Benjamin W. Navarro

Co-Founder

Benjamin (Ben) W. Navarro is the co-founder of Beemok, a single family office established in 2018 to manage his investment and philanthropic initiatives. Beemok’s portfolio centers on two guiding principles: creating life-changing opportunities and fostering connections to build stronger communities.

Mr. Navarro’s career began on Wall Street and included roles in mortgage trading at Goldman Sachs and as Co-Head of Mortgage Sales and Trading at Citicorp before founding Sherman Financial Group (1997), where he continues to lead as CEO. Mr. Navarro owns a significant minority stake in Credit One Bank, the seventh-largest Visa/Mastercard issuer and the fastest-growing American Express issuer in the U.S. Credit One has more than 18 million cards outstanding across the credit spectrum, with a special focus on offering consumers the chance to build or rebuild credit and enjoy the advantages of credit card ownership in an increasingly cashless society.

Personal Background

Mr. Navarro holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Rhode Island (1984). He is proud to be one of eight children of legendary college football coach Frank Navarro. Mr. and Mrs. Navarro have four adult children and reside in Charleston.

Bringing People Together through Hospitality, Sports, and Community Spaces

Guided by his interest in bringing people together through shared experiences, Mr. Navarro launched Beemok Hospitality Collection (“BHC”) in 2021 to focus on hotel, restaurant, and entertainment opportunities in and around Charleston, SC.  BHC’s flagship properties include the 433-room Charleston Place Hotel, an iconic property in the heart of the historic district; the under construction 191-room Cooper Hotel, Charleston’s only luxury waterfront hotel property; the 11,000-seat Credit One Stadium, a world-class tennis and concert stadium completely rebuilt and renovated by Beemok in 2021; and Sorelle, a 204-seat modern Italian restaurant whose opening in 2023 brought life back to an abandoned section of Charleston’s Broad Street. Additionally, Beemok wholly owns and operates two of the premier professional tennis tournaments in North America: the Credit One Charleston Open WTA 500, and the Cincinnati Open combined Men’s and Women’s Masters 1000, for which Beemok is currently leading a $260 million renovation.   Most recently, Mr. Navarro announced plans to transform Charleston’s 65-acre Union Pier into a vibrant waterfront destination for generations to come. These initiatives demonstrate his passion for giving back to Charleston, the place his family has called home for more than 20 years.

Creating Opportunities through Education and Wellness

Mr. Navarro’s nonprofit ventures center around empowering people in the community through education initiatives and health/wellness programs.

Driven by the fundamental belief that all children deserve the opportunity to attend a great school, the Navarros founded the first of their Meeting Street Schools in 2008. Meeting Street has since grown to become a network of independent and public schools providing educational opportunity to over 1,700 under-resourced students in South Carolina. In 2020, the Navarros launched the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund to give hard-working students with demonstrated financial need the opportunity to earn up to $40,000 for college. Since its inception, and with the backing of other visionary philanthropists, a total of $60 million has been awarded to support postsecondary education for 1,500 students in 14 counties across South Carolina. Most recently, the Navarros started the Excellence in Teaching Awards, a merit-based program that financially rewards teachers leading students to meaningful growth and proficiency in math and reading. The program currently operates in 47 under-resourced South Carolina schools. To date, 600 teachers have earned a total of over $6 million in awards.

Mr. Navarro also founded LTP Academy in 2016 to help aspiring tennis players prepare to compete at the collegiate level and beyond, along with LTP Scholars which offers a rigorous academic program for participating athletes. LTP Scholars are highly sought after by NCAA schools across the country, with a 100% success rate for tennis players being accepted into collegiate programs.

The foundation of Mr. Navarro’s health and wellness initiatives is the strong evidence-based link between mind/body wellness and quality of life. In partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina, the Navarros established Modern Minds, a new type of mental wellness clinic that helps adults confront their challenges by combining physical and mental wellness strategies. Mr. Navarro also teaches a class at the College of Charleston called “Intentionality,” which helps students move beyond their fears and limiting beliefs to develop strong mental and physical habits as well as relationships that set them up for success in life after college.