For much of this cycle there has been a wealth of capital flowing into CRE. But loan originations are only part of the story. The middleman and middlewoman—those arrangers of debt and equity transactions, the people who structure deals and make sure the needs of both borrower and lender have been met—should also take a bow.

Lending sources have continued to proliferate while deal structures have, in many cases, gotten more complicated. Knowing how to navigate this environment is a true and hard won skill.

For the next installment of GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum's Influencers series, we are shining a spotlight on some of the people and firms who have helped to arrange and place these debt and equity offerings. We will profile not only those who have made an impact with their individual efforts, but also teams and groups within relevant companies, as well as entire organizations that have become critical to the industry.

Be it through their contributions to the industry, the vast successes they've racked up in completing deals, or the innovations and best practices they've introduced to the business, these are Commercial Real Estate's Rainmakers in Debt & Equity Finance.

DANNY ABERGEL
Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp.
Danny Abergel continuously strives to surpass his record performances at Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. He has consistently ranked among the top three financing professionals for the firm since 2011. In addition to setting company records for annual number of transactions, Abergel has ranked as the firm's top financing professional on four occasions, as well as the firm's top loan originator four separate times. He is one of the firm's first financing professionals to be elected as senior vice president of capital markets. In this role, he is responsible for securing commercial debt and equity financing for an array of property types. He additionally serves as a SVP of capital markets for IPA Capital Markets. In 2018, Abergel closed 75 loans, totaling nearly $240 million. Two notable transactions for Abergel include the $55.4-million in acquisition financing for IMT Westlake and $50 million in preferred equity on a New York and Los Angeles portfolio. He was among the first loan originators to earn the firm's Chairman's Club award, which he has received for the past six years.

SUSAN BRANSCOME
NorthMarq
Susan Branscome serves as one of only two women in the US to have started their own mortgage banking firm. She founded Quest Commercial Capital in 1998, which she grew to $1 billion in loan servicing business and more than $3 billion in debt and equity transactions, before being acquired by NorthMarq in 2014. With more than 40 years of lending and mortgage banking experience, Branscome has originated more than $3 billion in industry debt for all lender and property types. Leading NorthMarq's Cincinnati and Louisville offices as SVP and managing director, she finds solutions to complex financial challenges, offering in-depth knowledge on real estate cycles and submarket strengths. She develops and nurtures long-term relationships with lenders, owners, developers and clients, while sourcing the most competitive loan terms in the marketplace. Most recently, Branscome founded an organization called Leading She, which offers bi-weekly podcasts and online resources to support women in leadership positions within male-dominated industries. Recognized nationally as an industry expert, she continually writes articles for national publications and serves as a frequent speaker, sharing her perspective on commercial mortgage banking best practices.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL
Carlton Group
Michael Campbell has played an integral role in arranging financing for significant industry transactions over the course of his 20-year career at the Carlton Group, including the recapitalizations or acquisitions of trophy assets. As the firm's recently-appointed CEO, Campbell has helped establish the company as a pioneer for sourcing "off the radar" capital and he continues to provide debt and equity capital solutions for high-profile clients in complex transactions, totaling $5 billion in annual financing. While employing a hands-on approach to source deals and generate new business for the firm, he has expanded and diversified its staff and additionally opened its new headquarters. So far in 2019, he has successfully arranged major transactions for the firm, including the $455 million recapitalization of Brookwood Financial's office portfolio and the $1.15-billion acquisition of a multifamily portfolio for Kushner Cos. In order to secure deals, he fosters extensive relationships from domestic family offices to major international institutions and sovereign wealth funds. With experience across all facets of real estate investments, including debt and equity capital structuring, loan/REO auctions and underwriting, he has managed to procure and structure capital totaling more than $144 billion.

MALCOLM DAVIES
Davies Group
Upon being drastically hit by the recession in 2008, after rocketing to success as a developer, Malcolm Davies optimistically chose to reinvent himself and find success again. Focusing on his biggest strength of building relationships, Malcom became a capital advisor; benefiting from his knowledge and recognition of financial deal structuring opportunities. As principal and managing director of the Davies Group, a division of George Smith Partners, Davies utilizes a unique business model in defining his team's success by its ability to connect clients with helpful resources. Valuing personal relationships, Davies frequently hosts events to gather equity professionals and developers with mutual interests, to make introductions, elevate business and advance clients' goals. Forming valuable connections and facilitating financing packages, Davies secures financial success for all involved. With more than 20 years of experience, he has been involved in nearly $5 billion in financings within the debt and equity markets. His team of experts structure complex capital with an average deal size of $47 million. As the top-performing team for George Smith Partners, the Davies Group closed three structured-loan transactions, each totaling more than $100 million, while securing more than $1.3 billion in transactions within the past 12 months. In addition, Davies is active in countless nonprofit associations, while devoting his time and resources through industry volunteerism.

