Black Bear Capital Partners Expands Platform with New Offices

The firm has launched two new offices in Chicago and New Jersey and hired industry veterans to grow its national capital advisory platform.

CHICAGO, IL – Black Bear Asset Management affiliate, Black Bear Capital Partners is expanding its national platform. The real estate financial advisory firm is opening two new offices in Chicago and New Jersey.

The capital advisory team of senior managing director and Chicago office head, Matthew Stearns, managing director, Scott Modelski and director, Zach Fitzgerald will operate the newly-formed, Chicago office. The team will specialize in commercial real estate debt and equity transactions, nationally, with a primary focus on the Midwest region. The three industry veterans join BBCP from the Chicago-based, Alpha Capital CRE.

Senior managing director, Eric Trombly will also operate out of the new Chicago office. Joining from Meridian Capital Group, Trombly will manage direct principal investments and will report directly to BBCP New York office head and COO, Bryan Manz.

Expanding its New Jersey office, BBCP has hired managing partners, Emil DePasquale and Brandon Harris to place debt and equity across all asset classes, nationally, with a primary focus on the New York/New Jersey Tri-State area. Joining from Meridian Capital Group, DePasquale and Harris will oversee BBCP’s national expansion.

The company also plans to hire two to three additional senior advisors within the New Jersey office.

“These significant new hires are part of a strategic initiative to add senior-level talent to the organization,” said BBCP CEO, Arthur D. Bellini. “The demands for capital have changed, with investors looking to take advantage of dislocations in the real estate market and the requirement for rescue capital resulting from turmoil initiated by the COVID-19 crisis.”

The company arranges financing packages from an array of outside lenders, and is additionally able to access discretionary capital from BBAM, for direct lending on a broad range of debt financing, including mezzanine loans, B-notes, preferred equity and mortgages.

“As active owners, BBAM understands the importance of decisions on an expedited basis and flexible financing structures,” Bellini said. “With its fortress balance sheet and diversified revenue stream from various business lines, BBAM is committed to fund the expansion of BBCP into major metropolitan markets.”

Through the launch of the new offices, BBCP aims to strengthen its capital advisory platform, expand its market reach, attract industry professionals and grow its debt and equity placement pipeline.

Within the first quarter of 2020, BBCP closed more than $500 million in refinancing packages. The company currently holds an additional $1.5 billion in its pipeline.