Bringing over 40 years of commercial lending experience, Tom has built and led teams at National Bank of Detroit, Fifth Third Bank, WesBanco, Huntington National Bank and in the alternative lending space, founded Central Funding Solutions and also served as Managing Director at Rain Star Capital Group. Individually and through the teams he has led, Tom has been involved in over $2.5 billion in commercial debt financing — experience that positions him as a trusted strategic partner for when businesses fall outside conventional credit due to timing, transition or recent performance.

Known as a “commercial and industrial guy,” Rich brings more than 30 years of commercial lending, credit and loan review experience. After beginning his career in accounting, Rich transitioned into all aspects of the commercial lending cycle, giving him a practical understanding of both borrower financials and credit decision-making. Rich began his career with KPMG and Empire Realty Credit Corp. before joining M&T Bank in 1991, where he worked as a loan officer, credit analyst, and loan reviewer focused on commercial and industrial loans, commercial mortgages, and builder construction financing. In 2000, he moved into asset-based lending and factoring with GE Commercial Finance before joining Silver Hill Financial / Bayview Financial, where he spent eight years managing commercial mortgage underwriting, broker relationships, loan approvals, and credit policy development. Rich later served as Senior Vice President of Whole Loan Acquisitions and Special Servicing at LNR Property Corporation, leading underwriting, acquisition, servicing, and asset-management functions for distressed commercial real estate debt. Since 2009, he has also led Rich P, LLC, a commercial loan review, due diligence, and credit consulting firm serving financial institutions and private lenders nationwide.

Prior to joining Flatbay Capital, Patrick was an owner/operator within a family office environment at Smoot Investments, where he focused on nationwide credit investing, loan servicing, and complex debt recovery strategies. He was actively involved in acquiring and managing distressed and transitional credit portfolios, with a focus on maximizing recovery outcomes and structuring practical resolutions across a range of asset classes. Patrick also serves as a Director at Guaranty Bank and holds an active real estate license. His background across private credit, banking, and real estate provides a well-rounded, credit-driven perspective when evaluating and structuring opportunities that fall outside conventional lending parameters.

Rich Tarpey is a commercial real estate and credit executive with more than 30 years of experience across banks, private credit, special assets, asset management, and real estate investment platforms. Throughout his career, Rich has worked closely with banks, borrowers, investors, and operating companies to structure and manage complex commercial real estate and business lending relationships across multiple market cycles. Prior to joining Flatbay Capital, Rich held senior leadership positions with institutional lenders and private investment firms including Silver Hill Financial, Bayview Loan Servicing, Electra America, and Toccoa Capital Management. His experience spans bridge lending, loan workouts, restructurings, construction and development finance, preferred equity, and transitional lending solutions for owner- occupied commercial real estate.

Brett brings 20+ years of commercial banking experience, including his tenure as Vice President of Business Services at Orlando Credit Union, where he led commercial, small business, and mortgage lending, as well as prior work as a Senior Consultant with First Call Business Consulting. As a true Central Florida insider, Brett has spent his career doing what Flatbay Capital believes in: taking the time to understand a business owner's full story before ever talking about a loan. At Flatbay, Brett will connect Orlando-area business owners with flexible, private-credit CRE financing — the smart alternative when a bank loan isn't the right fit right now.

Luis-Ernesto Clavijo is a licensed attorney, banking professional, and advisor with more than 20 years of experience across commercial banking, law, project finance, and strategic advisory. Prior to joining Flatbay Capital, Luis held commercial banking and leadership roles with First Citizens Bank, Capital One, M&T Bank, Fulton Financial, BB&T, and TD, where he worked closely with business owners, financial institutions, and advisory partners across the Washington, D.C. and Mid-Atlantic markets. His experience spans commercial lending, real estate finance, project finance, M&A-related capital needs, working capital, and deal structuring, positioning him as a trusted partner in situations that require both technical rigor and practical execution.

With over 40 years of experience in financial sales, teaching, and management, Steve Hansen is a trusted advisor to business owners looking to improve their cash flow and acquire assets through debt. As a former successful business owner himself, Steve brings a unique perspective to his work and thoroughly understands his clients' needs. He provides expert guidance on financing options and helps clients navigate complex financial situations to achieve their goals.

Kynan joined the Flatbay Capital team in October 2023 as an intern, focusing on marketing strategies being used to help the business development team. After graduating from the University of Houston in December 2023 with undergraduate degrees in Finance and Marketing, Kynan began working for Flatbay as a full-time credit analyst. Since then, he has grown into a role that focuses on every stage of the loan approval process and has utilized his experience in real estate appraising to help understand CRE collateral value. Kynan aims to continue learning from Flatbay’s well-accomplished underwriting and business development teams from both traditional banking and alternative lending perspectives.

Minh is a goal-oriented finance professional with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston, where he earned Dean’s List recognition in Fall 2022. Most recently, Minh served as a Securities Admin Services Analyst II at Computershare, where he played a key role in facilitating loan funding and security payments. He conducted detailed financial reconciliations, collaborated with major external stakeholders like UBS and Virtus Investment Partners, and utilized advanced financial platforms such as SEI Trust 3000 and Deloitte’s CDO Fusion. His work ensured accurate investor reporting and compliance with regulatory standards, demonstrating a strong grasp of financial operations and trust accounting.