John Blaisdell

John Blaisdell is the chief executive officer at Salient and the chairman of the Salient Board of Managers. He serves on various fund boards, governance and investment committees. Prior to joining Salient in 2002, John was the CEO of a large private investment holding company for a high-net-worth Texas family. He was responsible for managing a $1 billion portfolio of private and publicly traded assets including equities, fixed income, real estate, alternative investments, early- and latter-stage venture investments and operating companies. John previously served as partner, president and COO of Leisure Management International (“LMI”), a Houston-based company owned in partnership with the Huizenga Family and other well-known Houston investors. Under his leadership, the company grew to become a global industry leader in the management of sports and entertainment facilities, specializing in the contract management, marketing, and operation of arenas, stadiums, convention centers and other public assembly facilities for both public and private clients. John advised high-net-worth families on sports franchise acquisitions and dispositions and municipal governments on lease negotiations with such franchises. LMI was sold to SMG, a joint venture of ARAMARK and the Pritzker family, in 2000. John has held various senior private, public and quasi-public positions in South Florida and the City of Miami, coordinating the development of more than $1 billion of private and public projects including large scale residential, commercial and entertainment projects. John is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Ballet and has served on the board of directors of many other public, private and charitable organizations in Florida, Texas and New Mexico. He received a bachelor of science from Barry University in 1983 and an MBA from the University of Miami in 1987. John is survived by his daughters Megan Blaisdell Willis and Kaitlin Blaisdell, and his sisters Debbie Ahern, Linda Newman and Sandy Blaisdell.