Secured, known for executing some of the largest deals in the market, is active in the western US in commercial mortgage loan sales, in investment bankingnationwide and in raising private equity through its broker dealer, SecuredCapital LLC. The latter will also be acquired by Wells Fargo.

Eastdil is involved in the real estate investment banking business nationally in both the investment sale and debt placement sectors. It maintains offices in Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta. Secured and Eastdil combined are on track to complete transactions of about $60 billion this year.

The combination of the two firms will create complementary "economies of skill," according to officials of the two firms, Eastdil chairman and CEO BenLambert and Secured president and CEO D. Michael Van Konynenburg. In the combined firm, the executive committee will be composed of Benjamin V. Lambert, chairman; Roy H. March, CEO; Van Konynenburg, president and W. Jay Borzi, managing director.