CPE Exclusive: Marty Lanigan Talks About His Move to Greystone

By Gail Kalinoski, Contributing Editor 

Marty Lanigan

Marty Lanigan, a veteran commercial real estate finance expert, has joined Greystone, a leading multi-family and healthcare mortgage lender, as Executive Vice President. His new jobs calls for him to oversee and expand the firm’s Portfolio Lending Group.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Marty has proven to be one of the industry’s most creative and innovative experts,” Robert Barolak, co-Chief Operating Officer, said of Lanigan in a news release. “His leadership will be vital to the continued success and future growth of the Portfolio Lending Group and its products as we work to deliver even more financing options for our clients during transitional periods.”

Lanigan will report to Barolak, who added, “We are thrilled that Marty will lead the group’s expansion and accomplishments, and are excited to welcome him to the Greystone team.”

Lanigan had good things to say about Barolak, founder and CEO Stephen Rosenberg, and the rest of the Greystone team.

When asked what attracted him to Greystone, he told Commercial Property Executive, “I was extremely impressed with the quality of the people at Greystone, from Steve on down. They have so many quality people in one shop. I felt it was really a team I could be part of.”

Lanigan, who has built three national lending operations during his career, also said the opportunity to expand the Portfolio Lending Group and its business was the second component in his decision to join the firm.

“Steve Rosenberg said he wanted to take certain business lines to the next level and, candidly, those were the lines I was brought in to run,” he told CPE.

Lanigan said his job would entail broadening the product range to the current Greystone customers and finding borrowers who would benefit from Greystone’s proprietary products.

The Portfolio Lending Group was created in 2005 to offer clients short-term financing options during acquisition, stabilization, rehabilitation and repositioning. The group includes Greystone’s successful bridge lending program. Lanigan will be overseeing those programs and expanding mezzanine lending, second mortgage loans, sponsor loans and special situation lending efforts.

Greystone has been growing, particularly in the last six months. In January, the firm announced it was expanding its West Coast operations by making more hires in its California offices and opening new branches in Orange County, Calif., and Seattle. Greystone teamed up with The Bassuk Organization in November on a joint venture providing expanded real estate and financial services, including creative debt and equity financing, to multi-family clients. In November, Greystone expanded its bridge loan service to the healthcare sector, particularly independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

Headquartered in New York, Greystone has 17 offices and is active in 35 states. Its four major business segments are multi-family mortgage finance, proprietary investment, healthcare and real estate. The firm often works with FHA and Fannie Mae and was named the leading FHA multi-family loan originator by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for 2012 with originations of nearly $1.4 billion in FHA loans.

Lanigan most recently worked at Meridian Capital, where he was senior  managing director, group head, originations and strategic initiatives, and as an independent consultant, completing projects including recapitalizing a Dublin hospital. In 2001, he founded and served as President and CEO of Mezz Cap, a mezzanine lending firm that funded and securitized more than 600 mezzanine loans with a network of more than 20 conduit lenders in the United States and Canada. Lanigan was also a founder and managing director at Prudential Mortgage Capital Co. He previously held positions at GMAC and Freddie Mac. The 51-year-old is a CFA charter holder with an MBA from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.