Stephenson, who has worked for NorthMarq for 27 years, will head the western region that includes offices in Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston and Austin TX. NorthMarq Capital is a national real estate investment-banking firm with offices in 28 major markets coast-to-coast. The company, which arranges financing for all forms of commercial real estate, has an annual production volume of more than $9.5 billion and a loan servicing portfolio of more than $25 billion.

Given Stephenson long history with NorthMarq, promoting Stephenson was a way to more effectively "manage NorthMarq without changing our culture," says Ed Padilla, chief executive officer of NorthMarq.

Stephenson also serves as coordinator of the NorthMarq Management Council and as manager of the company's in-house information system. He has been responsible for NorthMarq's relationships with Freddie Mac and a variety of many lenders for the last nine years and recently led the company's acquisition of an interest in AmeriSphere Multifamily Finance, a Fannie Mae DUS lender. Stephenson will continue to be based in NorthMarq's home office here.