About Asset Based Lending | Direct Hard Money Lenders

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Established in 2010, Asset Based Lending, LLC is a Hard Money Lender providing fast bridge financing to real estate investors for the purchase, renovation, or new construction of single family, multi-family and mixed use properties. We have closed over 2700 loans since we began with total transaction amounts in excess of $600 million.

We come from a variety of backgrounds, but we are committed to:

Quickly communicating the likelihood of ABL funding a potential deal
Closing your deal on a short timeline
Efficiently delivering draw disbursements for the renovation or new construction of the property
Managing the payoff without complication

We strive every day to be Fast, Flexible, Reliable and Professional.

Underwriting Team

Daniel A Leyden

Co-Managing Partner

Daniel A Leyden

Co-Managing Partner

Dan Leyden is a senior financial professional with demonstrated business expertise and innovative leadership from over 25 years of real estate related securities and loan experience. Most recently, he was the COO for Golub Capital, a private equity firm that lends money to middle market companies. From 2003-2009, Dan was the CFO and Partner of Highland Financial Holdings Group, a $2 billion mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities hedge fund. Prior to that, Dan was an Executive VP of UBS Investment Bank, and Senior VP of Paine Webber in their Capital Markets group. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Syracuse University.

► Meet Dan - Watch His Video.

Paul A Ullman

Co-Managing Partner

Paul A Ullman

Co-Managing Partner

Paul Ullman is a founder and Chief Investment Officer of Asset Based Lending. As a founder, Paul came to know what it takes to be a successful hard money lender, namely, helping people quickly and safely fund their deal. He also worked very hard to expand ABL’s brand of lending to a wider geographic area. Paul continues to take great pride in helping ABLs borrowers make money and improve neighborhoods. As CIO, Paul reviews the overall loan exposures for the company. Since 2010, ABL has closed 1800+ transactions totaling over $350mm. Prior to ABL, Paul was President and Chief Investment Officer of Highland Financial Holdings Group, a New York City based investment management firm. Founded by him in 1998, Highland grew to over $2 billion in capital under management and specialized in managing mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities portfolios for a global clientele. In 1992, Paul co-founded the asset-backed security specialty investment management group at Alliance Capital Management, creating a new business, and over the next five years steered its growth to over $5 billion in assets under management. Paul began his career in the mortgage-backed security group at Salomon Brothers in 1982 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis.

► Meet Paul - Watch His Video.

Kevin Rodman

Partner

Kevin Rodman

Partner

Kevin Rodman joined Asset Based Lending as a partner in 2014, and brings 30 years’ experience in the mortgage industry to the ABL team. Along with Dan and Paul, Kevin is one of ABL’s three loan underwriters. Kevin is leading ABL’s expansion in New England, with a focus on Connecticut and Massachusetts. Kevin also works on building ABL’s strong capital base, which is one of the largest in the hard money lending industry. Kevin began his career at Morgan Stanley, where he spent 25 years, and served in a variety of roles in the Firm’s securities and mortgage businesses. He was President of Morgan Stanley Home Loans, a retail mortgage business, and CEO of Saxon Mortgage, a Morgan Stanley subsidiary focused on mortgage servicing. Kevin was co-head of Morgan Stanley’s Prime and Alt-A mortgage conduit, which purchased and serviced mortgages from over 600 mortgage banks across the US. After leaving Morgan Stanley in 2008, Kevin held several senior management roles in the mortgage industry. Kevin holds a BA in Government from Clark University and a MS in Energy Management and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.

► Meet Kevin - Watch His Video.

Sales Team

Eric Krattenstein

Partner, CMO & Head of Sales

Eric Krattenstein

Partner, CMO & Head of Sales

Eric’s marketing experience began at a boutique marketing agency where he developed dozens of successful innovative marketing strategies for brands ranging from startups to Fortune 500s. Prior to joining Asset Based Lending early in 2016, Eric served as the US Chief Marketing Officer for a European enterprise software company where he spearheaded the company’s expansion into the United States and Canadian markets. In his current role, Eric leads ABL’s Sales and Marketing team tasked with branding, lead generation, and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of loan originations. In addition to his Sales and Marketing responsibilities, Eric has spearheaded the design and implementation of ABL’s CRM and Business Automation systems focused on improving the company’s efficiency and scalability. A proud UConn Husky, he graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Economics and also holds a Master's degree in Global Marketing Management from Boston University.

Paul Lewis

Vice President, Florida Area Manager

Paul Lewis

Vice President, Florida Area Manager

Paul Lewis brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the world of specialty finance, especially alternative financing in the Florida market. In his career, he has closed in excess of $200M in commercial bridge financing, and north of $100M in specialty factoring. A native New Yorker, Paul has lived and worked in Florida for almost 10 years, where he has formed a solid network of real estate and finance professionals. Aside from finance, Paul has managed sales teams and mentored many sales people, from recent college grads, to young professionals transitioning from other industries. His approach to success is hinged on the success of his clients and their respective projects. Paul currently lives in the Palm Beach Area with his new wife, Kristen.

