Team Member Spotlight: Dannie Hough

Dannie Hough has built her career by embracing opportunities wherever they appear. 

Starting in an entry-level role, she steadily expanded her expertise across treasury, lending, capital markets, and finance operations, gaining a holistic understanding of the business while helping support DLP’s evolution along the way.

Today, Dannie leads a range of cross-functional initiatives that keep the firm operating seamlessly behind the scenes. Her story truly embodies the core of DLP’s culture, marked by initiative, adaptability, and a consistent drive to create value across the organization. Read on to learn more about the experiences, lessons, and relationships that have shaped her journey.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about how you found DLP and how your role has evolved over time? 

My background is actually in biology. After college, I wasn’t entirely sure what path I wanted to take, but I knew I wanted to build a fulfilling career. I met my husband, relocated to Central Florida, and began exploring accounting and finance, which eventually led me to start taking classes and ultimately enroll in a master’s program. At the time, I was looking for an opportunity to get my foot in the door, and DLP gave me that chance. 

I started in an entry-level accounts receivable role within our property management division, handling basic accounting tasks. As I gained experience, I became interested in financial analysis and reached out directly to Don [Wenner] to ask what it would take to become an analyst. The conversations that followed opened the door to a new opportunity where I joined Bob [Peterson’s] team as a financial analyst. 

From there, my role continued to evolve. I became involved in treasury functions, lending operations, capital markets initiatives, and the development of our leverage warehouse platform. Over time, I took on additional responsibilities and management of team members as DLP grew. Today, my role touches nearly every aspect of the business, which gives me a unique perspective on how all of DLP’s moving pieces work together.

Q: How would you describe treasury and finance operations to someone outside of the industry?

At its core, treasury and finance operations are about making sure the organization has the resources it needs to operate effectively while managing risk and maximizing efficiency. Our team manages DLP’s banking relationships, oversees cash across the organization, supports property operations, funds loans, processes investor distributions, and works closely with teams across lending, construction, accounting, and asset management. 

Decisions made in one area impact another, so a large part of my role is ensuring all of those moving parts stay aligned. Think of it as running a very large and intricate machine, one where timing, communication, and coordination are critical. 

Ultimately, our goal is to ensure capital is deployed efficiently, obligations are met, and investors receive the top-tier service they’ve come to expect from DLP.

Q: DLP has experienced significant growth over the years. What has helped you remain adaptable throughout periods of change? 

One thing that’s incredibly important to me is staying informed. I always want to understand what’s happening across the business because so many of the functions I oversee are connected to other departments. The more visibility I have, the better I can anticipate needs and help solve problems. 

Starting in an entry-level role and gradually working across different parts of the business has given me a unique understanding of how DLP operates. That perspective has helped me to adapt quickly because I’m always thinking about how decisions in one area affect the organization as a whole. 

Growth requires flexibility, but it also requires communication. Staying connected to people, priorities, and goals not only on my team, but across DLP as a whole has been one of the biggest factors in helping me navigate change. 

Q: As a leader, what’s one lesson you’ve learned that you try to pass on to your team?

Leadership is a much bigger responsibility than managing tasks or overseeing projects. The people on your team are building their careers, and as a leader, you play a meaningful role in that process.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that time invested in your team is never wasted. Training, coaching, answering questions, and identifying opportunities for growth all require effort, but pay dividends for both the individual and the organization. 

When you empower people to take ownership, you’re not only helping them succeed, you’re creating a stronger team that can take on bigger challenges together. I’ve always viewed leadership as a two-way street. My team is here to make our work successful, and it’s my responsibility to support them, remove obstacles, and give them the tools they need to excel. When that relationship works well, everyone benefits. 

Q: What excites you most about DLP’s future? 

I’m especially excited about the continued growth and evolution of our lending business. I’ve had the opportunity to watch that side of the company grow from funding smaller projects to originating significantly larger and more sophisticated loans. It's been incredible to see how much we’ve expanded our capabilities and relationships over time. 

As lending continues to grow, it creates opportunities across capital markets, strengthens our partnerships, and creates new avenues for the company as a whole. Because I’ve spent so much of my career working closely with that part of the business, it’s exciting to think about what’s next and the impact it can have on DLP’s future growth. The scale of what we’re building today is very different from where we started, and I’m looking forward to playing a role in shaping its future.