Hometown Commercial Capital Announces Joint Venture with Belvedere Capital Partners

Business Wire, June 6, 2005

BURLINGAME, Calif. -- Hometown Commercial Capital, an innovator in lending solutions for commercial real estate borrowers and investors, today announced the formation of a joint venture with Belvedere Capital Partners. California-based Belvedere is the lead investor in the new firm along with participation from management and other investors.

The formation and funding of the new entity will allow Hometown to nationally extend its community bank lending programs aimed at servicing the diverse and often unique needs of commercial real estate borrowers. Hometown will provide a superior product and service offering to those borrowers who are often confronted with limited funding alternatives and time consuming delays during the lending process.

Hometown will be lead by a team of senior executives steeped in mortgage banking, asset securitization and commercial real estate underwriting standards used by traditional providers. William G. Fisher has been named Chief Executive Officer of the new firm. Fisher previously served as Executive Vice President of Wells Fargo and more recently was the founder and CEO of a successful financial services start-up firm that was later acquired by a major bank.

"We seek to bring unique lending solutions to commercial real estate borrowers and investors," said Bill Fisher, Hometown's CEO. "Both our internal research and market experience shows real estate borrowers are seeking more flexible approaches and new sources for financing their projects," Fisher added.

Gary S. Gertz, President & Managing Director of Belvedere, has been appointed to Hometown's Board of Directors. "We are pleased to partner with this veteran management team to assist in executing on their unique business model that will help deliver responsive financial solutions to a highly receptive segment and meet the growing needs of community bank customers," Gertz said.

About Belvedere Capital Partners

Belvedere Capital Partners is a private equity investment firm dedicated to providing value-added private equity capital to the banking and financial services sector. Belvedere partners with strong management teams to build profitable, growing franchises that attract the best talent and deliver excellent returns for shareholders.

About Hometown Commercial Capital

Hometown Commercial Capital specializes in customized origination solutions for commercial real estate borrowers and investors. Through Hometown's proprietary products and processes, borrowers can select from multiple alternatives to bank-type loan programs and can complete funding in a minimum of time. Hometown operates nationwide and is headquartered in Burlingame, California.