International business leader Irwin Katsof, announced he launched Katsof Financial, an outgrowth of Global Capital Associates, founded by Irwin Katsof in 2005, and Katsof Consulting, founded in 2012. In 2011, Katsof was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and Ambassador Ron Kirk as the U.S. trade representative to be one of 10 national energy executives to serve on the U.S. Commerce Department Trade Advisory Board (ITAC 6) to advise the U.S. government on international energy trade Policy. He successfully helped many of America’s chief corporate executives, fund managers and entrepreneurs get access to capital.

In the first six months of 2014, Katsof assisted more than 50 of the nation’s leading private equity, venture capital and real estate private equity funds to raise capital on trips to India, Hong Kong, Canada and Israel. Katsof Financial clients tap into a rich worldwide network of institutional investors, family offices and high net worth individuals Katsof has developed over 30 years of experience as a Rabbi, non-profit executive, entrepreneur, business leader, and appointee of the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and community leader. Katsof Financial will focus on three verticals: asset-based financing for businesses and entrepreneurs, natural resource lending and hard money lending for real estate.

Katsof has teamed with a group of family offices and is co-managing a pool of $200 million, which will be allocated to the three lending areas. The loans can be between $500,000 to $10 million dollars and are being placed at competitive rates.

At the press conference announcing the launching of his new venture, Irwin said, “All entrepreneurs need capital to grow their business. We are setting up Katsof Financial to make it easier to launch new ideas, create jobs and help America maintain and continue to grow its competitive edge and continue to be the great country it is.”