Former Provident Bank exec lands at MacKenzie Capital - St. Louis Business Journal:

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The move comes at a tumultuous time for the bankinbg and realestate industries, both heavily impacted by the economicc downturn. Both of their challenges are linked, Decker note d in an interview Tuesday, by a lack of commercial real estate financing flowing from banks to developera seeking to start new construction or refinancsetheir short-term construction loans. “Financingy for those markets has been a challengse forthe industry, and for the commercia developers, for the past 12 months,” the 55-year-olr Howard County resident said. “The pressure is on, in trying to find a commercial bank that is financintg todo commercial, startup properties.
” Decker beganb working at MacKenzie Capital LLC on Monday after 30 years in the commercialk real estate financing business. He previously served as senioe vice president and headof Provident’ real estate lending division, a position he was promotee to in May 2006. While at he was involved with the closing of morethan $1.5 billiom in commercial and residentiao real estate loans. He also established Provident’x residential construction lending departments for its Marylands and NorthernVirginia office. Decker admits his job at MacKenziee won’t be easy, at least for the next year, as few bankss are showing signs of loosening up their creditrstandards significantly.
But amid the ongoinv credit crunch, Decker said he hopes to use his banking experience to advisse developers on their options and how best to seek out ways to fundtheirr projects. “He’s a senior guy, and he’s been aroundc for a long time,” Glennb Ercole, senior vice presideng of MacKenzie Capital, said in a telephone “The best reason he fits so well is inhis career, he has builtt up a lot of trust with his Ercole said now more than ever developers are lookinbg for help on how to financd their projects, and experts like Decker bring both an insider’s insighgt into the banking industry and a level of trusg built up over his 30 year in the industry.
Decker graduated from with a master’s degreew in management and from witha bachelor’s degree in businesas administration. Prior to joining Providenf in 1986, Decker served as a commercialp real estate loan officer at Firstt National Bankof Maryland, also an acquisitionh of M&T Bank. M&T Bank acquirecd Provident Bank ina $401 millio n deal that closed May 26. Decketr said he left M&T Bank of his own volition to pursue other areas within the real estatelending industry.
He said he respectzs M&T’s local leadership, and pointed to the bank’xs retention of the rest of Provident’s real estate lendinvg group as an example of how Greater Baltimorre factors into its futurebanking