PEOPLE TO KNOW / LENDERS /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Mike Brown
Arizona Regional President/National President Equipment Finance Division Manager Washington Federal // wafdbank.com Brown oversees Washington Federal’s Arizona Regional Headquarters, including $1.2 billion in deposits, its Equipment Finance Division and its Franchise Finance Division, both on national levels. He also currently oversees Washington Federal’s commercial banking and business banking divisions in Arizona. What professional accomplishment gives you the most pride? “We’ve funded projects to expand a local airport, built safe housing, added dorms and other needed buildings for a university, and so much more,” says Brown. But, above all that — On Jan. 15, 2019, Brown and Washington Federal announced a 90-day interest-free loan designed to help workers through the government shutdown period.
Chris Burson
Senior Vice President, CRE Loan Officer Alliance Bank of Arizona, a division of Western Alliance Bank // westernalliancebank.com Burson has worked with Alliance Bank of Arizona since 2017, primarily providing construction, bridge, and mini-perm loans and lines of credit to commercial real estate developers and investors. With nearly two decades of commercial real estate banking experience, Burson has held key leadership roles at high-profile banks in Arizona. What do you consider the most surprising fact about you? While I would not consider myself a daredevil, I have been skydiving and jumped out of a perfectly good plane at 14,000 feet. The truth of the matter is that I’m actually afraid of heights.
Adam Finkel
Principal and Co-Founder // Tower Capital // towercapllc.com Finkel is the Founding Partner and Principal at Tower Capital, a Phoenix-based Commercial Real Estate Finance firm. Since 2015, the firm has been involved in over $500 million in successful debt and equity placements. Adam is an active member of Forbes Real Estate Council and has been featured and published in numerous publications. What professional accomplishment gives you the most pride? Adam’s biggest career accomplishment thus far has been creating the preeminent, independent, commercial real estate finance firm in the state of Arizona. Tower Capital is on track to successfully finance $1 billion in commercial real estate projects since our inception in the Spring of 2015.
John Kinser
Senior Vice President / Director of Commercial Real Estate // Enterprise Bank & Trust // enterprisebank.com Kinser leads the Commercial Real Estate team at Enterprise Bank & Trust. He is a veteran in the industry with over 20 years of commercial real estate lending experience, formerly with Arizona Business Bank and NorthMarq Capital. An Arizona native, Kinser earned both a BS in Finance and an MBA from Arizona State University. He is a member of ULI, REIAC and NAIOP. What do you consider the most surprising fact about you? I am an avid backpacker and have trekked across many of the world’s major ranges, from the Andes to the Himalayas.
Keaton Merrell
Managing Director // Walker & Dunlop // walkerdunlop.com Merrell was Co-Founder and Principal of Legacy Capital Advisors and has been active in the Phoenix market for over 21 years. As Managing Director, Merrell is responsible for nationwide origination of debt and equity on multifamily, office, retail, industrial and hospitality properties. What professional accomplishment gives you the most pride and what made it so rewarding? Our clients are my team’s greatest accomplishment. We have many clients that we consider great friends which makes working with them so rewarding. What do you consider the most surprising fact about you? I am a huge creature of habit and am almost obsessive compulsive in my daily routine. 44
PEOPLE AND PROJECTS TO KNOW // 2020