(Read more on the debt and equitymarkets.)

CHICAGO-Wrightwood Capital, based here, is expanding itsorigination platform to loans up to $100 million. Sam Bluso hasbeen hired as the senior director for capital markets to assist inthe expansion, says Mary Briggs, managing director of capitalmarkets for Wrightwood. "Typically, Wrightwood is a middle marketlender and, typically, we have made loans up to approximately $35million," Briggs says.

Wrightwood decided to begin offering the larger loans inaddition to the middle market loans of up to $35 million. "Wewanted to be able to expand our products to our current customersand to new customers as we grow our business," Briggs says.Additionally, "We saw a market opportunity in terms of growth ofthe business to bring the same structured finance and structuredcapital to slightly larger loans." Wrightwood will be "sellingpartial interest in loans we originate" to limit the amount ofequity Wrightwood invests to a maximum of $50 million. "We willlimit our own exposure on any one loan to $35 million, or maybe asmuch as $50 million, if it is deemed a lower risk loan," shesays.