Kedrick Winfield helps finance city and people development

From Washington, North Carolina, to Houston, Kedrick Winfield has built a career centered on development — financing public projects, supporting veterans, building businesses, and helping young people envision bigger futures.

Since arriving in Houston in 2007, Winfield has made an impact in spaces where money, infrastructure, and people intersect. Today, he serves as director of Public Finance for Academy Securities and is a co-founder and shareholder of NRG Freight & Logistics.

But his definition of success extends beyond his résumé. For Winfield, development means creating tangible results while helping people recognize their own possibilities.

From Marine to municipal finance

Winfield’s career path wasn’t always clear. He attended North Carolina State University before transferring to the University of Houston from 2008 to 2011 because of a military assignment. By the time he left the Marine Corps, he was about a semester to a year from completing his degree.

While at UH, Winfield seriously considered re-entering the military to pursue becoming a pilot. However, the field of finance took root in his spirit. The only thing remaining for Winfield was to determine what direction he wanted to take in the field.

A public policy internship through UH’s CHIP program introduced him to the City of Houston’s treasury office.

“I didn’t know anything about it,” Winfield said. “So, I explored it and actually fell in love with it.”

That experience launched a career that has kept him connected to municipal finance since 2011.

Financing Houston’s future

Winfield works in municipal finance for a veteran-owned broker-dealer, Academy Securities, essentially helping governments raise money through public debt.

“I’ve been in that industry for going on 15 years,” he said.

He started as an intern after his military service under then-Houston City Controller Ronald Green and eventually rose to his current leadership role. What makes the work meaningful is that the results aren’t confined to financial statements.

“The impact of my work … is in tangible, finished products,” Winfield said.

His work has helped finance projects such as school buildings, parks, and NRG Park — tangible infrastructure that can’t be missed.

“That’s something that you actually get to see, once it’s finished and complete,” said Winfield, who is currently helping Academy Securities pursue larger clients and expand its national presence as a post-9/11 veteran-owned investment bank.

Entrepreneurship and infrastructure

Winfield’s impact also extends into entrepreneurship. Through NRG Freight & Logistics, he and his partners serve as subcontractors on public projects, including stormwater and flood-mitigation work.

The entrepreneurial work gives him another opportunity to participate directly in Houston’s physical development while building economic opportunity through his own business. And for Winfield, development isn’t limited to one lane. It can mean financing a public facility, helping build infrastructure, or creating opportunities for people.

Helping people see themselves

That last piece is especially important to Winfield. He was involved with a group that launched the nonprofit I See Myself, based on the idea that young people need to envision themselves in positions of influence.

“If kids get to see themselves in a futuristic manner as a judge, a lawyer, a doctor, or whatever, then they can have something to grasp onto,” shared Winfield. “If they don’t see it, then it’s virtually unattainable for them.”

Winfield has also spent years serving veterans and young people. Through The Mission Continues, a nonprofit focused on veteran reintegration, he participated in community projects with the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation, built gardens at Kelso Elementary School, and mentored through the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program.

Finding Black excellence in Houston

Houston itself has influenced Winfield’s perspective. Originally from a smaller town, he appreciates the opportunity that Houston provides to regularly witness Black achievement.

“Coming to a metropolitan area like Houston, where you get to see Black presence and Black excellence on display all the time, it’s actually very influential,” he said.

Winfield describes Houston as a “refugee oasis,” where people can encounter examples of Black excellence that may not be as regularly visible in smaller communities. That visibility matters because seeing someone occupy a particular space can make occupying that space seem possible.

Growing professionally and personally

Self-improvement is another consistent theme in Winfield’s life. He reads authors including Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill, as well as Dr. Amos Wilson, reflecting his interests in personal development, achievement, and Black consciousness.

His faith is equally important, which is why on any given day, you can catch him listening to Christian artist Forrest Frank or enjoying the fact that his children are discovering and vibing with Christian rap.

Jarred Morgan, an officer with 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, calls Winfield “one of the most dedicated and well-rounded brothers I know.”

Morgan is not the only one who recognizes what Winfield brings to the table.

“Kedrick has an unwavering commitment to achieving whatever goals he sets,” said Janae Winfield.

Being fully yourself

Winfield’s advice to young Black men comes from his own experience navigating professional environments where he was often one of the few African Americans.

At one point, he was told, “If you’re going to work here, you need to be your full self.” He initially rejected the advice, feeling his cultural influences weren’t aligned with the workplace.

Eventually, he came to understand the importance of authenticity.

“I want to be happy going into work, and I want to be happy going home,” Winfield said. More importantly, he wants to live with himself without the burden of impostor syndrome. His philosophy is rooted in a simple principle: Sometimes you have to disappoint other people’s expectations of you. But don’t disappoint yourself, your family, or your community.

For Winfield, that is what development ultimately looks like — building stronger cities while helping build stronger people.