New York-based Paradigm Funding Group has established an office here. The commercial mortgage brokerage firm targets loans of from $1 million to more than $20 million in the multifamily, office, retail, industrial and hotel sectors and also arranges conduit, construction, bridge and mezzanine loans.

"Over the past few years we have seen our clients' real estate portfolios diversify, specifically by location, and many of them are taking advantage of the significant growth in the South," says Michael Edery, founder of Paradigm. The decision to open here is the first phase of a planned expansion that will also extend to other "key growth areas" such as Boston, Dallas and Alexandria, VA, Edery says. Jenifer Caplan, a former senior banking analyst at M&T Bank, heads the Miami office.

Meanwhile, Harvey Hernandez, founder and president of locally based H&H Development Co., named Tony Rey SVP and director of construction. Rey is charged with oversight of all H&H condo projects, which now number six, including Mediterranea, Douglas Place, Solaris at Brickell Bay, Mondrian and two that are in pre-development stages.

Rey is former deputy operations manager for Turner Construction Co. operations here where he was responsible for multiple South Florida developments, including Aqua on Allison Island, Bath Club, Dadeland Courtyard Hotel and Metropolis I at Dadeland.

In an unrelated appointment, the law firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP named Manuel A. Fernandez managing partner of its local office. At the same time, the firm, which also has offices in New York and Los Angeles, has begun negotiating expanded space at Wachovia Financial Center here with intentions to grow its key real estate and financial services practices.