ZAC KESTER
Managing Director, Financial Services (Private Credit)
Zac Kester is the Managing Director of Advanta Management and the Manager of the Advanta Charitable Lending Fund LLC (Advanta Fund). The Advanta Fund is a private credit facility that provides bespoke charitable gift financing loans to individuals. He was promoted to Managing Director within six months of joining the firm, reflecting his knowledge of complex charitable giving, personal tax planning, pooled charitable investment funds, private credit lending, and private debt fund management.
The Advanta Fund operates as a program-related investment (PRI), an advanced philanthropic structure. Its purpose is to help reverse the nationwide decline in charitable giving by making complex charitable giving strategies more accessible. As a PRI, the Fund places its charitable mission ahead of financial returns while still seeking appropriate returns so capital can be "recycled" for future philanthropic activities.
Kester joined the Advanta Fund in 2025 as Executive Vice President. He worked with accredited charitable institutional investors, conducting due diligence before investing and pooling resources with other charities. During his first year as an investment relations professional, he achieved $50 million in new investments.
Within the second year, Kester and Advanta Fund anticipate achieving more than $100 million in new investments, funding more than $100 million in loans, and powering more than $100 million in new charitable gifts.
Kester's Role as Managing Director
As Managing Director of Advanta Fund, Zachary Kester supervises the lending and investment teams while overseeing the broader organization. His role requires balancing charitable purpose, investment management, lending standards, and organizational stability.
A central responsibility is ensuring the Fund continues operating as a PRI while managing lending and investment risk appropriately.
Supervising the Lending Team
Kester works to align lending-team incentives with responsible loan performance. Compensation is tied to proper documentation of each loan's connection to the PRI Mission, along with long-term collateral performance and loan yields.
Because the loans are bespoke and asset-backed, Kester also oversees data-driven collateral valuation standards and continuing education related to the specialized markets supporting those assets.
Although the Advanta Fund is designed to accept more risk than standard "commercial" lenders, Kester focuses on strategic and appropriate risk rather than unlimited exposure. He ensures collateral covenants are established, monitored, and enforced when necessary.
He also brings sales, credit, and compliance teams together early to evaluate potential transactions before significant time is spent on deals that may not be suitable.
Supervising the Investment Team
Kester works closely with charitable and mission-driven investors to explain how the Fund's lending programs support charitable purposes and the PRI Mission.
He also helps structure loans using specialized collateral strategies designed to protect investor capital. This approach allows organizations to preserve funds that may later be reinvested in charitable and community programs.
Overseeing the Organization
As Managing Director, Kester oversees the Fund's overall strategy, liquidity, and financial stability. He manages cash flow and investment exposure to support operations, meet investor obligations, and respond to market changes.
Zac Kester also works with lending, underwriting, treasury, and risk management teams to evaluate assets supporting the Fund's loans. This includes real-time collateral monitoring and stress testing designed to assess whether assets can continue supporting loans under changing market conditions or borrower defaults.
He also oversees investor reporting, financial controls, and audit preparation. These responsibilities help maintain transparency with charitable and institutional investors while ensuring investment activity remains aligned with both financial objectives and mission-driven goals.
Volunteer Work
Kester is a Director of Advanta Philanthropic, whose mission is to advance philanthropic giving through expertise, technology, complex giving strategies, and partnerships with professional advisors.
He is also a Director of a large charitable grantmaking (regranting) organization and remains actively involved in his local church.
Certifications
Zachary Kester received his Certificate in Fundraising Management and Philanthropic Studies in 2012 from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
He also earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) professional designation from The American College of Financial Services. CAP® advisors help clients integrate charitable giving with financial and estate planning, including tax-efficient strategies, legacy planning, and philanthropic goals.
Zac Kester will soon receive his Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) designation from The American College of Financial Services and is also working toward his Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation.