By Ray Hankamer
RN: John, thanks for spending time with REDNews. Our readership is of all ages, and most are in Commercial Real Estate (CRE) in one way or another. Will you tell us how you got started in the lending business, and what your educational background was that prepared you for it?
JF: I received a BA in economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970, worked at Texas Commerce Bank for a year and then went to TCU and received an MBA. After graduating in 1972, I joined American General Investment Corp. ( now AIG) and have been in the commercial real estate finance business ever since.
RN: Did you specialize in your career in any of the segments of CRE lending, or did you provide financing for all of them?
JF: I have financed all property types (including a turtle farm!).