Troy Duffie, Director of Financial Markets at the Milken Institute, recently sat down with Forbes senior writer Jabari Young to discuss the landscape of financial markets in 2025 and the benefits of building a career in finance. During the conversation, Duffie also shed light on Milken’s HBCU Strategic Initiative and Fellows Program, designed to empower and encourage more students to explore careers in financial institutions.
Squire Technologies, the New York-based software company, continues to make waves in the fintech industry. CEO and cofounder Songe LaRon recently sat down with Forbes senior writer Jabari Young at the Nasdaq MarketSite to provide an update on the company’s progress. LaRon shared insights on Squire’s latest $35 million debt financing round, demonstrating the firm’s ongoing ability to secure capital. He also discussed strategies for competing against larger peer-to-peer payment platforms, highlighting Squire’s unique approach in the crowded fintech space.
The meeting served as a follow-up to Squire’s notable achievements in 2021, when the company reached a $747 million valuation after a successful $60 million funding round. That earlier raise had attracted high-profile investors, including NBA superstar Stephen Curry and renowned entertainer Trevor Noah. During the recent discussion, LaRon took the opportunity to reflect on Squire’s journey, recounting how he and co-founder Dave Salvant built the company from the ground up. This latest update underscores Squire’s continued growth and its efforts to solidify its position in the dynamic financial technology market.
Tracy V. Maitland, often referred to as the “king of convertible bonds,” is the founder and president of Advent Capital Management, a New York-based asset management firm specializing in convertible securities. Raised in the Bronx, Maitland is the son of a surgeon who once operated on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after he was stabbed at a 1958 book signing. In 1987, after starting his career at Merrill Lynch, Maitland became head of convertible bonds at the company. Eight years later, he founded Advent Capital, which now manages approximately $9 billion in assets, with over $8 billion invested in convertibles.
Don Peebles, founder and CEO of Peebles Corporation, stands as a trailblazer in real estate, heading the largest Black-owned real estate development company in the United States. Raised in Washington, D.C., Peebles grew up watching his mother transform her career from a secretary to a successful real estate broker—a shift that inspired his own journey. In 1983, Peebles founded the Peebles Corporation, a company now synonymous with luxury and community-centered developments. While building his business, Peebles also worked for Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry in the city’s property tax office, gaining invaluable insights into urban development and government processes.
Peebles Corporation began with a focus on public-private partnerships and has since evolved into a powerhouse in the real estate world, with a portfolio valued at over $8 billion. By prioritizing diversity and inclusion in his projects, Peebles has built a legacy that transcends financial success, focusing on creating opportunities for underserved communities.
Through his work, Don Peebles exemplifies how determination, strategic thinking, and community-driven values can lead to generational wealth. His story serves as a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to break barriers and build enduring success.
