The Team
Byron DeFoor
Co-Founder/Member of the General Partner and Manager
Bryon DeFoor is the Co-Founder and Manager of Contemporary Capital. Together with Mr. O’Brien, Mr. DeFoor founded Contemporary Healthcare Senior Lien Fund I, LP in 2011. He also founded Contemporary Healthcare Construction Fund I, LLC in 2008, Contemporary Healthcare Fund II, LLC in 2007, and Contemporary Healthcare Fund I, LP in 2006.
Mr. DeFoor has a strong vision and dynamic outlook toward the Healthcare funding industry that is deeply rooted in creating communities that thrive. With nearly 30 years of experience across a variety of business leadership roles, his particular expertise is in commercial real estate and residential community development. In 1976, he founded DeFoor Development, Inc., a company specializing in building and operating shopping centers, office buildings, and retirement communities.
During the mid-1990s, Mr. DeFoor began investing in skilled nursing facilities that today is reflected with an ownership interest throughout the United States. His active leadership role provides unique insight and expertise on the effective management of facilities in the senior living and post-acute care sectors in the healthcare industry. His largest ownership interest is in Grace Healthcare, LLC, which operates over half of the facilities, and nine of the facilities are leased to other regional nursing home operators.
Mr. DeFoor is a graduate of the Georgia-Cumberland Academy of Seventh Day Adventists and Southern Adventist University, with a Business and Long Term Care concentration. Mr. DeFoor currently serves as a director and/or officer of the following: DeFoor Development, Inc., Sunland Associates, Inc., Grace Healthcare, LLC, and Catoosa Investments & Associates. His philanthropic leadership roles include serving as Co-chairman of the Adventist Alumni Achievement Foundation.
Fifty Plus Racing Foundation
Gaining traction in the race against Alzheimer’s Disease
Together with Brian Johnson, frontman for AC/DC, and a group of dedicated racers—all over the age of fifty with a passion for racing—Mr. DeFoor founded the Fifty Plus Racing Foundation. The Foundation raises money to support research into fighting Alzheimer’s Disease as well as the families of those living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Their racing team debuted on the track in 2012 at Daytona International Speedway for its 50th Anniversary and competed for the last time in 2016 with the world’s best drivers on the demanding 3.56-mile road course.
John P. O’Brien, Jr.
Co-Founder/Member of the General Partner and Manager
Mr. O’Brien’s expertise spans more than 30 years in the operation, development, acquisition, and financing of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, a unique niche in the health care industry. His skills were developed through 15 years of experience with Life Care Centers of America, culminating, in serving as President of the organization.
In 1999, he joined forces with Contemporary Capital co-founder, Byron DeFoor, and together they formed Grace Healthcare. Today, the organization operates more than 30 skilled nursing facilities throughout the United States. Mr. O’Brien retains an ownership interest in 16 properties but is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company.
In 2000, he was also one of the founding partners of Contemporary Healthcare Capital’s predecessor company and is active in the management of the company’s six funds. Mr. O’Brien is currently involved in managing all aspects of Contemporary Capital, specifically participating in the underwriting and due diligence for each transaction. It is in this arena that he applies his owner/operator background as a unique advantage to structure the financing with the borrower and assist with the credit decision.
Mr. O’Brien received his B.A. in Accounting from Southern Adventist University in May 1984 and obtained his C.P.A license in 1985.
Craig Taylor
Member of the General Partner and Manager
Craig Taylor has 30 years of health care experience in acute care, long-term care, and physician group practice settings. Mr. Taylor joined Grace Healthcare in February 2004 to oversee acquisitions and financing opportunities for Byron DeFoor and his related entities. In his role with Grace Healthcare, he arranged and closed over 50 transactions for Grace’s skilled and assisted living portfolio and helped grow the assets from eight facilities in 2004 to more than 30.
He began his career in acute care, ultimately serving as a CFO to facilities owned by Hospital Corporation of America. Mr. Taylor also served as a regional controller for Cleveland, Tennessee-based Life Care Centers of America, culminating as CEO of their assisted living division. In addition, Mr. Taylor has served in ambulatory care settings, as Administrator and CEO for a large, multi-specialty physician group practice with over 60 physicians across eight locations.
Mr. Taylor earned his B.S. degree in Accounting in 1983 from Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, Tennessee. He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Tennessee (retired).
Charles Austin Jabaley
Director of Loan Compliance and Member of the General Partner
Mr. Jabaley joined for Contemporary Healthcare Capital, LLC, in 2012 and currently serves as the organization’s Director of Loan Compliance. Prior to joining Contemporary Healthcare Capital, LLC, he served multiple roles in the finance department of Grace Healthcare, a nursing home management company with over 40 locations across the United States. His roles included positions as an analyst, controller, and reimbursement associate.
Mr. Jabaley earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.