The Seminole Companies (“Seminole”) is a group of interrelated commercial real estate financial services entities established in 2008. The foundation for the Seminole Companies was based on the principles that powered the success of The Midland Companies, an organization that Chairman and CEO Robert J. Banks developed and later sold in 1999. Mr. Banks began working for Midland Mortgage Corporation in 1973, became a principal in 1979, and he then became CEO when he led a buyout of the company in 1988. After the buyout, he immediately created three new entities to round out “The Midland Companies.” Midland had a record of anticipating and responding to the ever changing needs of a diverse group of clients and investors. By methodically providing real estate financing solutions, Midland established trusting long-term relationships. Since organizing Seminole, he has reestablished the core business practices and relationships that made Midland a successful investment advisor for so many years.
Seminole is driven by relationships and takes a family-like approach to doing business by providing clients with the highest level of the most personalized service. Seminole focuses on interim, construction, and “mini-perm” debt along with equity financing for multifamily, renewable energy and commercial properties throughout the United States.
Seminole’s philosophy is to find a void in the financing market place, develop a niche lending program, and expand it into a national program. Indicative of this philosophy is how our predecessor company became a national leader in affordable housing financing and how Seminole has adapted to the current economic environment and very tight credit markets by providing interim financing in the renewable energy arena.
Seminole spends a significant amount of resources to get to know its partners and looks primarily at repeat business with trusting relationships versus soliciting independent transactions. Under its umbrella, Seminole manages two REITS (one for debt and the other for equity) for which it has the discretion to invest their assets. Between these two REITS and additional funding sources, Seminole has the ability to close hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions annually. Seminole’s philosophy and access to capital makes it a very reliable and efficient source for financing.
