Commercial real estate finance industry veteran, longtime CREFC member and former Chair to lead organization

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The CRE Finance Council (CREFC) today announced that Paul T. Vanderslice has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 30, 2026. As President and CEO, Vanderslice will lead CREFC’s efforts to advance its mission on behalf of the commercial and multifamily real estate finance industry, including its advocacy, market intelligence, education, industry standards, member engagement, and industry-leading events.

Vanderslice will join CREFC from BMO Capital Markets, where he serves as Head of CMBS and oversees the origination, securitization, and distribution of new issue transactions. He brings more than three decades of experience in commercial real estate finance, including senior leadership roles at BMO Capital Markets, CCRE, and Citigroup.

“Paul brings deep industry expertise, a longstanding commitment to CREFC, and a clear understanding of the issues and opportunities facing our members,” said Toby Cobb, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of 3650 Capital and Chair of CREFC’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors. “Having previously served as Chair and as a current member of the Board of Governors, Paul knows the organization and the industry exceptionally well. We look forward to his leadership as we enter this next chapter.”

Vanderslice has been a member of CREFC for nearly three decades, including serving as Chair of CREFC’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors from 2012 to 2013. Over the years, he has also served on multiple committees and forums, participated in conference panels and educational programs, and contributed to CREFC’s advocacy and strategic initiatives, giving him a deep understanding of CREFC and its role in the industry.

“We are deeply grateful to Lisa Pendergast for her decade of exceptional leadership and service to CREFC, and to Ed DeAngelo for his steady guidance as Interim President and CEO during this important transition,” said Leland Bunch, Immediate Past Chair of CREFC, Chair of the CEO Search Committee, and Managing Director at Bank of America. “The team at Spencer Stuart presented our search committee with an impressive slate of highly qualified candidates from across the commercial real estate industry and leading U.S. trade associations. Paul distinguished himself through his lifelong commitment to commercial real estate and his longstanding dedication to CREFC. We are delighted to welcome him as our next President and CEO and look forward to the leadership and vision he will bring to the organization.”

Vanderslice joined BMO Capital Markets in 2020 to establish and lead the firm’s CMBS platform. Prior to BMO, he served as Chief Executive Officer of CCRE and spent more than 30 years at Citigroup, where he held senior leadership positions and helped build the firm’s CMBS business.

Vanderslice holds an undergraduate degree from Boston College and an M.B.A. in Finance and Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

About CREFC
The CRE Finance Council (CREFC) is the trade association for the over $6 trillion commercial real estate finance industry with a membership that includes more than 400 companies and 19,000 individuals. Member firms include balance sheet and securitized lenders, loan and bond investors, private equity firms, servicers, rating agencies, and borrowers. For over 30 years, CREFC has promoted liquidity, transparency, and efficiency in the commercial real estate finance markets, and acts as a legislative and regulatory advocate for the industry, playing a vital role in setting market standards and best practices, and providing education for market participants. For more information, visit www.crefc.org.

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SOURCE CRE Finance Council