Seattle-based Avatar Financial Group LLC, a hard money bridge lender for commercial real estate, has hired Jeffrey Weingart as Senior Vice President of Originations. Weingart’s primary responsibilities will involve the underwriting and origination of commercial real estate loans, new business development, and expanding the firm’s national platform.

Over his 20-plus-year career in commercial real estate finance, Weingart has underwritten $6 billion worth of transactions, including more than $1.1 billion in bridge and permanent loans on behalf of various capital sources. He is well-versed in handling a range of risk profiles, from distressed and transitional assets to development and stabilized projects, across the spectrum of real estate asset classes. Weingart will be based in Boston.

Before joining Avatar, he was the Senior Vice President of Originations and Underwriting for A10 Capital, a national provider of direct capital solutions. Weingart has held similar senior-level positions handling originations for The Bancorp, a specialized lender, and UC Funds, a national balance sheet lender.

“Jeffrey has developed a respectable track record during his long and diverse career in commercial real estate, particularly in terms of originating and structuring complex transactions, nurturing client relationships, and driving significant loan volumes.”

T.R. Hazelrigg IV, Avatar’s President and Co-Founder