Economic thought leader, financial market pioneer, best-selling author and educator Ethan Penner enters race for California Governor as an Independent

Committed to Returning the California Dream, Penner Pledges Bold, Nonpartisan Reforms to Restore Opportunity, Accountability, and Growth in California.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethan Penner, the renowned financier who pioneered the modern real estate finance market, announced his candidacy for Governor of California as an Independent during his keynote address at the Future Proof Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, where thousands gathered for a three-day financial event.

Widely respected as an innovator who brought unprecedented liquidity and democratized access to real estate capital, Penner built a career on challenging convention and creating solutions where others saw obstacles. His groundbreaking work not only transformed finance but continues to influence global markets today.

Now, Penner is turning his focus to California, pledging to apply the same creativity, discipline, and forward-thinking approach that defined his financial career to solving the state's most pressing challenges.

"California stands at a crossroads," Penner told the audience of financial and policy leaders. "Families and businesses are leaving, homelessness is out of control, and our tax and regulatory policies are crushing opportunity. But with commitment, creativity, and compassion, we can turn things around. We can restore the California Dream."

He emphasized that his candidacy is not about party lines but about pragmatic, solutions-focused leadership bringing a problem-solving mindset grounded in business and finance to state government. As an independent, it is Penner's hope that he can soothe the social divisiveness that has undermined our ability to come together as a community and build the society that truly serves all of our interests.

His priorities include:

1. Modernizing California's tax and regulatory system to create abundance and improve affordability for all Californians.
2. Restoring integrity and accountability in government, ensuring transparency and public trust.
3. Investing in education, innovation, and infrastructure to drive long-term opportunity.
4. Confronting homelessness and public safety with strategies that balance compassion and effectiveness.

Penner is deeply committed to the wellbeing of future generations of Californians. He is the author of two books and publishes a popular weekly newsletter on cultivating a resilient, purpose-driven life. For the past decade he has taught graduate-level courses at USC's Marshall School of Business and Pepperdine University, where he takes great pride in mentoring the next generation of business leaders.

Penner's track record as a financial innovator and respected business leader has shown his ability to deliver lasting impact. Supporters say those same qualities of discipline, vision, and the courage to challenge the status quo are what make him uniquely equipped to guide California into a new era of growth and renewal.

"California has always been a land of dreamers and doers," Penner said. "It is time to reclaim that spirit and build a future where our children can thrive. Together, we can make California the model for the nation once again."

About Ethan Penner
Rising from humble beginnings, Ethan Penner rose to the top of the business world, renowned for innovation and rebuilding large broken systems. Raised by a single mother who was a public school teacher in Yonkers, New York, Ethan grew up with the same existential challenges that too many Californians face today.

Ethan began his career in the home mortgage industry, quickly rising to lead mortgage credit trading and finance at Morgan Stanley. He learned how markets move, how economies bend, and how to navigate systems when they fail. He managed large teams and oversaw billions in financial activity – experience that would prove vital.

In the early 1990s, with the real estate market in crisis, Ethan had a unique vision for changing the entire industry and he built the largest real estate financier in U.S. history from the ground up. He restored stability to a collapsed industry and built a new system of finance that democratized access to real estate capital.

Over decades in business, he's launched and led multiple investment firms including Capital Company of America, Nomura Asset Capital, CBRE Capital Partners, Mosaic Real Estate Investors, and Hill Street Realty. He's been named one of the Real Estate Forum's "65 Living Legends" and is internationally recognized as an innovator of real estate finance.

Ethan has authored two books, publishes an influential biweekly newsletter, and has been teaching graduate-level business courses at the USC School of Business and Pepperdine University.

Ethan and his wife Marisol – a proud immigrant from Venezuela – live in Calabasas. They have five children, including two adopted sons from Ethiopia and Venezuela. Their family reflects the same diversity, grit, and spirit of possibility that defines California itself.

Media Contact:
Jami Schlicher
JConnelly
973-647-0655
[email protected]

SOURCE Ethan Penner for Governor