HORIZON PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE HORIZON MORTGAGE’S INVALUABLE CAPABILITY to close any type of commercial transaction can be ascribed to the unique background and story of President/ Founder N.J. Olivieri and daughter Kelly Gilliland, Executive Vice President. Together, they’ve created a collaborative balance in business, using both their strengths to excel as a household name in the industry. From genuine customer service and taking the time to understand every client’s personal and financial situations as well as their goals, to their tireless focus on eliminating risk, and providing intuitive expertise in underwriting both the asset in question, as well as the credibility of the borrower and the marketplace, customers find themselves in caring and capable hands at Horizon Mortgage. Before Horizon reached a closing average of $350,000,000 a year in commercial mortgage placements, $175,000,000 a year in real estate sales and closing $500,000,000 in equity placements, President N.J. Olivieri put his time in, working for several commercial mortgage-banking firms around the U.S., before moving down to Sarasota and self-starting Horizon Mortgage Corporation in 1979. For the past 40 years, Olivieri’s highly-regarded reputation and consistent deal closings have catapulted Horizon to be one of the largest commercial banking companies on the West Coast of Florida, and recently named the 59th largest commercial lender in the United States by National Real Estate Investor magazine. Though home-based in Sarasota, Horizon has steadily built a clientele and base of lenders nationwide—closing on multiple noteworthy transactions in 42 states—with property locations in Chicago, Nashville, Oregon, Denver, Houston, the St. Regis Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, seven assisted living facilities in St. Louis and a $45,000,000 permanent mortgage on the On-The-Avenue Hotel in New York City. With Sarasota’s burgeoning development showing no signs of slowing down, the majority of financing and sales have been placed for local clients, properties and projects, such as The Postcard Inn on St. Pete Beach, Sarasota One office building on John Ringling, Lido Towers, Turnbury Apartments, Gateway Office Park, Palmer Crossings shopping center and so many more. N.J. Olivieri is also known for renovating 21 commercial buildings for The City of Sarasota, including putting his stamp on Downtown touchstones like the redevelopment of Towles Court, the artist community for which he received a beautification award by the city. Olivieri also stays active in commercial construction financing—having closed the construction loan, as well as placed the equity for the Ritz Carlton Sarasota— one of the first projects ever to build condominiums above a hotel. He continues to be recognized in the community and throughout the industry, for not simply his closing volume, or elite financing experience, but the degree of patience and resourcefulness that comes with each and every borrower’s situation, and fulfilling a role of facilitator/mediator with the banker. Moreso, his involvement in the community—holding chairman titles, founding local chapters, staying a member of various organizations and serving on several national committees—has especially put Horizon Mortgage on the map. His business acumen and role of family man for six daughters gives him the negotiation ability to complete any difficult business transactions thrown his way. Odds were, one of Olivieri’s daughters would step in to her father’s shoes. Kelly Gilliland decided to come on board with Horizon in 2000, and since, the
$4,100,000 PF Chang’s Construction Loan
$35,000,000 Portfolio of Ground Leases Revolving Line of Credit
$11,000,000 Regatta Pointe Marina Refinance
$98,000,000 Ritz Carlton Hotel and Condos Construction Loan
A S P E C I A L B R A N D STO RY M A R K E T I N G F E AT U R E | S R Q M A G A Z I N E | A P R I L 2 0 1 9
