Torchlight has a deep bench of professionals with valued insight and perspectives in commercial real estate, financial structuring, tax, and capital markets. The senior personnel of Torchlight average 20 years of professional experience. The professionals at Torchlight share in a culture of accountability, integrity and excellence that form the foundation of our core values.
Our Team
VADIM BLIKSHTEYN
Partner, Chief Financial Officer
VADIM BLIKSHTEYN
Partner, Chief Financial Officer
Vadim is a Partner and Chief Financial Officer. He has 15 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Vadim worked at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP and Holtz Rubenstein Reminick, LLP. Vadim is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York and holds a BS from Brooklyn College – City University of New York.
MICHAEL BUTZ
Partner, Head of Acquisitions
MICHAEL BUTZ
Partner, Head of Acquisitions
Mike is a Partner and Head of Acquisitions as well as a member of the Operating Committee. He has 30 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Mike worked at Hypo Real Estate, Morgan Stanley and Nomura Securities. Mike holds a BS from Lehigh University.
SAMUEL CHANG
Partner, Head of Portfolio Management
SAMUEL CHANG
Partner, Head of Portfolio Management
Sam is a Partner and Head of Portfolio Management as well as a member of the Investment and Operating Committees. He has 26 years of professional experience. Sam holds a BS from Columbia University.
ROBINSON CHIN
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
ROBINSON CHIN
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
Robinson is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. He has 17 years of professional experience. Robinson holds a BBA from the University of Michigan.
WILLIAM CLARKSON
Partner, Head of Distressed Workouts
WILLIAM CLARKSON
Partner, Head of Distressed Workouts
Bill is a Partner and Head of Distressed Workouts. He has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Bill worked at Auction.com, LNR Partners, Rockwood Real Estate Advisors and First Potomac Realty Trust. Bill holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a BBA from Roanoke College.
ALEXANDRA CRAWLEY
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
ALEXANDRA CRAWLEY
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
Alex is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. She has 13 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Alex worked at Antheus Capital, Guggenheim Partners and Stonebeck Capital. Alex holds a BA from Columbia University.
IRINA DEVANE
Partner, Head of Fund Operations
IRINA DEVANE
Partner, Head of Fund Operations
Irina is a Partner and Head of Fund Operations. She has 19 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Irina worked at Ride Safely. Irina holds a BA from Touro College.
GREGORY DINEEN
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
GREGORY DINEEN
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
Greg is a Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer as well as a member of the Investment and Operating Committees. He has 22 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Greg worked at B2R Finance (Blackstone), Guggenheim Partners and Credit Suisse. Greg holds a BS from Villanova University.
FELIPE DORREGARAY
Partner, Chief Operating Officer
FELIPE DORREGARAY
Partner, Chief Operating Officer
Felipe is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer as well as a member of the Operating Committee. He has 28 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Felipe worked at The Carlyle Group / Metropolitan Real Estate Equity Management, LLC, ABN AMRO, Inc., and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. Felipe holds an MBA from The American University and a BS from the University of Miami.
BRADLEY ERLICH
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
BRADLEY ERLICH
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
Brad is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. He has 17 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Brad worked at Bear Stearns. Brad holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
KAITLYN FUREY
Senior Vice President, Client Service
KAITLYN FUREY
Senior Vice President, Client Service
Kait is a Senior Vice President in the client service group. She has 16 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Kait worked at Angelo Gordon and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Kait is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York and holds a BS from Villanova University.
WAYNE GAVIOLI
Director, Research
WAYNE GAVIOLI
Director, Research
Wayne is a Director of Research. He has 16 years of professional experience. Wayne is a CFA Charterholder and holds an AB from Harvard University.
DMITRY GERTS
Senior Vice President, Head of Fund Accounting
DMITRY GERTS
Senior Vice President, Head of Fund Accounting
Dmitry is a Senior Vice President and Head of Fund Accounting. He has 18 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Dmitry worked at Citco Fund Services and Rothstein Kass. Dmitry holds a BBA from Pace University.
DANIEL GREENHOLTZ
Partner, Head of Underwriting
DANIEL GREENHOLTZ
Partner, Head of Underwriting
Dan is a Partner and Head of Underwriting. He has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Daniel worked at CWCapital and SNS Property Finance. Daniel holds a BA from University of Maryland.
