Charles A. Gatewood is a highly accomplished senior-level banker with over three decades of experience in real estate financing. Throughout his career, Charles has expertly managed construction financings for a wide range of projects, including single- and multi-family residential developments, shopping centers, and mixed-use real estate projects. Most recently, his work has focused on Community Development Real Estate, particularly on 9% and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit transactions and other lending opportunities that offer credit under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
Charles spent 22 years at JP Morgan Chase & Co., where he rose to the position of Senior Vice President and Northeast Market Manager for Community Development Real Estate. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing credit relationships with both for-profit and nonprofit developers across multiple states, including New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. His work emphasized real estate transactions that qualified under CRA, with a strong focus on low-income housing tax credits. Throughout his tenure, Charles consistently delivered impressive results, including closing over $300 million in new originations in 2010, the majority of which was in the New York Metro area.
With a robust background in credit structuring and real estate loan workouts, Charles has successfully managed portfolios of both performing and non-performing assets, navigating complex transactions and achieving significant financial recoveries. His leadership and deep expertise have earned him industry recognition, including being named a Black Achiever in Industry by the YMCA of Greater New York.
Charles holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and has completed coursework at NYU’s Graduate Business School. He remains deeply committed to the development of affordable housing and creating positive community impact through real estate finance.
Tito Escobar represents clients nationwide in connection with the development and financing of commercial real estate transactions. His practice includes advising equity investors, conventional and leverage lenders, and community development entities that deploy capital through secured and unsecured transactions. In addition to advising capital providers, he has experience representing real estate developers, nonprofit organizations, and real estate investment trusts in connection with the development of real estate projects nationally. Tito also counsels landlords, tenants, purchasers, and sellers in connection with leasing, acquisition, and disposition matters.
Tito has extensive experience in the area of community finance and assists clients with syndicated loan, tax credit, taxable, and tax-exempt bond structures used to develop housing, health care, educational, and various other community oriented facilities. Spanning nearly 10 years, Tito has worked on close to 100 community finance transactions dating back to his time with the Harrison Institute for Housing & Community Development at Georgetown University Law Center. He has significant experience working with and negotiating across local, state, and federal agencies providing subordinate loans, tax, and other financial incentives used to stimulate community development efforts.
Tito’s practice also includes negotiating and structuring joint ventures and commercial loans used to develop commercial real estate such as market rate residential complexes, shopping centers, hotels, parking structures, and mixed-used developments.
Tito has worked with clients such as Santander, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, the Low Income Investment Fund, and Bronx Pro Group.
Sheldon J. Fine has been a Director of WSFSSH since 1979, serving as Secretary from 1983 to 2000 and as President of WSFSSH from 2000 to the present. He is a Chaplain with the United States Chaplain Corps and in that capacity, he primarily serves needy and vulnerable older adults on the Upper West Side and in Manhattan Valley. He is also a commissioner on the New York City Age-Friendly Commission.
From 2007-2023, Fine was the Team Chief of the Upper West Side Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and he is currently the Manhattan Division 2 Leader of the CERT Teams in six Manhattan neighborhoods from Midtown up through Manhattan Valley. His team has been a recipient of NYC Emergency Management’s coveted Citywide Emergency Deployment and Preparedness Award.
As a social activist leader on the West Side since 1971, Mr. Fine has been the Chair of the Local Area Policy Board, the Neighborhood Advisory Board, the Community School Board of District 3, and Vice-Chair of the Citywide Community Action Board. In addition, since 1986, he has been a member of Community Board #7 on which he has held several leadership positions, including two distinguished terms as Chair of the Board. He is also a Founder and Director of Friends of Bloomingdale Inclusive Park and Playground, supporting the uniquely constructed, truly inclusive park in Manhattan Valley.
As a career educator in the New York City Public Schools, Sheldon J. Fine has been a teacher, principal, District Director of Math, Science & Technology, and Assistant Superintendent of a large South Bronx school district. He has also served as an adjunct professor and clinical supervisor for several colleges with specialties in math and math education, educational leadership, and special education. Currently, Mr. Fine is employed as an educational consultant in New York City and Yonkers public schools. He has received the Golden Apple Award from PBS THIRTEEN for Innovative Uses of Technology in Education. In 2024, he was awarded the “Outstanding Leadership Award” at the Annual International Education 2.0 Conference.
