As a descendant of Nevada ranchers and British nobility, Blake J. Owens is fulfilling a Las Vegas legacy generations in the making. At just 30 years old, the Las Vegas native has closed over $600 million in commercial real estate transactions and founded two high-growth companies, Agrippa and Augustus. Driven by a lifelong vision to guide the city’s future, he’s quickly becoming one of its most influential young leaders. Blake’s paternal roots trace back to his great-great-grandfather Charles W. Owens, who came to Nevada in 1910 seeking gold mining opportunities. In 1917, Charles took a job with the Union Pacific Railroad, prompting the family’s move to Las Vegas. They settled on 40 acres near present-day Owens Avenue, an enduring reminder of their pioneering spirit. His upbringing was shaped by tales from his great-grandfather, Robert W. Owens, who served as Clark County undersheriff for 15 years. Stories of mobster Bugsy Siegel and the tragic Carole Lombard plane crash of 1942 left a lasting mark. “He made me realize how far Las Vegas has come,” Blake reflects. “And I firmly believe the city’s best days are still ahead.” The Owens legacy extended when Blake’s great-grandfather acquired a ranch northwest of the city, where he raised cattle, horses, hogs, and tended beehives. James R. Owens, Blake’s grandfather, worked the ranch and served as a Las Vegas city fireman. His father, Robert L. Owens, built a career in hospitality, progressing from the Golden Nugget to Treasure Island. Carla, Blake’s mother, established her Las Vegas roots in the 1970s. As a trained boxer under Roger Mayweather, she found common ground with Blake’s father, a second-degree black belt. Together, they instilled in him and his sister, Ashlee, a deep respect for perseverance. Blake’s maternal lineage ties him to British nobility through his 15th-great-grandparents Sir Randle Mainwaring and Lady Margaret Savage. Through marriages on the Savage side, his pedigree traces to the Tudor and Plantagenet dynasties—royal bloodlines that include every English monarch since King Henry VII. "My roots stretch from ranchers who carved out a life in the Nevada desert to ancestors who stood beside thrones, two worlds that gave me a sense of purpose far greater than myself,” Blake asserts. “But the land is long gone, and I did not inherit any wealth. The greatest inheritance my parents gave me was relentless conviction.” At 15, Blake’s life changed when a prominent Las Vegas businessman—an unnamed benefactor—gave him an opportunity to attend the Salisbury School, a boarding school in Connecticut. He became the first Las Vegas-born student, played varsity lacrosse, and served as school president. Turning down Ivy League acceptances, he chose UCLA to stay closer to home, becoming the first in his immediate family to attend college and later earning a degree in economics. Blake began his career as an analyst at Wedbush Securities, then moved into investment banking at Siemer & Associates and investment management at Goldman Sachs. Simultaneously, he pursued competitive bodybuilding and Muay Thai, mirroring the discipline instilled by his parents. I have an obsession with pushing my limits. Each time I think I’ve reached my breaking point, I realize I can go further. I want people to know this: you’re stronger than you think, even if you haven’t seen it yet. Upon returning to Las Vegas, Blake quickly rose in commercial real estate, becoming Chief Investment Officer of a local development firm at just 24. Within two years, he played a key role in forming partnerships with institutional powerhouses like Carlyle, Lennar, Silverstein, and Cantor Fitzgerald. In 2022, Blake founded Agrippa, an exclusive AI-powered platform serving developers, private equity firms, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals. With billions in deal flow on platform to date, Agrippa has received investments from the AngelList Quant Fund, prominent Las Vegas figures who helped shape the city’s skyline, UNLV Hall of Famers, and distinguished individuals outside Nevada. In 2025, Blake launched Augustus, a sister company designed to complement Agrippa by investing directly in its most compelling opportunities. Augustus recently launched its $7.5 million debut Qualified Opportunity Fund, catalyzed by capital gains from a $45 million ground lease sale beneath the Eastside Cannery Hotel & Casino—a deal initially featured on Agrippa. The names Agrippa and Augustus honor ancient Roman figures. Marcus Agrippa, born from humble beginnings, attended a prestigious boarding school thanks to a benefactor, Julius Caesar, where he bonded with Caesar's nephew, Augustus. Agrippa became one of the world’s greatest strategists, and Augustus one of its most consequential leaders. Like Agrippa, Blake’s path was transformed by the support of a benefactor—someone who saw potential and opened a door that changed everything. "Someone once took a chance on me," he emphasizes. "And my life's mission is to prove he made the right decision.” Reflecting on his roots, Blake affirms a conviction he’s carried all along: “Your origin doesn’t limit your outcome,” he says. “My family history is rich, but not in wealth. There are other, far less glorious parts of my story I prefer to keep private. But what matters is legacy isn’t inherited… it’s built. And this city deserves leaders who live that truth and pass it on.” Blake’s journey is just getting started, but he hopes to inspire others to build Las Vegas into something worthy of those who came before—and those still to come.