A native of El Paso, Texas, Manny Jemente is the owner of and broker for Acala Investments, LLC. The company is dedicated to real estate financing, brokerage, and investments. In 2001, Manny received a B.A. in Public Policy from Stanford University. At that time, this major was the most quantitatively rigorous social science discipline.
Within the Public Policy program, he concentrated in Social Entrepreneurship with the mentorship and teaching of his advisor Professor Greg Dees, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant and previous faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Business. Manny remained at the university until April 2002 to conduct empirical research on the statistical consequences of the mergers between commercial and investment banks after the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1934. Manny returned to El Paso shortly after completing his research. At that time he started his real estate career with one of the El Paso area’s most accomplished commercial real estate developers. Manny helped invest in and develop retail strip centers and office buildings, among other property types, by being directly responsible for land acquisition, financing, project analysis, construction management, leasing, property management, and real estate brokerage. In 2006 Manny started to personally develop commercial real estate in El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM. He continues to identify acquisition targets and form partnerships and joint ventures to invest in and develop real estate investment opportunities. In spring of 2007 Manny helped form a national Regulation D mortgage-pool fund. He continues to manage the fund’s ongoing operations and has also created other investor partnerships to invest in 1st Lien mortgage notes. Manny Jemente is a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker (TREC Lic. No. 525011) and a licensed NMLS Texas Loan Originator (NMLS No. 279509). Acala Investments is a Texas Limited Liability Company licensed as a Real Estate LLC Broker (TREC Lic. No. 584563) and licensed as an Entity NMLS Originator (NMLS No. 361066). Manny is a former member of the Sunturians where he served as the chairman of the Pasoport Scholarship committee. He was also a former member of the Cathedral High School Advisory Board. Manny lives in the Upper Valley of El Paso with his wife Adeline and their three dogs. He is passionate about wine and has attained the Level II - Certified Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. He is also an active member of Rush Fitness gym’s CrossFit community.
Allow me to introduce myself and explain why you should contact me for representation. That’s what this is about anyways, right? Why should I be your “Real Estate Guy”? I have over 12 years of experience selling commercial properties and residential homes. I have played with the “big boys” since the age of twenty-seven.
I tend to exceed expectations on all sides. Rest assured if you are working with me you will get the highest value for your property and you won’t over-pay. I have experience with everything from land development to selling apartment complexes. If you don’t know what you should do with your money, I’m a phone call away. I am very flexible on communicating: text, Facebook messenger, email, phone, or in person works for me. Want to know more? Well, I grew up in El Paso. I know every bit of it. I grew up playing sports year-round. Football, basketball, baseball, and track where I even pole-vaulted. This made me very competitive in life and I still hate to lose. I graduated from Eastwood High School and UTEP with a Bachelor’s in Business. I spent about ten years in management starting at a young age. I worked with Blockbuster Video and Starbucks during that time. I was a Store Manager for both opening/closing about 7 stores in all. I ran the show all those years in my twenties. I knew there was more out there and all those years of opening new locations, I was able to see the fancy guys in their fancy cars called real estate agents. I was in! I worked on my license and went straight at it. I began in commercial real estate immediately which is not too easy to do. I learned a lot from the big guys in town. I absorbed everything like a sponge and made decent money for young guy in the business. However I didn’t always like the tactics and the environment. I began to work like them and it wasn’t me. It was all about the deal and not about the clients. I began work with Manny Jemente and Acala Investments, LLC several years ago and I haven’t looked back. Manny is all about the individual and I like that. It allows me to work deals and cherry-pick my clients. If a deal isn’t good, we walk away without hesitation. Making a dollar, a lot of dollars, isn’t worth our integrity. I have done this for a while. I am very good at what I do, but that’s not the real reason to work with me. I establish long-term relationships with all my clients. Many are now lifelong friends. I have done so by always placing their interests first and being knowledgeable in my profession of course. Then add a lot of caring about my clients and treating them like friends/partners. I tell you the bad news and the good news no matter what you want to hear. That’s called being genuine. I genuinely want to be your “Real Estate Guy”. Please feel free to contact me anytime! Sincerely, Ruben Garcia
Brian has worked for Acala Investments, LLC since 2017. Brian Ricci has been a licensed loan originator since January 2018. He has worked in the El Paso market as a hard money lender for 10 years as owner and manager of Jereno Investments, L.L.C. Since 2009 Brian has managed his own portfolio and numerous other portfolios in the hard money business.
Brian has been involved in many real estate transactions in his ten years of experience. Since 1997 Brian Ricci has worked as a manager at Durable Orthopaedic Supplies, L.L.C. He has been a part of the medical community in El Paso providing medical supplies to local doctors and hospitals and continues these pursuits currently. Brian Ricci is licensed Texas Loan Originator (TX-SML Mortgage Loan Originator). Brian has been a member of the Yucca Council Executive Board since 2016 and works with local Boy Scout Troops. Brian is a member of Sunturians a local organization which gives travel scholarships to local high school graduates planning on attending college.
After moving from Miami, FL, Amanda Perez has worked for Acala Investments, LLC since 2024. In 2024, Amanda earned a M.S. in International Real Estate from Florida International University. Through this masters program, Amanda has developed real-world knowledge in valuation, investment analysis, real estate markets, performance measurement, corporate asset management, finance techniques, law, technology, and accounting. With extensive experience with industry-standard software such as ARGUS and ArcGIS, and comprehensive knowledge on data analysis with databases such as Costar, Amanda can help you make the best choices in real estate investments and tailor suggestions to your needs. Amanda has also sharpened her experience through her time as a Research Assistant for graduate professors, Teaching Assistant for upper-level undergraduate students, an intern working with one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the U.S., and an intern working with one of the largest developers in Miami, FL.
At 19 years old, Amanda managed her family’s business in Hialeah, FL with her father and grandmother. After working 60+ hour work weeks for years, she is now using this capital to invest in real estate and start flipping houses. Amanda is now focusing her skill sets on financial services and commercial development, her true passions. Amanda understands the importance of working hard, being financially literate, and going after what you want. After figuring it all out on her own, she now wants to help you meet your financial goals too! In her free time, Amanda Perez enjoys playing video games, cooking, and crafting new cocktails for her friends and family to try. She loves going out to new bars and restaurants, and holds the hospitality industry close to her heart. She also loves her cat Mercury, one of the few things spicier than her.
