Mr. Padilla is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles and is a licensed California Real Estate Broker.
As a 20-year veteran in the banking industry, Mr. Padilla has been exclusively providing hard money loans since 2011.
He has worked for banks such as Bank of Boston, Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, and Fuji Bank, along with having clients in various Fortune 500 companies.
His previous experience in credit underwriting has proven vital to the success of our company. For the last decade, he has been funding 1st Trust Deed investments for real estate investors throughout California.
During his career, Mr. Padilla has underwritten and funded over $120 million in hard money loans.
Mr. Padilla's knowledge and experience in the California real estate market, coupled with his hard money lending expertise, will help us continue to be the number one lender of choice for our clients.
Mario's stance is that we value all of our client relationships and are committed to giving them the best service and experience possible.
Mr. Padilla is actively involved with various non-profit organizations and charities in Los Angeles through roles such as Financial Advisor, Trustee, and Financial Supporter.
John Russell is a graduate of the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.
He worked as an Associate for the asset management company Reed, Conner & Birdwell before working in sales in the energy sector for numerous years.
Hired in 2020 as the head of marketing, John Russell has helped to build our company's website and nurture relationships with clients to increase the number of deals we fund.
John Russell's day-to-day now involves assisting real estate professionals to procure hard money loans, and he is the brains behind The Hard Money Blog.
His blog has brought a lot of attention to our company.
On the side, John Russell is an active real estate investor who frequently buys, renovates, and operates many vacation rental apartments.
He's an avid writer on the topics of real estate and hard money lending.
In his spare time, John Russell enjoys surfing in Malibu, playing beach volleyball, and watching his USC Trojan football team.
Tom O’Connor is a graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and a skilled full-stack developer and writer.
With expertise spanning both frontend and backend development, Tom has built and contributed to a wide range of applications and digital projects.
Passionate about blending technical precision with clear communication, Tom not only develops robust software solutions but also writes extensively on programming, product development, and emerging technologies.
His unique ability to bridge code and content makes him a valuable resource for both engineering teams and end users.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys exploring new technologies, refining his craft, and sharing insights with the developer community.