Don Pavlov

About Don Pavlov

I’ve built my career in commercial real estate capital markets, with experience across the full capital stack and involvement in more than $8 billion of financings nationwide. My focus is on ground-up development and transitional value-add projects, but I work across all major asset classes and structures.Before joining George Smith Partners as Director of Debt & Structured Finance, I led Capital Markets at Lev, where I oversaw more than $2 billion in closed financings and helped integrate data and AI into the financing process to improve execution and client experience. Earlier in my career, I worked at Newmark on $100MM+ structured debt and equity placements across the country, and at Mission Capital in loan sales and trading, where I gained early exposure to secondary markets and complex capital structures.Based in Charlotte, NC, I partner with sponsors locally and nationally to help them navigate the ever-changing capital markets with clarity, speed, and trust. I’m passionate about combining a hands-on, relationship-driven approach with modern tools and data to deliver the best outcomes for clients.Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, I attended Cornell University, where I studied Industrial and Labor Relations with minors in Business and Real Estate and played varsity football.

Experience

1. Director, Debt & Structured Finance

   George Smith Partners Gsp

   Oct 2025 — Present · Charlotte, NC, US

   I advise commercial real estate sponsors on structuring and placing debt and equity across the full capital stack. My focus is on ground-up development and transitional value-add projects, while leveraging GSP’s national platform, long track record, and lender relationships to deliver tailored financing solutions. Based in Charlotte, I work with clients locally and nationally to navigate an evolving capital markets landscape with clarity, speed, and trust.

Education

• Cornell University

  Industrial and Labor Relations, Double Minor: Business and Real Estate

  2011 — 2015

• New York University

  Continuing Education, Managing a Commercial Loan Portfolio

  2017

• New York University

  Continuing Education, Bankruptcy, Workouts, and Reorganizations

  2018 — 2018

Skills

• Financial Modeling
• Real Estate Financing
• Data Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Valuation
• Real Estate Development
• Microsoft Excel
• Strategic Leadership
• Microsoft Office
• Marketing