownership incentives and describing his continuing conviction in Texas.
- **2026-04** — Placed No. 40 on Forbes Self-Made 250 and appeared on The Distribution podcast.
- **2026-05** — Podcast host Brandon Sedloff highlighted De Leon’s focus on preparing his businesses for AI disruption.

## Links

- Website: https://www.leoncapitalgroup.com/fernando-de-leon/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-de-leon

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/fernando-leon
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-08