BRIAN EISENDRATH
CBRE
Brain Eisendrath has found success through utilizing a distinctly personalized approach to drive business. As vice chairman and managing director at CBRE, Eisendrath differentiates client experience by tailoring financing solutions, unique to each client's property-specific business plan. By customizing capital to quickly and effectively meet needs, he is able to maximize returns on investments. He leverages deep relationships with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, as well as life insurance company, bank, bridge and joint-venture partnerships, to constantly connect his network of buyers, sellers and equity providers. An innovator in marketing techniques, creating positive exposure for the firm and its clients, he currently leads a team of nine professionals, which ranks second worldwide across all business lines. Alongside his team, Eisendrath has facilitated more than $27 billion in loans representing more than 930 transactions since 2007. Notable recent transactions for his team include a $470 million portfolio of eight properties and 3,600 units, a $385.7-million refinance encompassing nine properties and 3,265 units, and a $128.3-million five-property portfolio refinance. Consistently ranked among the firm's top producers, he additionally lends his time and expertise as an active board member and a devoted community member; committed to making a positive difference while involved in various charitable organizations.

JEFFREY ERXLEBEN
NorthMarq
As EVP of NorthMarq, Jeffrey Erxleben oversees the firm's regional offices and leads the company through his various contributions, while remaining managing director of the firm's Dallas regional office. He works diligently to coordinate with the firm's new investment sales team and its existing financing team to execute beneficial transactions for clients. The Dallas office, under Erxleben's leadership, is consistently recognized as the firm's top producing office. His annual production volume personally earns him a consistent place on NorthMarq's Top 10 Producers list, as he delivers relationship-based outcomes for valued clients. Integral to the firm's continued success, Erxleben is a member of the executive committee and council for the firm's Associate Producer Program. In this role, he works closely to train the emerging generation of industry leaders and producers, while serving as a valuable resource and mentor for others to hone their skills. He additionally leads the firm's Equity Advisory Group as co-chair, during which the company has nearly doubled its equity transaction volume from the previous year. In addition, Erxleben serves as a thought leader, contributing to numerous publications and panels.

DREW FLETCHER
Greystone Capital Advisors
Since joining Greystone Capital Advisors in 2013, Drew Fletcher has successfully represented more than $10 billion in capital placements. As president of Greystone's investment banking and structured finance division, Fletcher manages the group's strategic direction, while flexibly delivering an investment banking-oriented approach to serving clients. Immersed in the market in order to understand issues and find innovative solutions, he advises on complex, highly-structured transactions, while executing large loan originations and providing equity financing. He led the firm's expansion into several new businesses, such as EB-5 and joint-venture equity capital raising, to offer a robust platform including direct lending, debt placement and equity raising. Leveraging the firm's substantial balance sheet and capital to utilize a unique platform, Fletcher is able to act as a principle, provide direct capital as lender, and arrange capital for large-scale acquisitions, developments and recapitalizations. Under his leadership, Greystone Capital Advisors has become a premier firm within the muni finance space. His group of specialists completes more than $2 billion in annual capital placements; ranking as of one of the top debt brokers in New York. Additionally, Fletcher serves as a guest lecturer at NYU Real Estate Institute and as a panelist at various industry conferences.

CHAD O'CONNOR
Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp.

Upon joining Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. in 2004, Chad O'Connor proved himself to be a client-oriented asset to the firm. Throughout his career with the company, he has consistently been recognized as a top five producer for the past six years, and he has additionally been honored as the firm's top originator. He has received the firm's prestigious National Achievement Award for the past ten years, and its sales recognition award each year since 2006. As senior managing director of capital markets, O'Connor is responsible for securing commercial debt and equity financing across all property types. Utilizing funding resources, he leverages his connections throughout the country and works proficiently to manage the diversification of properties. His likeable personality serves fundamental to his work, as he secures all business on a referral basis. Putting clients first and remaining transparent, he works diligently to find solutions and demonstrates consistency through timely communication; offering a rapid response time that is unique to the mortgage business. Through his outstanding efforts, O'Connor's division closed 117 loans in 2018, and is on track to surpass that amount in 2019. He is additionally heavily involved as a mentor; hosting workshops to help new finance professionals understand the business.

