ABOUT LJC Investors

CHALLENGE CONVENTION    ·    PROVIDE SOLUTIONS    ·    DELIVER SUCCESS

La Jolla Cove Investors was incorporated in 1995, our sole shareholder is the former portfolio manager of the #1 Ranked New York Oppenheimer Fund. Our team is ethical, creative and highly experienced. Our deal structures are flexible and customizable to the needs of our partners. We view our collaborations as symbiotic relationships where the strength of each party creates a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Norman Lizt, President

After graduating at the top of his class from Wharton and Berkeley (MBA in finance), Norman went on to hold numerous positions on Wall Street; as an analyst for Value Line, Wertheim, and Lehman Brothers. He was the Portfolio Manager for the #1 ranked New York Oppenheimer Fund. Norman has been the President of a commercial real estate brokerage firm and the Senior Partner of a private investment partnership.

Travis Huff

Travis has overseen the day-to-day operations of La Jolla Cove Investors since January of 2000 and leads all investment activities.

He is focused on building successful relationships and helping our partners achieve their goals. Having structured over $500 million of funding agreements, he is able to provide sound advice and strategy while making sure our partners are adequately capitalized. Travis has a degree in Economics from Michigan State University.

Steven M Romanoff

Steven M. Romanoff is a licensed attorney and real estate broker in California. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Business Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara. In 1987, Steven received his law degree from the University of San Diego Law School and graduated in the top 2% of his class.

He began his legal career at Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye (now DLA Piper) in their Real Estate department in 1987 and in 1992 went on to establish a sole practice in La Jolla, California specializing in business and real estate transactions. From 1992 to 2003, he represented numerous developers, investors, lenders and business owners with business and real estate transactions totaling over $150,000,000. From 2003 through mid-2009, Steven was General Counsel to a private commercial lender, handling all legal aspects of the loan business. He assisted in placing over $1,000,000,000 in real estate loans, and handled loan workouts as well as the management of distressed REO.

Paul Harris

Paul is the Portfolio Accountant for La Jolla Cove Investors and has been with the firm since 2011. His responsibilities include accounts payable and receivable, financial analysis and reporting.

He has a broad range of experience in both private and public sector Finance and is a Chartered Management Accountant from the UK. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Coventry University.

Paul is also a FAA certified helicopter flight instructor and commercial pilot in his spare time and enjoys skiing, mountain biking and following English Premier League soccer.

Brennan Stevens

Brennan performs business development for La Jolla Cove Investors, where he plays a key role identifying new business opportunities, building relationships, and developing strategic partnerships.

Brennan is interested in economics and the dynamics that drive financial markets. He understands that financial markets are influenced by both tangible and intangible forces, and he is committed to understanding the underlying principles that shape these complex systems.

Brennan is a Veteran of the United States Navy. He served for four years aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2) as an Aerographer's Mate. There he acted as a meteorologist for the safety of navigation and operations. He contributed to the planning and execution of various naval operations, including search and resume missions, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.

In addition to working at La Jolla Cove Investors, Brennan studies Mathematics and Economics at the University of California, San Diego where he is due to graduate in 2024.

Yuki Otsuka

Alberto Chiappa

Alberto Chiappa holds a Master of Engineering degree from the Politecnico of Milan, Italy and an MBA from Stanford University. After graduation, he joined a material science silicon valley company holding positions in sales and marketing in Europe and in the US. He then developed several multi-family projects including the first ”Artist in Residence” building in Los Angeles and several environmental projects in China. In the last 20 years he was a partner in a company, which became the largest worldwide brand of classical guitars.

Dave Cochran, Chief Development Officer

Dave Cochran brings over four decades of private capital markets and business development experience to La Jolla Cove Investors and works closely on all investment activities.

He is focused on leveraging his decades-long relationships and maximizing all of our partners' returns. Cochran has founded and funded dozens of his own business entities and has served as a trusted advisor and director to hundreds of other organizations' executives and directors.

His private capital markets relationships are extensive and his transactions range from exits, turnarounds, settlements, work-outs, M&As, IPOs, reverse mergers, restructures, and more. Cochran has multiple Business degrees from The University of South Carolina, a Private Capital Markets certification from Pepperdine University, and multiple post-graduate studies from other Universities.

Anne Wheaton

Anne's professional background spans business administration, graphic design, and community relations. In the private sector, she has collaborated with business owners to streamline organizational processes, boost productivity, and foster intentional practices. Her approach emphasizes thoughtful, curated business strategies and aesthetics.