Manifest Financial

Invest in Your Success in Commercial Banking

Partners

David G. Dixon
Before founding Manifest, Dave enjoyed a career within the banking industry for 30 years.  During that time, he was part of the Investment Banking team at JP Morgan.  He was also a part of the Commercial Banking teams at Wells Fargo, Bank One and at The First National Bank of Chicago.  Dave headed commercial credit training including the entry-level training program at Bank One.  In that capacity, Dave managed the national program including the 15-member faculty plus 200-300 Analysts/Associates supporting the credit and capital markets functions within the bank.  Before banking, Dave was an accountant and started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers.  He then moved to become the Treasurer at Personal Finance Company – a middle market consumer finance company. 
Dave graduated from Millikin University majoring in Accounting and received an M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.  Dave also teaches finance at DePaul University in the Driehaus College of Business.

David G Dixon

Founding Partner

Tracey specializes in the development, design and instruction of both commercial credit and private banking training programs. Tracey began her career by working in the audit area of a leading accounting firm. She then moved into the banking industry, working as a Credit Analyst for First Interstate Bank and as Vice President in the corporate banking area of Security Pacific Merchant Bank. After leaving banking she joined Arcor, Inc., a leading metal parts manufacturer, where she held various positions including Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. In conjunction with her duties at Arcor, Tracey was also a Principal at Arcor Advisory Partners where she provided financing expertise to mid-sized enterprises, with a primary focus on mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, purchase negotiations, and integration of corporate acquisitions.
She has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, graduated summa cum laude from the University of Denver with a BSBA in Finance and Marketing, and is a CPA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) in the state of Illinois.

Tracey Smith

Partner

Lamont Black
Lamont Black is​ an educator, speaker, and author with a focus on financial innovation and financial markets.  He is also the director of the DBA program, an associate professor of finance at DePaul University, and the academic director for the Center for Financial Services.  His interests are in the areas of cryptocurrency, fintech, banking, corporate finance, and macroeconomics.  Prior to joining DePaul, Lamont was an economist at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. 
Lamont received a PhD in Finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in 2007, as well as a PhD in Economics.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University. 

Lamont Black

Partner

Don Wilson
Don is the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Stone Pillar Advisors.  He is also the Independent Chairman of Fund Board of Invesco PowerShares ETF fund complex.
Don has more than 30 years of experience in different parts of the banking industry.  He has previously led two successful recapitalizations and turnarounds of two suburban Chicago community banks and was also the President and COO of a $5 billion asset publicly-held bank.  Before that, Don had been the Corporate Treasurer of a $50 billion asset financial services and technology company where he led the funding, capital management, investor relations, investment portfolio, profitability measurement and securitization activities.  He came to that organization from a large global banking organization, where he was responsible for the analysis of the interest rate risk of North American operations.  Don started his career with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Don holds an MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of Chicago and a BBA in Financial Economics from the University of Iowa.

Don Wilson

Partner

Ted Heldring
Ted is currently an Adjunct Professor of Finance at DePaul University (courses include Introduction to Finance and Money and Banking) and serves on the board of directors at several privately held small businesses.
Prior to his teaching career, Ted spent 33 years in the banking industry with a primary focus on syndicated and leveraged finance. He worked for JPMorgan (or predecessor firms) for 17 years culminating in the role of head of leveraged finance for the Midwest region.  Much of his experience centered on leading mission critical loan and bond financings for corporate clients.  Ted’s client and transaction experience ranged broadly from the largest and strongest Fortune 100 companies to middle market leveraged companies.  Industries covered included industrials, consumer and retail, business services, energy and even sports team finance.
Ted’s undergraduate degree is International Economics from Georgetown University; he earned an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Ted Heldring

Partner

Parker Russell
Parker recently concluded a successful 35-year career in international investment banking, having worked in London, Chicago, and New York.  His last role was as a Managing Director at a large UK bank, successfully leading its push into the US structured finance bond markets.  This last position capped off over 20 years of experience in the global structured debt capital markets in countries such as the US, UK, China, Mexico, and a number of European jurisdictions.
 
Throughout his career though, Parker had a passion for economic development in Africa having started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya.  Since his retirement, he serves as the Treasurer of the Board for both Develop Africa Inc and Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency, is on the Advisory Board for Hiinga, a Ugandan NGO focused on economic development in that country, writes grants supporting Africa-based charities for the Anike Foundation, and invests in early-stage African companies.  Parker graduated from Lewis & Clark College in Portland Oregon, majoring in International Affairs and received an M.B.A. from the University of Texas – McCombs School of Business.

Parker Russell

Partner

Phone: 312.550.8357 | Email: info@manifestf.com | Copyright Manifest Financial © 2025