Our Firm
Steven Klein, Managing Principal
Steven Klein has worked for nearly 40 years in infrastructure finance, investment banking and the credit markets. He founded First Infrastructure LLC, a consulting and advisory firm focusing on infrastructure, alternative energy and economic development finance in 2009.
Beginning in the early ‘90’s Steven served in a series of progressively more senior positions in three major participants in the financial guaranty industry, culminating in his work from 2000 to 2008 as a co-founder of a new triple-A rated company, CIFG. While at CIFG, Steven served in senior business development, product development and as head of Global Infrastructure and Governmental Finance as well as Corporate Development, Investor Development and Marketing. Prior to his tenure at CIFG, Steven worked in senior management positions at Enhance Financial Guaranty (now Radian) and FGIC (owned by GE Capital at that time).
Prior to his financial guaranty experience, Steven served as an investment banker at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (DLJ) as a senior banker in public finance, during which time he led several transactions totaling over $1 billion for various state and local governments. Early in his career, Steven provided policy and program development consulting advice to state and local governments, under the auspices of a small Cambridge, MA based consulting firm. Steven received a J.D. from Boston University, a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a B.A. from Haverford College.
OUR AFFILIATES
In order to provide tailored solutions to our clients, we often collaborate with firms of complimentary skills and focus. Collectively we are able to serve our clients effectively and efficiently while providing a broader perspective than we could individually. Our affiliates include:
Forsyth Street, is an advisory and asset management firm focused on affordable housing, real estate and municipal and impact investment.
Marstel-Day, Marstel-Day develops innovative and effective solutions to intractable land-use or planning problems while enhancing the environment and permanently conserving natural resources and wildlife habitat.
Roland Berger (formerly Enovation Finance), Founded in 2013 by energy practice leaders from the top management consulting firms. Enovation was created to bring innovative thinking to an increasingly complex energy and infrastructure sector, and to deliver exceptional results.
Avivar Capital, is a U.S.-based SEC registered investment advisory firm focused on managing impact investment portfolios and developing impact-driven funds and families of funds on behalf of clients. Avivar assists foundations, banks and other institutional investors in the design and execution of impact investing strategy for financial, social and environmental return. The firm’s professionals bring domestic and international experience to serve as investment strategists, deal and fund structurers, asset managers, due diligence providers, coaches, trainers, market researchers, facilitators, and evaluators.
Energy Infrastructure Partners LLC, provides financial advisory, strategic consulting, market development assistance, financial structuring, investment analysis, program management, customer outreach and contract negotiation support to potential project sponsors, both governmental and commercial.
Navigant is a specialized, global professional services firm. Its teams apply experience, foresight, and industry expertise to pinpoint emerging opportunities to help build, manage, and protect the business value of the clients we serve.
Ernst and Young is a multinational professional services firm headquartered in London, England, United Kingdom. EY is one of the largest professional services firms in the world. EY has recently shifted its historical business focus towards consulting. In particular, EY advanced its market presence in strategic consulting and by a series of acquisitions and shift of market focus, has expanded its market share in areas including operations services consulting, strategy services consulting, HR services consulting, financial services consulting & technology services consulting.
Oxane Partners provides Advisory services for modeling and project monitoring of infrastructure and renewable energy deals.
Oliver Wyman is a global management consulting firm. Founded in 1984, the firm adopted its current form in May 2007, when Mercer Oliver Wyman joined with Mercer Management Consulting and Mercer Delta to become one firm named Oliver Wyman. It is part of the Oliver Wyman Group, a business unit of Marsh & McLennan. The company is headquartered in New York City with 60+ offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and employs over 4,500 professionals.
Economic Innovation International, founded in 1970, is internationally recognized for building more than $150 billion of privately capitalized innovative institutions to accomplish public purposes in North America, Europe and Asia. These funds generate measurable wealth and high quality jobs for low-income residents of targeted communities in emerging markets. Belden Hull Daniels, founder and President of Economic Innovation, is an attorney and former international banker who taught economic development and development finance for many years at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Strategic Development Solutions Group (SDS Group) creates innovative business and investment strategies that foster economic opportunity in low-income communities and promote positive environmental impacts. At the investment level, SDS creates and manages Double and Triple Bottom Line private equity funds in the pursuit of market-based social and environmental solutions. At the community level, SDS provides capacity building and funding strategies to nonprofits serving low-income communities.
Cinnaire is a multi-dimensional community development institution with a national footprint. Cinnaire provides debt, equity, asset management and community development services to underinvested communities. Cinnaire manages over a $3.7 billion portfolio of loans and equity in project in nine states.