DANIEL HEFLIN
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
DANIEL HEFLIN
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
Dan is a Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer as well as a member of the Investment and Operating Committees. Dan was the Founder of Torchlight and has 37 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Dan worked at Ocwen Financial Corporation, Credit Suisse and Arthur Andersen. While with Arthur Andersen, Dan received his Certified Public Accountant license in the State of New York. He holds an MS from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BBA from Texas Christian University.
HEIDI KAUFMAN
Partner, Head of Client Service
HEIDI KAUFMAN
Partner, Head of Client Service
Heidi is a Partner and Head of Client Service as well as a member of the Operating Committee. She has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Heidi worked at H/2 Capital Partners and Hypo Real Estate. Heidi holds a BS from Saint Thomas Aquinas College.
ABBEY KOSAKOWSKI
Partner, Deal Structuring
ABBEY KOSAKOWSKI
Partner, Deal Structuring
Abbey is a Partner in the acquisitions group. She has 29 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Abbey worked at JPMorgan and Lehman Brothers as a practicing attorney. Abbey holds a JD and BS from the University of Florida.
DANIEL LOCKWOOD
Partner, Co-Head of Private Acquisitions
DANIEL LOCKWOOD
Partner, Co-Head of Private Acquisitions
Daniel is a Partner and Co-Head of Private Acquisitions. He has 27 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Daniel worked at World Class Capital Group, Guggenheim Partners, Zurich Alternative Management, and Credit Suisse. Daniel holds a BA from Pennsylvania State University.
GIANLUCA MONTALTI
Partner, Head of Asset Management
GIANLUCA MONTALTI
Partner, Head of Asset Management
Luca is a Partner and Head of Asset Management as well as a member of the Investment and Operating Committees. He has 27 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Luca worked at Investcorp International, Greenstreet Real Estate Partners and LaSalle Investment Management. Luca holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BBA from the University of Michigan.
BRIAN MOYNIHAN
Partner, Head of Investor Relations
BRIAN MOYNIHAN
Partner, Head of Investor Relations
Brian is a Partner and Head of Investor Relations. He has 29 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Brian worked at Microsoft, Dell/EMC and Oracle Corporation. Brian holds a BA from Belmont Abbey College.
JOHN PITTENGER
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
JOHN PITTENGER
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
John is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. He has 18 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, John worked at BlackRock. John holds an MBA from Rutgers University and a BA from Franklin & Marshall College.
JORGE RODRIGUEZ
Senior Vice President, Distressed Debt Workout
JORGE RODRIGUEZ
Senior Vice President, Distressed Debt Workout
Jorge is a Senior Vice President in the distressed debt workout group. He has 19 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Jorge worked at LNR Partners and American Real Estate Capital. Jorge holds a MS and BS from Florida International University.
BRIAN SEDWITZ
Senior Vice President, Public Acquisitions
BRIAN SEDWITZ
Senior Vice President, Public Acquisitions
Brian is a Senior Vice President in the investment management and acquisitions group. He has 15 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Brian worked at K2 Advisors. Brian is a CFA Charterholder and holds a BS from Georgetown University.
MARY SMENDZUIK
Senior Vice President, Business Development
MARY SMENDZUIK
Senior Vice President, Business Development
Mary is a Senior Vice President in the investor relations group. She has 18 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Mary worked at New York Life Real Estate Investors, Capri Capital, Credit Suisse and Bank of America. Mary holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BA from Michigan State University.
JONATHAN STEIN
Partner, Co-Head of Private Acquisitions
JONATHAN STEIN
Partner, Co-Head of Private Acquisitions
Jon is a Partner and Co-Head of Private Acquisitions. He has 23 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Jon worked at Allegiant Real Estate Capital, Realty Finance Trust, Brookfield Asset Management and Credit Suisse. Jon holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a JD from Georgetown University and an AB from Harvard University.
RYAN WALTERS
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
RYAN WALTERS
Senior Vice President, Asset Management
Ryan is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. He has 14 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Ryan worked at Ernst & Young LLP and Cushman & Wakefield. Ryan holds a BA from Lehigh University.
MARC YOUNG
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
MARC YOUNG
Partner, Co-Chief Investment Officer
Marc is a Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer as well as a member of the Investment and Operating Committees. He has 31 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Marc worked at CWCapital and AIG Global Investments. Marc holds an MBA from Temple University and a BS from Pennsylvania State University.