Real Estate Manager
Resume:
Karen O’Callaghan
Adel, IA **003
****.**.************@*****.***
Position: Vice President Agricultural/Commercial Lender
Summary: With the 15 years of experience as a direct Commercial/Ag lender, I worked on many different industries and loan structures. I am particularly adept at business development creating a strong presence allowing for increased loan generation, deposits, and other banking service income. Being a Certified Paralegal gave me additional skills in these positions.
Office Manager Calligan Marble & Tile, LLC 2012 to current West Des Moines, IA
This company is a construction subcontracting firm serving the Central Iowa area. Although the company has residential customers, most of their customers were commercial businesses either building or remodeling a commercial business space. Although the numbers of sub-subcontractors varied with the job contracted, the company usually had 7 crews of setters and helpers.
To better help serve the customers, I set up a Quickbook system at the company for maintaining the bid, estimates, invoicing, and payroll.
Creating a better system to collect on unpaid jobs, I filed Mechanic’s Liens and was able to collect significant funds owed to the company. This took persistence and research to locate bonding firms, owners, and counties in which to file the Mechanics Liens. In one case alone, I recovered $10,000 in retainage monies for the company.
Setting up a new banking system allowed for better tracking of the financial operations of the company allowing for better company management and growth.
Executive Vice President/ Private Lending Group 1998-2011
Director of Commercial Lending San Diego, CA
This firm was a medium sized investment firm doing a variety of investment structures. During my tenure there, the firm grew to about 50 local investment specialists, loan officers, and employees along with agents across the country. At its highest value point, the firm controlled about $3BB in business investments and real estate.
When starting with the firm, I created the entire division including hiring staff, setting up marketing, creating loan programs, etc.
I worked with the Loan Committee to create the policies, procedures, loan descriptions, parameters, and footprint creating a platform on which to market our business. This resulted in at least 30 loans in the pipeline at all times.
I worked with a larger variety of industries including hotels, apartments, oil wells, coal mines, biofuel, biomass, ethanol, industrial, housing development, golf communities, etc.
Because the footprint was national/international, I set up a network of loan brokers and borrowers across the country along with local law firms to work with our corporate counsel as we successfully closed loans across the US and beyond. I was able to successfully take advantage of the emerging alternative energy industry and the second home market in Mexico bringing in construction loan interest monies and individual home loan fees and interest.
My underwriting skills insured that the loans going into the final process were loans in which the firm would be secure by requiring sufficient funds behind the loan along with very strong collateral and customer financial position.
My work with attorneys on both sides allowed both parties to feel secure and made the loans possible.
In the last three years with this firm alone, I closed $150MM in loans bringing in significant funds to the firm. In some cases, I also brought in ownership positions that brought in many millions in additional income.
Travel was big part of my work. I did all the site inspections and met with clients. This made the clients much more confident in the process and the firm.
My special interest in the alternative energy field provided the funding of the development loans when other firm would not touch them. This included ethanol, biofuel, biomass, coal, and windmill farms.
I did what I said I was going to do when I said I was going to do it allowing me to develop a strong reputation for the firm leading to increased business and income.
Paralegal Law Offices of Fred Cohen 1995-1998
San Diego, CA
The law firm handled mostly real estate, financial, and insurance issues. The firm had three attorneys and staff.
Doing the legal research for the legal cases of the clients allowed the attorneys the time to better prepare their case and become involved with the clients directly.
Writing the legal briefs, summons, complaints, discovery documents, and trial preparation created billable hours resulting in increased income stream while helping to develop a strong legal case for the client.
Education
Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego Cum Laude
Theta Alpha Kappa National Honor Society
Kappa Kappa Gamma National Honor Society
Who’s Who in American Universities
Paralegal Certificate from the University of San Diego Law School
Honors
Affiliations: Commercial Real Estate Women in San Diego and Los Angeles, CA
Certified Commercial Investment organization member in San Diego and
Los Angeles, CA
Various Chambers of Commerce
Shane’s Inspiration, a charity developing universal playgrounds around the world
Voices of Children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the
welfare system
Madhat Ballroom Dance Troupe – working directly with the founder to develop a new Non-Profit for the community along with being one of the dancers
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