Gilda Rivera - Senior Vice President
George Smith Partners, Inc.
Panelist

Ms. Rivera started her career in 1998 as a commercial real estate lender and broker. Gilda is responsible for the origination, analysis, structuring and placement of debt & equity for all income producing property types throughout United States. During her tenure at GSP, Ms. Rivera has structured complex transactions and facilitated, underwritten, and closed several billion dollars in commercial real estate financing. Gilda utilizes her outstanding lender relationships to provide certainty of execution and creative structured financings for her clients.

Gilda was selected by GlobeSt. for the 2020, “Women of Influence” award based on her career achievements, community outreach and mentorship within the commercial real estate industry.

Prior to joining George Smith Partners in 2004, Gilda was employed as an analyst and underwriter for Washington Mutual Bank (now JP Morgan Chase), closing $2 billion of “on-book” multi-family & commercial real estate loans and commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS).

Ms. Rivera holds Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degrees from University of California Los Angeles.

She is an avid scuba diver and enjoys traveling.

Professional and Academic Affiliations:

• Global Green USA
• National Business Development Assoc. (NBDA) – Board Member (2013 – 2018)
• Commercial Real Estate Women
• Asian Professional Exchange
• Urban Land Institute
• Asian Real Estate Association of America
  
  
  

Michael Kaplan - President
Barry Slatt Mortgage Co.
Panelist

Michael Kaplan started as an analyst with Slatt Capital in 1998. After working his way through the ranks, Michael expanded the Slatt footprint from the Bay Area into Southern California. Working full time out of the San Francisco office as the company's President, Michael continues to manage the Los Angeles office as well as oversee the entire company’s team of producers. He continues to actively originate, negotiate and structure both debt and equity transactions for institutional and individual property owners across the country. Having financed well over $1 billion of commercial and multi-family mortgages in his career, Michael is considered one of the leading originators of single tenant net lease properties nationwide.

William Wang - Vice President
JP Morgan Chase
Panelist

Specialize in short term and long term financing needs for small and mid-size businesses, including owner-user commercial real estate, C&I and Capital Expenditures. Expert in business industries are Import & Export Wholesale Distribution, Inter Continental Logistics Companies, Defense Contractors and Aerospace. William grew up in Arcadia, CA, and has been in the finance industry since 2008. He office in Pasadena, CA, however often closes deals in the greater SoCal area as well as Colorado and Georgia. He’s closed over $100,000,000 in Commercial Loans and continues to increase his production year over year.

The key to William’s success is simple: Perseverance and genuine passion with ambitious enthusiasm exercising his duties of a finance professional to help businesses to grow and prosper by bridging cashflow timing differences and necessary capital for business continuity. William strives to build a long lasting relationship with his clients by providing continuing professional guidance and education with business owners for all their business financing needs. Customer Service is of utmost importance, persistent and transparent communication is vital. He prides himself on being available whenever needed. Outside of being a Finance Professional, William is honored to pursue his MBA at Purdue University with the support and sponsorship from the JPMC Purdue Global Grant. He also is a huge advocate to outdoor activities, like running and hiking to cope with day to day stress and mental wellbeing. Since 2014, he’s been running at least 5k a day and has also participated in numerous public races like the Rose Bowl Half Marathon.

Francisco Williams, CCIM - CEO
Williams Capital Group
Moderator

As the founding member of the Williams Capital Group, Francisco has been responsible for establishing the foundation for the firm’s core investment philosophy. Under Francisco’s leadership, Williams Capital Group has launched its first fund vehicle in addition to structuring a strategic partnership to provide deal origination and loan servicing to institutional investors with Capital Direct Funding. As Williams Capital Group’s CEO, Francisco is responsible for oversight of all aspects of the firm and is embedded in the capital formation and execution of each of the strategies the firm undertakes.

Francisco began his career in Mortgage Banking origination at Capital Direct Funding, Inc., as part of a team that serviced real estate principals throughout California. In 2015, Francisco transitioned into Commercial Real Estate Brokerage working as an Investment Analyst. While expanding his expertise, Francisco has completed and advised an excess of $100 M in CRE transaction volume.

Francisco is an active member of the Certified Commercial Real Estate Member Institute (CCIM), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  Francisco currently sits on the board of CCIM Greater Los Angeles Chapter. He previously held a seat on the board of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP-LA) and East Valley Boys and Girls Club. Francisco graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies. He holds global designations of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and is a California Licensed Real Estate Broker.