ROBERT CANNON
FOUNDER AND MANAGING MEMBER
Mr. Cannon’s real estate career began while attending the University of Arkansas when he had the opportunity to take over the management of the 20 unit apartment complex he was living in. Later he had the opportunity to take over another apartment community with 100 units. Graduating from the University of Arkansas with a BSBA in 1972 Robert went to work for the Henry S. Miller Company in Dallas, Texas, supervising the management of a portfolio of several thousand apartment units. At the time the Miller Firm was the fifth largest privately owned real estate company in the country. One year later he was given the responsibility for the supervision of all of the Miller owned and partnership properties, reporting to the President of the company, Vance C. Miller. This turned out to be a huge learning opportunity because Mr. Miller began to nurture him in the investment business. Robert got to help him acquire and sell properties, engaging in the legal aspects and the negotiations. He also got to attend investor meetings and generally learn the business of multi-family investing. Five years later he left the Miller company with Roger Staubach as Roger formed his own real estate company. There Robert formed the company’s original management company and brokered the sale of several large apartment complexes. After a year with Staubach, he sold his interest in the company and ventured out as an independent broker where he quickly sold several hundred million dollars of apartment properties and was the first broker to utilize a 1031 tax deferred exchange in Dallas. In 1978, utilizing the capital he had acquired he then formed Syntex Properties, Inc. Serving as its CEO Robert syndicated nearly 30,000 apartment units and several million feet of commercial properties located throughout the major cities of Texas. Robert also served as the Institute of Real Estate Management’s Education Director and has previously held the CPM, Texas Real Estate Broker’s License CFP designation and holds a private pilot license, owning his own aircraft. Robert semi-retired in 1991 enjoying travel, golf, hunting, boating and writing. He also started a successful marketing company and became a stock market investor. During his retirement he also authored 7 fiction novels, two of which are still in publication. In 2016, realizing how vibrant the Dallas real estate market was and having become somewhat bored, Robert decided to return to the work he loved as a real estate venture capitalist. Currently, Robert is the founder and Managing Partner of Sapient Funding, LLC, Sapient Funding CFS, LLC and Sapient Property Group, LLC which collectively specializes in the acquisition and syndication of large MF and commercial properties as well as new developing Single family neighborhood developments, multi-family projects and commercial properties. Robert Cannon acting through the Sapient companies currently has over $1 Billion of real estate projects in his pipeline. Robert is married with three grown children and four grandchildren. He still enjoys working, investing in the stock market, traveling, hunting, playing golf and doubts whether he will ever fully retire.
