Welcome to the RELA West chapter for our 2023-2024 fiscal year!  RELA West is a collegial organization of commercial real estate lenders throughout Western US markets.   While the bulk of our activities and membership historically is in San Francisco, we are excited to officially launch the RELA West initiative, bringing new events to Denver, Los Angeles and Orange County for 2023 and 2024.  Given the sheer number of CRE lenders present in those markets, and the success of pop-up events there the last couple years, we felt it was the right time to formally broaden our geography. 

RELA West has a full suite of events planned for this year, with expert panelist lunch and learn events, site tours of trophy properties in the Bay Area, and of course networking events at cocktail hour venues, alongside group recreational activity events.  The lender’s perspective is the crux of the organization.  The goal of RELA West is for lenders in our footprint to form a tighter community than it already is, and educate ourselves on real-time, relevant topics affecting our work and industry.  RELA West members include Originators, Credit Officers, Syndicators, Underwriters and other lending professionals.  Especially important to know is whether you are at a traditional bank, or at a non-bank lender, like a debt fund or insurance company, we welcome any professional involved in commercial real estate lending.

We would especially like to thank the generous sponsorship of law firm Jones Day, our official RELA West chapter sponsor, and national sponsor Newbanks, a construction and property condition firm.  Both sponsors have been instrumental in the continued support of our organization’s events.

It will be great to see you at our upcoming events, and feel free to reach out to me or any of the RELA Chapter officers listed below on questions of membership or events coming up. 

I am honored to serve as the Chapter President this year and will see you soon,

Dennis Szczesuil

Raymond James Bank

Corporate & Real Estate Banking