ATLANTA – Access Point Financial, LLC (APF), a leading direct lender and specialty finance company focused exclusively on the hospitality industry, today announced the expansion of its platform via the forming of a strategic relationship with Pike Hill Lodging Partners (Pike Hill). The enhanced collaboration is notably set to provide industry professionals with access to the combined expertise of both organizations while ensuring even greater flexibility in the ability to tailor financing to meet specific hoteliers needs. Ensuring the success of this combined effort is APF’s appointment of Pike Hill co-founders, Tim Peterson and Ankur Shah, who will join the company’s executive leadership team as Managing Directors and Co-Heads of Capital Markets and Corporate Development.

“Pike Hill with its industry-leading reputation and experience with capital markets is a natural complement to the dedicated financial expertise that APF possesses for the hotel industry, which together can ensure hoteliers always make informed decisions on available financial offerings to maximize ROI and the achieving of business goals,” said Mike Lipson, CEO of Access Point Financial. “With a proven track record of success in delivering expected results for their clients, Tim Peterson and Ankur Shah are welcome additions to the APF executive team, and we look forward to putting their years of experience to good use in fully serving the growing financial needs of today’s industry.”

Shah and Peterson will be launching and leading APF’s Washington, D.C. office, with a focus on accelerating APF’s growth through expanded capital markets and M&A reach. Both capital market experts will also be dedicated to introducing new financing offerings and enhancing brand partnerships. Shah and Peterson bring notable entrepreneurial, investment and board expertise in capital structuring, launching specialty finance companies, and growing asset management platforms.

“Access Point’s resources, culture, and reach within the hotel industry combined with Pike Hill’s capital markets expertise uniquely position the combined company to be the leader in hotel finance,” said Shah and Peterson. “We are excited to join this exceptional team in helping realize the company's immense potential. Access Point is poised to be the preeminent capital provider to the hotel sector.”

Peterson and Shah founded Pike Hill Lodging Partners, a hotel specialty finance company, in 2019. Prior to that, they worked together in leadership roles at SunBridge Capital Management, a multi-strategy investment manager, and Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH), an affiliated global hotel franchise company. At SunBridge, they were responsible for making and managing investments in real estate and financial service operating businesses. At Choice Hotels International, Peterson and Shah were instrumental in the company’s capital markets and M&A efforts.

For more information on Access Point Financial’s comprehensive portfolio of hospitality-focused financial services, Please visit www.accesspointfinancial.com.

About Access Point Financial

Founded in 2011, Atlanta-based Access Point Financial, LLC (APF) is a direct hospitality lender that provides financing to qualified hoteliers throughout the United States. APF's loan programs are flexible and are typically used for refinance, acquisition, construction take-out, renovations or brand-mandated PIPs, and value-add transactions, such as asset repositioning, hotel conversions and ground up construction. APF's programs are designed specifically for the hospitality industry and offer a competitive alternative to traditional bank financing. APF understands the complexities of the industry and are uniquely positioned to customize its loan programs to meet the needs of its clients even during periods of volatility. For more information, please visit www.accesspointfinancial.com.

Mark Howbrook