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Leo Wells III is the founder and chief executive officer of Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. He has been motivated by the entrepreneurial spirit since he was very young, and the success of his business is a tribute to his personal and business philosophy:

  • Glorify God
  • Care for people
  • Remember that money is simply a tool
  • Maintain integrity
  • Emphasize ethics

 

I never dreamed as a young boy that I would have my own Web site…mostly because Web sites didn’t exist back then. (I believe fire was still a relatively recent discovery in those days!) But Web sites – like blogs -- are an essential part of doing business today, and so we have created LeoWells.com. Included on this site are:

Awards and Honors
  • 2010 - Honorary doctorate of divinity, Carver College
  • 2009 - Southeastern chapter of Real Estate Investment Advisory Committee (REIAC) and Georgia State University Hall of Distinction
  • 2007 - Nominee, Turknett Leadership Character Award
  • 2006 - Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Georgia Terry College of Business
  • 2003 - Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Financial Services Category
  • Videos and articles
  • My personal biography, along with photographs of myself, my family, and our travels

I hope you enjoy LeoWells.com. Thanks for visiting!

Featured Article:
Leo Wells Salutes Entrepreneurs: Ehab Hanna
Ehab Hanna left his native Egypt in search of religious freedom and a better opportunity.

While I have often written about individuals who have been recognized by organizations such as Ernst & Young for their entrepreneurial accomplishments, I think it is significant to note that there are successful entrepreneurs all around us who have never been formally recognized or publicly celebrated. Chances are you cross paths with many such individuals on an everyday basis. Such was the case for me on a recent trip to the West Coast when I met Ehab Hanna.

After graduating from college in Cairo, Ehab Hanna worked as an air traffic controller in his native Egypt. Raised a Coptic Orthodox Christian in a predominantly Muslim nation, he often encountered religious favoritism and longed for an environment where he could both practice his faith and advance his career.

In 1994, a friend shared with him an advertisement published by the United States Embassy concerning a diversity visa program sponsored by the National Visa Center that annually provided some 55,000 green cards to non-U.S. citizens by random selection. He learned more about the program on the U.S. State Department website and shortly thereafter submitted his request. According to Ehab, the Visa Center received over 3 million applicants from Egypt alone. Some 6-7 months later, he received notice that he had been selected. Continue reading...