Susan Botros

Vice President of Sales

Susan Botros

Vice President of Sales

Prior to joining the ABL team, Susan worked as a lending consultant for a couple of large banks where she focused on commercial financing. Susan believed that working for a lender of that size caused the process to become disjointed, and lacked any human touch - which is where ABL came in. At ABL, things are different. Susan enjoys building in-depth relationships with her investors, and the flexibility to build a best-fit loan package for each individual borrower. Susan has been a student of real estate her entire life as a part of her family business, and holds a bachelor's degree in finance and marketing. Susan is also bilingual, speaking both English and Arabic.

Maryland and Pennsylvania hard money lender

Scott Davis

Loan Officer, Area Manager

Scott Davis

Loan Officer, Area Manager

A Navy veteran and former VP of Sales for a major cash flow factoring company, Scott joined ABL as the territory manager for MD, PA, VA, DC, and DE in 2018. Having managed million in assets with a nationwide territory in his previous role, Scott has perfected the art of delivering results in a fast-paced environment wile maintaining his easy-going personality. Scott enjoys getting out to local networking events, taking the opportunity to get to know his borrowers on both a personal and professional level. Scott holds a Bachelors of Business Administration and was born and raised in North Bethesda, MD, where he still resides with his wife and two sons.

Zak Blechman

Loan Officer

Zak Blechman

Loan Officer

After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Economics & Operations Management, Zak took on the role of Operations Manager & National Sales Executive for a premier manufacturer and distributor of Fire & Sprinkler products. It was during his time there that Zak honed his organizational and client relationship building skills, and discovered his interest in real estate. Wanting to align himself with a company in the real estate field that aligned with his core values, Zak sought out ABL after meeting other team members at a local meetup. As one of the Loan Officers responsible for the New Jersey lending area, Zak appreciates the ability to work with motivated investors across various backgrounds and experience levels that help him learn something new every day. When you work with Zak, you receive attention to detail, creative deal structures, and a partnership that helps grow your business.

Nik Gak

Loan Officer

Nik Gak

Loan Officer

Michael Chadwick

Vice President, New England Area Manager

Michael Chadwick

Vice President, New England Area Manager

Michael Chadwick joined Asset Based Lending as a Vice President and Area Manager in December 2020, bringing with him over 20 years of real estate and financial services experience in the New England area. Prior to ABL, Michael was responsible for developing and directing the day to day operations for a private lender in the north east where he led the origination and underwriting of over $150 million in loans across 5 states. In addition to Michael’s hard money lending and commercial finance background, Michael has hands on experience as a real estate investor having led a private investment firm through the acquisition and renovation of approximately 150 homes throughout New England. Michael is an expert in managing hard money loans for real estate, with experience in assets ranging from single-family fix and flips to 7-figure multi-family new construction projects and everything in between. His skillset spans many aspects of real estate lending including underwriting, property valuation and analysis, and even construction draw management. His dedication and personal touch have cultivated strong business relationships with his borrowers throughout the years, meshing perfectly with ABL’s lending culture.

Sam Oster

Loan Officer

Sam Oster

Loan Officer

Sam joined ABL in 2019 as an Operations Analyst before moving to the sales team to become a Loan Officer. He graduated from Baruch College in 2015 with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance where he also minored in Business Communications. Prior to joining ABL Sam worked for a subsidiary of Perdue Farms in a business development and operations role and began his career in the real estate industry when he joined Urban View Development as a Construction Coordinator.

Chris Sicoli

Content Marketing Specialist

Chris Sicoli

Content Marketing Specialist

Christopher Sicoli is a public relations and marketing specialist that joined Asset Based Lending in September 2020. His love of writing and learning has brought him to ABL where he helps educate investors on market trends, borrower success stories, and loan programs. Previously, he worked for a global hospitality company where he wrote copy for their properties, locations, and website that led to massive increases in viewership and product engagement. He graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a B.A. in Public Relations.

Mailena Telegadas

Loan Officer

Mailena Telegadas

Loan Officer

Mailena Telegadas joined the ABL team in 2021 as a Loan Officer to help manage the firm's growth in the Florida market. Her previous experience includes several years in leasing and property management where she discovered her passion for the real estate business and became an expert on industry details. She is fluent in both English and Spanish, allowing her to communicate with borrowers in their preferred language. Mailena has been a Florida native for most of her life: she was born in Cuba and moved to Florida when she was 9 years old, residing in Jacksonville to this day. When she is not at work, she enjoys traveling and reading.

Hurley Desper

PA Area Manager

Hurley Desper

PA Area Manager

Hurley Desper joined the ABL team in 2021 as the Pennsylvania Area Manager to help with the growth of the Pennsylvania markets. With over 15 years of experience as both a lender and investor, he has intimate knowledge of the loan experience including loan origination, residential & commercial financing, servicing, processing, and underwriting. As a Philadelphia native, Hurley wanted to utilize this experience to help spearhead the resurgence of the area’s real estate market. His goal is to help new investors achieve their financial goals and show seasoned investors the benefit of the ABL experience. He graduated Temple University with a B.A. and is an alumnus of their football team.

