CINCINNATI (March 4, 2024) – Frost Brown Todd (FBT) announced today that Frances Kern Mennone has joined FBT’s Industry Consultants & Advisors group as a managing director. Mennone works with public and private companies to execute large-scale, uniquely complex public-private partnerships. She has taken major development projects from the concept and financing stages through completion. Doing so has given Mennone a deep understanding of organizational development, governance best practices, and how to build strong strategic partnerships.
“Frances is a seasoned leader in urban renewal and development, recognized for her ability to take new public-private projects from nascent concepts to successful realities while adding measurable value to the communities and organizations she serves,” said Denise Lund, leader of FBT’s Public Finance Practice Group. “Her extensive consulting experience and knowledge of the market broadens the services FBT can offer clients with major projects that need to be done right.”
Mennone has experience with large federal grant programs, PACE, state and federal historic tax credits, New Market Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, American Rescue Plan Act regulations and eligibility, and many more funding vehicles. She has been instrumental to dozens of projects across the Midwest, including:
- The pre-development stage for the transformation of Champion Paper’s former headquarters in Hamilton, Ohio, into a 650,000-square-foot indoor sports complex, the second largest in the United States.
- The closing for the phase-one financing of the Dayton Arcade in Dayton, Ohio, a $110 million commercial project that involved more than 25 funding sources.
- The Ohio River Way, a public-private partnership to fund an extensive network of land and water trails running from Portsmouth, OH, to Louisville, KY.
Mennone’s career in project management and development spans more than two decades. She was previously a principal with FBT Project Finance Advisors, a municipal finance and consulting subsidiary of the firm. In 2024, FBT absorbed all its subsidiary businesses into the firm.
Mennone will be based in FBT’s Cincinnati office. “Frances is an important member of our team in Cincinnati and to clients across the Midwest,” said Chris Habel, partner-in-charge of the firm’s Cincinnati office. “Her unique skill set will no doubt help us create exciting opportunities for our clients and the firm.”
“I am thrilled to assume this new role and to work with clients on projects that elevate and enrich communities across the region,” said Mennone.
FBT employs industry consultants and advisors across its national platform that help public and private companies navigate their most complex challenges. By offering complementary legal and consulting services, FBT partners with senior management to develop transformative solutions that enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability across core company operations and applications, helping companies achieve their goals quickly and fully.