George Smith Partners, Inc. Moves Forward With Confidence

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. October 14, 2008

LOS ANGELES, CA, November 17, 2005.

o More than $3.0 billion of financing arranged year-to-date

o Current financing volume exceeds volume from any previous year

o Firm expanding and increasing number of brokers

George Smith Partners, Inc., a leading real estate investment banking firm based in Los Angeles, has announced it will continue to move forward with confidence after the passing of real estate investment banking legend George A. Smith, the firm's admired chairman.

"We are dedicated to upholding the high standards of professionalism, integrity and financing creativity that George set for the firm," said Steve Bram, president of George Smith Partners.

George Smith Partners has continued to grow every year in terms of the number of transactions closed, volume of financing arranged and number of employees, which now stands at 46 full-time people.

"George Smith Partners is now stronger than ever with the largest group of talented young brokers ever in its history," said Gary Mozer, chief executive officer of George Smith Partners. "George created a culture of mentoring the firm's young brokers, which we still advocate and uphold today."

"We have arranged more than $3.0 billion in debt, mezzanine and equity financing to date in 2005, which already exceeds the firm's financing volume from the same time last year. In addition, this October 2005 was the best month in the company's thirteen year history," said Bram.

The partners at George Smith Partners have invested significant capital in the firm's May 2006 expansion into a 13,000 square-foot office space located at the MGM Tower in Century City, CA. This expansion will allow the firm to add a few new brokers to the firm.

"While many of our competitors are considering mergers with large national multi- service behemoths, George Smith Partners, is committed to staying focused and independent," Bram added. "We believe that mortgage banking is entrepreneurial and you lose some of that spirit in a large corporate environment."

According to Gary M. Tenzer, executive vice president of George Smith Partners, "Next fall we will host the 12th annual George Smith Partners A-T Medical Research Foundation real estate luncheon, which attracts more than 1,700 of the 'who's who' in the commercial real estate, finance and business world. The firm is committed to continuing George's mission to find a cure for A-T."

The proceeds from the luncheon support the A-T Medical Research Foundation, which George and his wife Pamela founded to fund genetic research for Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T), the rare genetic disorder that affects Smith's daughter Becca and many other children.

Since its inception in 1992, George Smith Partners has been a leader in the real estate investment industry. Its founder, George A. Smith, created a business environment in which employees could thrive, both professionally and personally, by offering the best commission structure in the industry and rewarding employees who showed leadership with the opportunity to become partners at the firm. These basic principles have fostered a unique corporate culture that emphasizes a commitment to business ethics, superior client service and philanthropy.

The six partners at George Smith Partners, Inc. are:

Steve Bram, president

Gary Mozer, chief executive officer

Gary M. Tenzer, executive vice president

Lee Norman, senior vice president

David Rifkind, director GSP/Rifkind Capital Advisors

Michael Gottlieb, senior vice president

George Smith Partners, Inc. is a leading commercial real estate investment banking firm specializing in arranging acquisition, construction, and mezzanine loans along with joint venture equity and highly leveraged participating debt. George Smith Partners also has specialized consulting capabilities in litigation support, real estate consulting and debt restructuring. Since 1997, the firm has arranged financing in excess of $14 billion. In 2004, George Smith Partners enjoyed a record year arranging financing totaling more than $2.8 billion.