Operations Team

Adam Cohen

Partner, Chief Financial Officer

Adam Cohen

Partner, Chief Financial Officer

ABL’s controller, Adam Cohen, has over ten years of buy side operational and accounting experience in the finance industry. He received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business and a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics from Skidmore College. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Adam worked for HBMJ Consulting specializing in software implementation and integration, and spent three years at Cerberus Capital Management managing the Private Equity and Real Estate operations department. Additional prior experience includes Shumway Capital Partners as an Operations Associate and Trader’s Assistant and US Bank Fund Services division fka Alternative Investment Solutions as Vice President of Operations.

Mike Basciano

EVP, Operations

Mike Basciano

EVP, Operations

Michael is one of ABL’s Vice-Presidents of Operations. He graduated from The University of Rhode Island in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and concentration in Accounting. Prior to joining ABL in August 2015, Michael spent 3 years in the construction management industry working for a small general contractor in New York City. Here he gained experience in both project and financial management.

Daniel Gotay

AVP, Operations

Daniel Gotay

AVP, Operations

As a Senior Project & Business Developer for Lexis Nexis, Inc., Daniel joined ABL after 8 years at one of the largest Business Research and Risk Management firms in the country. After graduating from the State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a Minor in Management, worked for Lexis Nexis as a Data Analyst in the Brooklyn Civil Courthouse. After moving to the Business Development Division for the greater NYC area, Daniel was responsible for managing several on-site data research teams, as well as the expansion and development of the NY Civil Court data collection infrastructure. As A.V.P. of Operations, Daniel has worked closely with the Payoff, Loan Maturity and Collateral Teams to develop and streamline departmental processes, in addition to managing multiple projects. (Fun fact: Daniel attended The Julliard School for Instrumental Jazz)

Ramy Girgis

Controller

Ramy Girgis

Controller

Anna Della Fave

Insurance Associate

Anna Della Fave

Insurance Associate

Anna joined ABL in 2018 as an Office Manager. Within six months she was promoted to Insurance Associate and now handles all pre-closing and post-closing insurance approvals. Before joining ABL, she managed Operations for a small online retailer. She utilizes her superior customer service skills to work with Borrowers and Insurance Professionals to ensure all properties are properly insured. Anna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and in her spare time she loves to travel and spend time with her husband and children.

Joan Ignatius

Loan Processor

Joan Ignatius

Loan Processor

Joan joined ABL in 2019 as our senior Loan Processor. She brings 6 years of loan processing experience in the conventional space and 7 years of experience in Human Resources Management. She has a Bachelor's in Business Administration and a MBA in Marketing & Human Resource Management. Joan helps borrowers through ABL’s loan closing process easily and quickly while also being able to intelligently respond to the complexities that regularly arise so that our borrowers can get to the finish line. In her spare time, she likes to read mystery novels and spend time with her daughter & family.

Diego Calle

Accounting Operations

Diego Calle

Accounting Operations

Georgina Edionseri

Operations & Collateral Analyst

Georgina Edionseri

Operations & Collateral Analyst

Georgina joined ABL in 2019 as an Operations & Collateral Analyst. Prior to joining ABL, Georgina was pursuing a career in medicine. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Johns Hopkins University in 2014 and went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. She is commonly known as the “Document Bounty Hunter” as she handles all post-closing document compliance and satisfactions. Georgina is excited to pursue her career in real estate with ABL and looks forward to the challenges ahead!

Melonie Hernandez

Senior Accountant

Melonie Hernandez

Senior Accountant

Melonie joined ABL in 2019 as the company’s Senior Accountant. She has over 13 years’ experience in the financial industry. She received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration & Accounting from New Jersey City University. Prior to joining ABL she worked for SS&C Technology in the fund accounting department for Private Equity Investments. Additional prior experience includes eight years with Citco Fund Services in the Hedge Fund Investment back-office accounting department and a Staff Accountant at Citi Hedge Fund Services of North America fka Bisys-RK.

Jared Lindenberg

AVP, Senior Analyst and Special Projects Coordinator

Jared Lindenberg

AVP, Senior Analyst and Special Projects Coordinator

Jared joined ABL in 2020 as a Senior Analyst, having Jared graduated from the University of Marlyand with a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting and Marketing, and having earned his CPA in 2015. Prior to joining ABL, Jared was previously a management consultant at Optimity Advisors and Navigant Consulting, focusing on Business Analysis, Business Intelligence, and Process Analysis in the Insurance, Banking, and Capital Markets industries. He later moved to EisnerAmper to work as a forensic accountant, where he focused on corporate fraud investigations, merger and acquisition due diligence, and federal grant accounting oversight. He additionally served as a federal grant underwriter on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for rural broadband development projects.

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