ROB RUBANO
Cushman & Wakefield

An institutional debt placement advisor, Rob Rubano has helped redefine and transform the mortgage broker role into a trusted strategic advisor. Throughout his career, he has earned the trust of some of the nation's most sophisticated borrowers and largest lenders. Rubano joined Cushman & Wakefield as executive managing director in late 2018, and was responsible for $6 billion in debt refinancing within his first year; executing an average loan size of $250 million. In the past decade, he has placed more than $40 billion in debt for institutional borrowers throughout the US. Spearheading the firm's national institutional debt placement platform, Rubano directly oversees a team of professionals while serving as a prolific advisor. His recent notable achievements include securing $1.4 billion in financing for 30 Hudson Yards, $725 million for 711 Fifth Avenue and $815 million for Veritas Multifamily. He additionally serves on the firm's institutional capital markets team, strategically growing the national platform by recruiting key players and top talent to help lead the team's success. In addition to receiving various industry awards, Rubano makes an ongoing impact outside of commercial real estate by dedicating sub-stantial time to the community while heavily involved in many philanthropic organizations.

TEAMS

James Millon

Tom Traynor

CBRE TEAM OF TRAYNOR & MILLON

Thomas Traynor and James Millon each serve as EVP of debt and structured finance for CBRE; holding a combined 40 years of experience in the commercial real estate debt industry. Focused on institutional debt advisory, Traynor and Millon are experts in originating, underwriting, pricing, structuring, negotiating, syndicating and securitizing large finance transactions. Since joining CBRE in 2016 and building their business from scratch, the two have arranged a combined total of more than $24 billion in fixed- and floating-rate transactions. Within their first year at the firm, the team essentially matched the entire company's commercial mortgage production volume from the previous year, generating more than $100 million in loans. Throughout their careers, they have originated more than $75 billion in industry loans. Exposed to various property types and geographical regions, Traynor and Millon follow their institutional clients throughout major markets across the country, while taking on projects ranging from single assets to nationwide portfolios. Due to their diverse range of transactions, the team holds a valuable debt perspective and the ability to flawlessly coordinate with the firm's sales and leasing teams to deliver capital markets solutions. Credited with putting CBRE's large loan platform on the map, the duo has gained an impressive track record and is continually retained by highly-regarded, global investors. Involved in some of the largest, most complicated transactions in the industry, the team completed 29 deals in 2019. The two recently transacted a $1.78-billion debt raise for the acquisition of 245 Park Ave., at 80% leverage, which was likely the second largest, single-asset financing in New York City history.

Adam Weissburg

Adriana Vesci

Caroline Dreyfus

COX, CASTLE & NICHOLSON'S CAPITAL MARKETS TEAM
As one of the nation's largest full-service law firms specializing in real estate for more than 50 years, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP established a specific team in 2012, dedicated to capital markets. With an extensive history in delivering strategic legal counsel and services to clients, the firm expanded its practice to become a go-to resource for all of clients' finance needs. Since its formation, the team has grown to become a leading legal finance department on the West Coast, while playing a critical role in the industry; actively involved in all facets of capital market transactions and advising on debt and equity issues. The team, spearheaded by partners, Adam Weissburg, Caroline Dreyfus and Adriana Vesci, is composed of six finance partners, three associate attorneys and two paralegals. Representing some of the largest banking institutions, insurance companies and private lenders in the world on all forms of secured and unsecured debt financing, the team additionally represents a variety of owners, developers, REITs, investment funds, institutional investors and entrepreneurs on the borrower side. With all-encompassing capabilities, such as structuring and closing finance transactions, loan administration, workouts and loan restructuring, the team leverages its skills gained from representing both sides of negotiations, to successfully secure deals with favorable results. In the past 18 months, the team has advised on more than $3.5 billion in transactions. Assisting clients in minimizing risks, the team has become a trusted advisor by ensuring optimal promotion and protection of clients' assets and interests.

Alex Hernandez

Chris Moyer

Dave Karson

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD'S EQUITY, DEBT & STRUCTURED FINANCE TEAM

Proven by its transaction volume, Cushman & Wakefield's New York equity, debt and structured finance team has enabled acquisitions, developments and renovations for some of the most prominent industry players. As a leading advisor of financing and equity structuring, the team utilizes Cushman & Wakefield's vast global platform to execute transactions and provide a full spectrum of financial services for both domestic and international clients across all asset classes. Making a significant impact on the industry, the debt advisory team has completed some of the largest financing transactions in the New York metropolitan area and throughout the nation. The team more than doubled its transaction volume from 2016 to 2018, increasing its average deal size from $65 million to nearly $120