Our Team

Michael F Whipple

Michael F. Whipple, Sr. has over 43 years of experience in public finance. Mr. Whipple began his career in financial management in 1970 as a municipal financial advisor at Stone & Youngberg. In 1977, he joind Miller & Schroeder as an investment banker. He founded a municipal financial advisory and investment banking firm in 1985. He has specialized in structuring and marketing tax exempt bonds. Mr. Whipple has prepared reports analyzing optional methods for financing public improvements, analyzing fiscal impacts of new developments, establishing rates, charges and development impact fees, establishing rates and methods of apportionment of special taxes and reviewing investments and recommending policies and procedures for investment of public funds. He has also acted as the financial advisor or investment banker for projects financed with federal or state grants or loans, and local funding methods including special assessments, special taxes, lease obligations, tax increment revenues, property and sales taxes, and revenues from user charges and fees. Mr. Whipple was the former Mayor of the City of Laguna Niguel, California and served on its City Council for 8 years. Mr. Whipple holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at California State University, Long Beach and an MBA from UCLA.

Michael F. Whipple, Jr., Vice President

Prior to joining Development & Financial Advisory, Mr. Whipple worked for a land
development consulting firm for ten years. He has experience in advising developers,
home builders and industry associations on the various types of infrastructure financing
programs, including Community Facilities Districts, Assessment Districts,
Redevelopment Agency and Development Impact Fees, along with cost reduction
strategies to increase project feasibility and cash flow. He has also successfully
negotiated school mitigation agreements and has conducted comprehensive economic
impact analysis for various clients. Mr. Whipple has been responsible for the formation
and issuance of public finance districts and development of cost reduction strategies in
excess of $500 million. Mr. Whipple graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics
from California State University, Chico.

Benjamin Caragan

Mr. Caragan has over 25 years of experience in conducting complex financial analysis for clients. Mr. Caragan specializes in financial and budgetary analysis and works with public agencies ranging from cities and counties to water districts and has been and is involved in high level restructuring of utility rates and internal billing rates for various municipalities. He has also been extensively involved in the development and implementation of structured financings involving various public agencies and has experience in land-secured financings, which have included bond issues in multiple series. Mr. Caragan has assisted in the establishment of special districts which have included improvement areas and tax zones located in numerous municipalities. He has developed and implemented structured financings involving public agencies to finance capital improvements, development impact fees, and real property acquisitions. Mr. Caragan holds an MBA from the University of California, Riverside and is a Certified Public Accountant.