Our Leaders
R. L. “Bobby” Bowling IV
Owner & President
Tropicana Building II
Bobby was born and raised in northeast El Paso and graduated from Irvin High School in 1988. He then graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1992 with a BBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Development, and immediately went to work at the family business, Tropicana Homes, where he had worked summers since the age of 16 as a laborer in various phases of home construction.
In 1998, Bobby and his brother Randy established Patriot Mortgage Company in the El Paso area. Today Patriot Mortgage is the second-largest originator of new home mortgages in the El Paso area and is a VA and FHA-endorsed lender with in-house underwriting.
In 1999, Bobby ventured into the tax credit world with a new family company, Tropicana Building Corporation. In 2001 Tropicana was awarded its first tax credit deals from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)—3 small deals comprised of 72 total apartment units. Since that first award, Tropicana has been awarded 39 separate 9% tax credit developments and has completed 4,000 rental homes. Bobby and his brother Randy as well as their third partner, Demetrio Jimenez, also started and run an apartment management company to manage these rental homes that they own.
Bobby gives generously to local area charities in the El Paso area and is an active corporate citizen in his hometown, working hard for causes to help low-income families and people struggling with addiction in the area. Bobby is a Past President of the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) and Past President of the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) and the El Paso Association of Builders (EPAB). Bobby has a passion for golf as his main hobby and is a Past President of Coronado Golf and Country Club, nestled into the mountains of the west side of El Paso.
Randy Bowling
Owner & President
Tropicana Homes
Randy Bowling is the President of Tropicana Homes in El Paso, Texas, where he has lived most of his life, except for his time at Southern Methodist University, where he received a full athletic scholarship to play football. Tropicana Homes and its affiliates have been building homes and apartments in El Paso since 1950, constructing over 15,000 residences to date. In addition to his work at Tropicana Homes, Randy, along with his brother Bobby, owns and operates several other companies, including a mortgage lending company, a real estate brokerage firm, and various home and apartment development and construction companies.
Randy has been actively involved in his community and the homebuilding industry, serving on the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) since 2004. He was named a Life Director of TAB in 2016 and served as TAB’s 75th President in 2020. He has also held key roles as Chairman of TAB’s Government Relations Committee, HOMEPAC Trustees, and the Codes & Standards Committee, and served as Vice President on the Executive Committee in 2019. Tropicana Homes has earned several accolades, including being named Developer of the Year and Builder of the Year three times each by TAB, and receiving the El Paso Association of Builders’ Builder of the Year award four times. Additionally, The City Magazine recognized Tropicana Homes as El Paso’s Best Homebuilder in its Best of 2012 list.
With over 25 years of experience in the residential construction industry, Randy is an expert in land acquisition, residential construction in Texas, and residential lending. He also helps navigate the complexities of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Under Randy’s leadership, Tropicana launched the “Let Tropicana Properties Put You in a Tropicana Home” initiative, a benchmark program aimed at helping families achieve the dream of homeownership. In the past ten years, the initiative has helped hundreds of families who began as tenants in Tropicana’s low-income rental housing communities become homeowners, with many more in progress as the program continues to grow.
In his free time, Randy is an avid golfer and enjoys spending quality time with his children.
Demetrio Jimenez
CEO & President
Tropicana Properties
Demetrio Jimenez has spent more than two decades shaping the multifamily housing landscape, becoming one of the most trusted voices for affordable housing in Texas and across the country. As owner and president of Tropicana Properties, he has been a driving force in El Paso’s apartment industry, expanding access to quality housing and championing programs that help working families become homeowners. His leadership and innovation were highlighted on a national stage when he presented the Tropicana homeownership initiative at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., underscoring his commitment to practical, community-focused solutions.
A dedicated industry leader, Demetrio has served in nearly every major capacity within the apartment association network—from President of the El Paso Apartment Association to becoming the first Hispanic President of the Texas Apartment Association in its history. In 2025, he will serve as Chair of the National Apartment Association’s Affordable Housing Committee, where he continues to advocate for policies that strengthen housing supply, protect affordability, and support independent rental owners. His leadership style is grounded in experience, collaboration, and a deep understanding of both operations and policy.
Before building Tropicana Properties, Demetrio’s career was rooted in public service and housing development along the Texas–Mexico border. With a degree in Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin, he worked with the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, helping design and deliver housing solutions for underserved communities. This foundation continues to shape his work today, blending thoughtful design, disciplined execution, and a long-term commitment to economic mobility.
Jacob Barde
COO Patriot Mortgage
General Counsel Tropicana Companies
Jacob J. Barde serves as Chief Operating Officer of Patriot Mortgage Company, where he oversees day-to-day mortgage operations, regulatory and investor compliance, operational and credit risk, and the execution of the company’s strategic and process-improvement initiatives. He also supervises key corporate functions such as staffing, vendor and technology management, and performance reporting to ensure Patriot’s platform scales efficiently and remains aligned with both business goals and regulatory expectations. In addition to his role at Patriot, Jacob serves as General Counsel for the Tropicana Companies, Patriot’s affiliated homebuilding, land development, and multifamily housing group.
Jacob’s path to mortgage leadership runs through the Marine Corps, the courtroom, and the development table. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004 to 2009 before attending the University of Texas at El Paso, where he graduated summa cum laude with a double major in Philosophy and Communication Studies and was recognized as a Top 10 Senior and University Banner Bearer. He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2015 and began his legal career in the transactional section of a prominent El Paso law firm, focusing on real estate, finance, corporate governance, and business transactions for banks, developers, and business owners. After representing the Tropicana Companies as outside counsel, he joined them as General Counsel more than eight years ago and later added the role of COO of Patriot Mortgage, combining legal and operational experience to help guide the company’s growth.
Drawing on his background as a Marine, developer-side general counsel, and transactional real estate attorney, Jacob approaches Patriot’s operations as both an operator and a risk manager. His focus is on making the mortgage process clear, dependable, and as low-stress as possible for borrowers, while maintaining disciplined, compliant operations that builders and investors can trust. He emphasizes accurate answers, fast and transparent decisions, clean, saleable loan files, and “no surprises” at closing, with growth pursued only within standards the company can be proud of years down the line. Although born in Portland, Oregon and raised across numerous moves, Jacob has made El Paso home with his wife and their three children. He is an active member of his church and the recovery community, and he enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with his family and their three dogs. A licensed attorney in Texas and New Mexico and a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in Texas, he also serves on multiple industry boards, including leadership roles with the El Paso Association of Builders and the Texas Association of Builders. His work at Patriot is shaped by a commitment to discipline, accountability, and doing the right thing for borrowers, builder partners, and the communities the company serves.
