The biggest question heading into the second half of 2026 isn’t whether the economy is slowing, it’s whether inflation will stay stubborn enough to keep the Fed on hold. With AI-driven investment reshaping the growth outlook and dealmakers remaining active, the disconnect between sentiment and fundamentals is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Sean F. Brennan, MPS, Vice President of Business Development
DETROIT, MI – Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC today announced that Sean F. Brennan, MPS has joined the firm as an Independent Advisor and Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Brennan will lead a capital formation practice centered on commercial real estate development, bringing more than 15 years of experience originating and structuring debt and equity solutions across industrial, office, retail, multifamily, and mixed-use asset classes.
Most recently, Mr. Brennan served as Managing Director at PACE Equity, LLC, leading C-PACE financing originations for new developments, recapitalizations, and large-scale renovation projects. He is also the founder of Baseline Capital Partners, a Detroit-based CRE investment firm where he has originated more than $75 million in sales and capital transactions.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Brennan served as a Strategic Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy, held analytical roles at CoStar Group, and advised Fortune 100 Defense and Aerospace companies on major contract pursuits with the DoD, DOE, and NASA. He holds a Master of Professional Studies from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies from Mercyhurst University.
“With four million homes left to build and recent legislation driving new capital into data centers, logistics, and manufacturing, the opportunity in commercial real estate has never been more compelling. Sean is the right advisor at exactly the right time and we look forward to leveraging his expertise for our clients.”– Richard Consul, CFA, Founder and Managing Partner, Bankers Edge Advisory
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About Bankers Edge Advisory
Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC is a boutique capital markets advisory firm focused on debt and equity private placement, structured finance, and buy-side M&A execution for lower- and middle-market companies. The firm also advises independent sponsors and private equity firms on platform building and add-on sourcing. Sean Brennan is an independent advisor to Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC.
Securities products are offered exclusively through BA Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC and BA Securities, LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.
Neal Searle, Vice President of Business Development
DETROIT, MI – Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC today announced that Neal Searle has joined the firm as an Independent Advisor and Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Searle will focus on debt capital markets and strategic financing advisory, bringing more than two decades of experience across executive leadership, commercial banking, credit administration, and capital structuring to the firm’s middle-market platform.
Most recently, Mr. Searle served as Managing Director of Creative Asset Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm he founded specializing in strategic planning, loan placement, and M&A advisory for middle-market companies. Previously, he served as President, CEO, and Director of Lotus Bancorp, Ltd., where he led the institution’s turnaround – driving asset growth, exceptional credit quality, and consistent profitability – culminating in a successful merger with Level One Bank.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Searle founded Bank of Auburn Hills, building the institution from its charter to over $80 million in assets with a focus on commercial real estate and small business lending. He spent the first eighteen years of his career at Michigan National Bank, rising to First Vice President of Midwest Business Banking, where he managed financial services for commercial clients across the region. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Western Michigan University.
“Neal’s credit expertise and operator’s perspective are exactly what middle-market companies need when navigating complex debt capital markets. His track record of building and turning around financial institutions speaks for itself, and we look forward to leveraging his expertise for our clients.”– Richard Consul, CFA, Founder and Managing Partner, Bankers Edge Advisory
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About Bankers Edge Advisory
Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC is a boutique capital markets advisory firm focused on debt and equity private placement, structured finance, and buy-side M&A execution for lower- and middle-market companies. The firm also advises independent sponsors and private equity firms on platform building and add-on sourcing. Neal Searle is an independent advisor to Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC.
Securities products are offered exclusively through BA Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Bankers Edge Advisory, LLC and BA Securities, LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.
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Meet Mitch Vermet,
CFA, CAIA
Managing Director
Our other Managing Director, Mitch Vermet, CFA, CAIA, has a decade of experience in institutional asset management and investment banking. He has served as an integral asset within close-knit investment teams responsible for building portfolios and allocating tactical assets for over $30 billion in institutional capital.
Since earning a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and an MA in Management from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Mr. Vermet has demonstrated mastery in helping clients manage and structure their balance sheets with strategic asset liability management solutions. He has built a reputation for helping clients strategically manage risk while capitalizing on opportunities across unique macroeconomic scenarios, lending valuable expertise and foresight to clients.
Richard Consul, CFA, brings unmatched expertise and experience as one of our Managing Directors. Mr. Consul has over 20 years of domestic and international secondary market expertise as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodities Strategist.
Since earning a BBA in Finance and an MSE in Financial Engineering from the University of Michigan, Mr. Consul has served as a dedicated business partner to many corporate, banking, and insurance clients. He has built a reputation for helping clients solve and overcome various complex liquidity, risk management, ALM, and secondary market challenges.
Mr. Consul has lent his expertise to countless financial publications and platforms, including Asset TV, a renowned video research platform for investment professionals. He is a member of the CFA Institute and has received certifications in Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), Series 82, and Series 63 through FINRA.