Brian Hahn.
Brian Hahn, 30
Vice president at Mesa West Capital
For Brian Hahn, snowboarding and real estate finance have a lot in common — it’s difficult to learn at first but easy to master, and there’s always another mountain in front of you.
Hahn grew up in Southbury, Conn., between New York City and the gentle slopes of the Berkshire, Green and White mountains ranges, where he snowboarded in the winter. He wanted to go to college and study business in New York City, which led him to Fordham University. He studied finance and alternative investing.
“One of the benefits to Fordham is you have a good combination of an urban feel, but it’s still a campus with its own personality and unique atmosphere,” Hahn said. “I wanted to be somewhere close to home, too, and New York is both the financial and real estate hub of the country, if not the world.”
He interned with JPMorgan’s corporate real estate group and worked with Bank of America’s underwriting credit team once he graduated in 2014. He joined Mesa West Capital two years later.
Now Hahn focuses on originating new loans for the firm. So far this year, Hahn worked on a recapitalization of a $500 million office portfolio on behalf of a real estate investment trust in the D.C. area that closed in the spring. Hahn is also eyeing the Florida market, where he has helped close $1 billion in transactions in the past year alone.
“We look at the quality of the tenancy and the cash flow, but a big focus I have is getting down to certain markets to meet with clients and see the assets firsthand,” he said.
Now that it’s getting colder, Hahn is looking forward to the coming snowboarding season. He has a crash pad near Breckenridge, Colo., and already went before Thanksgiving to shred some new powder. His main tip for snowboarding beginners? Start slow and keep practicing.
“It’s not something you’re going to learn overnight,” he said. “It’s a fun and enjoyable sport, it gives you clarity, and there’s a relaxing nature to it.”—A.S.
