MIAMI LAKES, Fla. (July 19, 2016) – BankUnited has named three new vice presidents to its Bridge Funding Group, Inc., a subsidiary of BankUnited, N.A., which specializes in franchise and equipment financing formed earlier this year when the company merged two subsidiaries, Bridge Capital Leasing and United Capital Business Lending.

Jim Pontier (Md.): Named as Vice President Capital Markets, Pontier is based at Bridge Funding Group, Inc.’s headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md., where he will be responsible for purchasing and syndicating third party commercial lease and loan transactions. An industry veteran with more than three decades of experience, including 15 years in the leasing industry, he most recently held the post of business executive capital markets for Capital One Equipment Finance in Cockeysville, Md. A Baltimore resident, he received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University in Chicago and an MBA from Fordham University in New York City. Pontier may be reached at (443) 584-2165.

Kevin Karstens (Ill.): Named Vice President Business Development for Equipment Finance and responsible for direct marketing and origination of equipment lease and loan transactions in the midwestern U.S., Karstens has 25 years of experience in the field and most recently served as vice president, territory manager for Capital One Equipment Finance in Chicago. He received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in Normal, Ill. Karstens is based in Wheaton, where he resides, and may be reached at (630) 632-5806.

Michael Klinko (Ill.): As Vice President for the Franchise Funding Division, Klinko will be responsible for originating loans to franchised and general commercial businesses seeking funding for remodeling, new store development and acquisition financing. He brings 15 years of industry experience to his new role and joins Bridge Funding Group from GE Franchise Finance, based in Norwalk, Conn. and Chicago, Ill., where he served most recently as vice president. A resident of Naperville, Ill., Klinko earned his MBA from the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. and his bachelor’s degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. He is based in Naperville and may be reached at (773) 630-8199.

Bridge Funding Group, Inc., is headquartered at 215 Schilling Circle, Suite 100, Hunt Valley, Md. For more information please call 800-928-8537.


About BankUnited, N.A.
BankUnited, N.A., a national bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE: BKU), is headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida with 94 branches in 15 Florida counties and six banking centers in the New York metropolitan area at September 30, 2016. One of the largest independent depository institutions headquartered in Florida by assets, BankUnited provides a wide range of commercial and consumer banking services. For additional information, call (877) 779-2265 or visit www.BankUnited.com. BankUnited can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/BankUnited.official and on Twitter @BankUnited.