Monticello Asset Management, LLC announced Matthew Downs, a former senior leader at Ullico Inc., will join the firm as a Managing Director to lead Monticello’s new Commercial Real Estate lending platform.

Downs will be responsible for managing and growing this platform which will focus on providing short-term and long-term financing for high quality commercial real estate assets in select markets.

Alan Litt, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Monticello, noted: “We are very pleased to be growing in the commercial real estate space with an industry veteran like Matt. Launching our Commercial Real Estate lending platform marks the next phase of Monticello’s long-term strategy, and with Matt’s leadership and experience, we look forward to continuing our commitment to provide the best execution of a full-suite of financing solutions for our clients in the commercial real estate space.”

Prior to joining Monticello, Downs was Regional Vice President at Ullico and was responsible for mortgage loan originations throughout the Northeast region. Prior to Ullico, he was Vice President in M&T Bank’s Commercial Real Estate Group in New York, where he structured and managed a portfolio of stabilized and development properties. Before joining M&T Bank, Downs was Vice President in the Real Estate Finance Division at Bank of Scotland from 2004-2010 and was responsible for negotiating opportunistic transactions for high-net worth individuals, investment funds and REITs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

He holds a B.S. from Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland. He was President of the Real Estate Lender’s Association (RELA) New York Chapter from 2013-2015 and since 2016, has been on the RELA Board of Directors.