Briar Capital Real Estate Fund (www.BriarCapital.com) is pleased to announce the closing of a $10,312,500 real estate term loan secured by two owner-occupied cold storage and food processing facilities in Florida.

Specialty finance industry veteran and risk management specialist Amity Mercado recently announced the launch of Countify Capital, where she will serve as Chief Executive Officer. The specialty lending firm provides flexible capital solutions for startups, small businesses, and middle-market companies across the United States, offering factoring and asset-based lending (ABL) facilities up to $10 million.

CohnReznick, a leading professional services firm, announced today that Justin Ricketts has joined the firm as Chief Technology Officer. Based in Dallas, Ricketts will focus on accelerating the firm’s technology strategy, enhancing digital capabilities, and delivering innovative, client-centric solutions that support the firm’s continued growth.

Hidden River Strategic Capital ("Hidden River") announced that it has closed its tenth platform investment in its inaugural fund, Hidden River Strategic Capital I, LP, through an investment in Nipples, Elbows & Couplings, Inc. ("NEC"). Headquartered in Houston, TX, NEC is a leading manufacturer of PVC-coated electrical conduit and fittings serving infrastructure end markets including wastewater, midstream energy, and datacenters.

In 1985, Coker established his own factoring company and entered the industry. In 1994, Coker launched Advantage Finance Corporation. In 2000, Coker and Advantage joined Central Bank of Houston, TX and formed Advantage Business Capital. Throughout his career, Coker has been active within the International Factoring Association (IFA); serving on the IFA’s inaugural board as well as two terms as an Advisory Director.

Bidding opens May 5 in a Tiger Group sale featuring more than 100 tractor trailers, tractor trucks and forklifts from the Southern California facilities of Asbury Transportation and Orange Courier. Conducted with U.S. bankruptcy court approval, the timed, online auction at SoldTiger.com opens on Tuesday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. (PT) and closes on Tuesday, May 12, at 10:30 a.m. (PT).

Sound Point Capital Management, LP (“Sound Point” or the “Firm”), a leading alternative credit manager, today announced that it served as Administrative Agent and Lead Arranger for a $575 million senior secured credit facility to support Greenbelt Capital Management L.P.’s (“Greenbelt” or “Greenbelt Capital Partners) acquisition of Peak Utility Services Group (“Peak” or the “Company”) from ORIX Capital Partners.

Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: APLD), a designer, builder, and operator of high-performance, sustainably engineered data centers and colocation services for artificial intelligence, cloud, networking, and blockchain workloads, today announced the closing of a $300 million senior secured bridge facility led by Goldman Sachs.

Top California Lender announced today the closing of a $74 million senior secured commercial real estate loan for a large-scale industrial/logistics property in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. Top California Lender served as the direct lender on the transaction, which was structured as a first-lien refinance for an institutional-quality industrial asset totaling approximately 799,000 square feet. The loan was funded in 27 business days from initial review to closing.

Tacora Capital Management, a $1.5 billion, woman-owned and led asset-based lender, has opened its new strategy, Residential Real Estate Financing Opportunities, to new investment. The fund was launched in July 2025 and structured as a REIT, with internal capital and allocations from a limited number of Tacora's institutional investors.

The healthcare sector reportedly recorded 12 bankruptcy filings in the first quarter of 2026, a 33% increase from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the analysis by Gibbins Advisors. Twelve healthcare companies with liabilities of at least $10 million filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy during the first quarter.

Encina Private Credit, LLC (“EPC”) is pleased to announce that it has served as the Administrative and Collateral agent on a senior secured credit facility supporting Kingswood Capital Management’s strategic investment in Soulshine Farms, LLC & Pearl River Foods (“Soulshine Farms”).

nFusion Capital announced the promotion of Melanie Guzman, CAEF, to Executive Vice President of Factoring. In her new role, Guzman will spearhead the firm’s nationwide factoring growth strategy and oversee its international portfolio management team.

Womble Bond Dickinson announced today that Eric L. Muñoz has joined the firm’s Finance, Bankruptcy and Restructuring Practice Group as a partner in Houston, strengthening its debt financing capabilities in the energy sector.

BHI, the U.S Branch of Bank Hapoalim, B.M. and a full-service commercial bank, today announced that it has appointed Gurpreet Bal as Chief Information Officer. Bal will report directly to CEO Gil Karni and join BHI’s Executive Team. She will assume the role in the coming weeks.

Weber, who served former Indiana Govs. Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb, will advise utilities and other entities in matters before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) and other state regulatory commissions. Her work will include counseling clients on general rate cases, periodic rate adjustment (tracker) proceedings, certificate of public convenience and necessity cases, preapprovals, financings, acquisitions, disputes, investigations, rulemakings and service area-related cases.

Zions Bancorporation today announced the appointment of Mike Selfridge as Executive Vice President and Head of Wealth Management, effective June 1, 2026. Most recently, Mr. Selfridge served as Head of Client and Family Office Solutions and Client Credit Advisory at Bessemer Trust, where he was responsible for lending, private credit, and banking solutions for ultra-high-net-worth clients and family-owned businesses.

CIBC Innovation Banking today announced that it has provided growth financing to Qover, a European-based embedded insurance platform. The funding will be used to support Qover’s continued expansion and growth.

First Bank, a subsidiary of First Bancorp (NASDAQ: FBNC), has appointed Andy Scott as Triangle Regional Executive. Andy brings more than 25 years of banking experience and a strong track record of leadership across North Carolina to the role. He will lead the bank's growth and client engagement efforts throughout the Triangle, with a focus on delivering an elevated commercial banking experience and deepening community relationships.

MONTICELLOAM, LLC (“MONTICELLOAM”), a specialized seniors housing and multifamily bridge lending platform, announced the appointment of Andrew Antognoli as Senior Relationship Manager, Originations.