The Collingwood Group has appointed Mark DeGennaro as Managing Director to help build the firm's hedge fund/private equity advisory and principal investment businesses.

Prior to joining Collingwood, DeGennaro was a Managing Director of a privately held boutique investment-banking firm based in New York, where he held a variety of positions both on the investment banking side and in executive management, including Managing Partner, Chief Operating Officer and head of the firm's Restructuring Advisory Group.

Earlier in his career, DeGennaro was an attorney with White & Case in New York where he worked on commercial litigation, corporate control, mergers and acquisitions, securities, bankruptcy and restructuring matters for fortune 500 companies, financial sponsors and lenders.

"We are excited about Mark joining our team. He brings extensive financial services, banking, restructuring and transactional experience to The Collingwood Group and its clients at a time when we are rapidly expanding our physical presence, business initiatives and client base," says Joe Murin (pictured), the firm's Chairman and former President of Ginnie Mae. "Mark will be instrumental in furthering our relationships with hedge funds and private equity sponsors who have made significant investments in real estate related assets, including whole loan portfolios, mortgage back securities and critical vendors necessary to diligence, value and service real estate related assets, as well as in identifying opportunities for the firm to make principal investments."