CounterpointeSRE Strengthens ESG and PACE Platforms With Leadership Appointments

GREENWICH, Conn., May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CounterpointeSRE is expanding with key appointments, strengthening its expertise in helping CRE investors and corporates upgrade properties and meet sustainability goals.

"CounterpointeSRE is the most experienced commercial PACE lender in the country," stated managing partner, Eric Alini. "We continue to see growth, so we are investing in ourselves with a series of significant hires with deep commercial real estate experience," he continued.

CounterpointeSRE has recently completed some of the largest commercial property assessed clean energy ("PACE") transactions in the nation, including $49.5 million for seismic strengthening and energy efficiency in California and $42 million for clean energy and COVID-19 measures in Rhode Island.

In response, the firm recently hired Mary-Stuart Freydberg as Head of ESG Research and Executive Director Retrofit Transactions and Evelyn Giaccio as MD and General Counsel. Existing directors have been promoted, with Devesh Nirmul and CJ DeSantis supporting business development and Taimur Jamil heading Project Finance to capitalize on his expertise in renewable energy. In March, the firm announced Douglas P. Harmon, a veteran in bridge and permanent CRE lending, as MD and Head of Principal Transactions to support the expanding role of PACE financing for condo inventory loans and new construction.

Mary-Stuart Freydberg joins to direct ESG research and will focus on investments as part of the Retrofit Transactions team. Prior to CounterpointeSRE, Ms. Freydberg was Senior Director at Merrill Lynch CMBS Research and advised the trading desk, sales team and institutional investors. While at Fitch IBCA, Mary-Stuart headed CMBS research, rated transactions and published extensively. She brings additional expertise from her time at J.E. Roberts Co., an Archon Group Joint Venture with Goldman Sachs.

Ms. Giaccio adds extensive experience in corporate and commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition, joint venture, private equity, financing, leasing, development, construction, project finance and private placement. At Guardian Life for almost 12 years, Ms. Giaccio advised real estate and investment teams on portfolios exceeding $18 billion. Previously, she was a senior real estate attorney at Paul, Weiss, Dewey Ballantine, and Goldman, Sachs.

These appointments build on the firm's position as the most experienced commercial real estate lender in the PACE marketplace. Besides the exponential growth for the primary asset classes, the firm has seen a rising utilization of PACE for corporations and institutions, including those that are investment grade. Through the firm's program administration role in Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago, CounterpointeSRE has helped build awareness in key markets while participating as a capital provider in the roll-out of PACE in New York City and Philadelphia. The market is maturing: of the top 20 MSAs, only Atlanta, Tampa and Phoenix do not have active PACE programs (Seattle's King County is anticipated by the end of 2021).

About Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate:

Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate (CounterpointeSRE), a Hannon Armstrong partner, is a leading PACE capital provider with a national platform led by commercial real estate experts with decades of experience. Organized in 2013, Counterpointe Energy Solutions administers PACE programs in Illinois, California and Florida with municipal bond issuances in support of clean energy and resiliency projects. For more information, visit www.counterpointesre.com. 

Media Contact:
Adam Moskowitz
[email protected]

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SOURCE Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate