In this episode of CashFlow Quest, hosts Blake Comfort and Jennifer Purcell are joined by Ben Schuster and guest, Pat Kilkenny, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former University of Oregon Athletic Director. Pat shares his incredible journey from bootstrapping an insurance business to building billion-dollar companies, his experiences in private equity, and his deep involvement in collegiate sports. He also discusses key challenges in the insurance industry, the impact of California’s wildfires, and the future of college athletics in the age of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals.
Pat Kilkenny is a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former Athletic Director at the University of Oregon. Over four decades, he built and scaled insurance giants like Arrowhead and K2 Insurance into multi-billion-dollar enterprises. Kilkenny later revitalized Oregon athletics, leading the construction of a $200M basketball arena and reinstating the baseball program. Through the Lucky Duck Foundation, he remains deeply committed to philanthropy and community impact.
Notes:
---
Blake Comfort, Co-founder of ComfortCommunities and Comfort Capital in 2008, embarked on a journey to acquire manufactured home communities, laying the foundation for the investment and management company we have today. In 2009, Comfort Communities acquired its first manufactured home community, and since then, the company has continued to expand, purchasing and managing numerous manufactured housing communities. Blake oversees all capital market functions, acquisitions, and deal sourcing forComfortCommunities and Comfort Capital. When he’s not working, Blake cherishes spending quality time with his wife and two young children and occasionally takes to the skies, flying around San Diego.
Jennifer Purcell, Co-founder of Comfort Communities and Comfort Capital, was raised in a real estate-loving household with her father being a general contractor and developer of over 4,000 units in San Diego County. Her mission is to change the perception of “Trailer Parks” and create exceptional living environments with top-notch service for residents. A San Diego State University graduate, Jennifer previously worked with R&V Management for their multi-family apartment portfolio at a leading global corporate housing company. Since 2009, she’s been instrumental in building Comfort Communities management team and fostering relationships with trusted investors and advisors, contributing to Comfort Capital’s success today. When she is not operating mobile home communities, she loves spending time outdoors, throwing the ball for her dog, and spending quality time with her husband and her two young children.
Benjamin Schuster leads Capital Formation and Investor Relations for Comfort Capital.
Listeners can connect with Benjamin Schuster on LinkedIn @BenjaminSchuster