The Portfolio Behind Pearl: Funding a 100-Year Vision

What does it take to build something that lasts for generations?

In this episode of Cambridge Conversations, we explore how bold vision, patient capital, and a deep commitment to community helped transform San Antonio’s Pearl district from a shuttered brewery into a thriving destination.

Host Willis Wilson hands the mic to Unseen Upside host Hillary Ribaudo, who travels to San Antonio to speak with Bryant Ambelang, CEO of Silver Ventures (CA client); Shawn Hatter, President of Oxbow Development Group; and Mary Jo Palermo, Partner at Cambridge Associates.

Together, they unpack how a family’s commitment to place, culture, and community helped shape a “100-year business,” and what it takes to support that vision through market cycles, development challenges, and changing needs over time.

This podcast episode covers:

• • How Pearl evolved from a historic brewery into a thriving mixed-use destination
  • Why patient capital and long-term thinking were critical to its success
  • How liquidity, risk, and portfolio decisions helped support an ambitious vision
  • What investors can learn from building for both community impact and lasting value