George Smith Taps Sarkissian as SVP

April 20, 2010
By Allison Landa, News Editor

Commercial real estate investment banking firm George Smith Partners has named Raffi Sarkissian senior vice president. He will work to place debt with lenders for commercial real estate property owners, structuring conventional as well as Small Business Administration loans.

Before joining George Smith, Sarkissian served more than 15 years as a senior vice president with Bank of America, where he originated commercial real estate loans including SBA and conventional loans.

“Raffi Sarkissian is an industry veteran with nearly 20 years of proven success in the single tenant and owner-user financing market,” George Smith principal and managing director David Rifkind said when announcing the news. “Given the broad platform at George Smith Partners, Raffi will be able to offer a greater mix of products to serve his extensive list of owner-user clients.”

Rifkin added that Sarkissian’s experience will help the firm cater to a segment of the market that it has not traditionally served.

Sarkissian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from California State University, Northridge.

George Smith was founded in 1992 and today specializes in arranging financing for commercial and residential properties, including acquisition, construction, bridge and permanent loans, as well as mezzanine loans, highly leveraged participating loans and joint venture equity.