Co-CEO and a Founder of ACORE Capital, Chris Tokarski joins Matt on this week’s Leading Voices to talk about the CRE debt business in general and, specifically talk about the private debt providers, like ACORE, which have become a major part of the market, particularly in construction and transitional lending since the Global Financial Crisis. With approximately $17 billion of assets under management, ACORE is one of the largest private debt providers focused on commercial real estate, originating and managing first mortgages, B-notes, mezzanine debt, and preferred equity, deploying over $28 billion in more than 375 transactions since inception in 2015. Chris also talks about his early start in the business at Nomura—the then disrupter in the CRE finance business, meeting his current partners there and their path together at several firms before co-founding, and co-leading ACORE.

Chris has over 25 years of experience in leadership roles with large, national lenders, including four years as Chief Credit Officer for Starwood Property Trust, and has served as an advisor on workouts and other financing solutions through multiple cycles. Chris has personally invested in commercial real estate throughout his career.

The Commercial Observer has honored Chris in their annual listing ‘The 50 Most Important Figures of Commercial Real Estate Finance’, ranking him in the top 15 for the past 5 years.

Chris earned a B.A. degree from Brown University with a double concentration in Business Economics and Organizational Behavior and Management.