Key Takeaways
- • Empire Asset Finance hired Katharine Rudzitis as Vice President, Direct Originations to expand the firm's equipment finance platform serving middle-market and private equity-backed companies.
- • Rudzitis brings over a decade of experience in asset-backed transaction origination and execution, including 10 years at Macquarie Group focused on equipment finance across manufacturing, industrial, commodity, and technology sectors.
- • The hire strengthens Empire's direct origination capabilities and reflects the firm's strategic focus on deepening relationships with private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers, and financial advisors.
- • Leadership emphasized Rudzitis's expertise in structuring flexible, tailored financing solutions for complex transactions across diverse credit profiles and company stages.
Summary
Empire Asset Finance announced the addition of Katharine Rudzitis as Vice President, Direct Originations, marking a staffing expansion aligned with the firm's continued growth in its equipment finance platform. The hire underscores Empire's strategic emphasis on scaling capabilities to serve middle-market companies, private equity-sponsored entities, and non-sponsored borrowers seeking flexible asset-backed financing solutions.
Rudzitis brings extensive institutional experience to the role, with more than a decade spent originating and executing asset-backed transactions for North American businesses. She spent the prior 10 years at Macquarie Group, where she developed deep expertise in equipment finance solutions across the manufacturing, industrial, commodity, and technology sectors. Her background positions her to work closely with corporate borrowers, private equity sponsors, and advisors to structure tailored financing arrangements suited to varying company stages and credit profiles.
Rick Rockhold, CEO of Empire, characterized Rudzitis's arrival as a significant addition to the origination team, noting her "deep experience navigating complex equipment and asset-backed transactions and a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach to serving middle-market clients." Rockhold emphasized her ability to deliver flexible capital solutions aligned with sponsor and borrower objectives. Mike Miroshnikov, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer, added that Rudzitis's "institutional background and disciplined approach to sourcing and executing transactions" align with Empire's operational model, particularly her ability to navigate complex situations with a structured, process-driven methodology.
In her expanded role, Rudzitis will focus on scaling Empire's direct origination efforts while strengthening relationships with private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers, and intermediaries—a strategic priority as the firm continues positioning itself within the competitive middle-market equipment finance landscape.
Rudzitis brings extensive institutional experience to the role, with more than a decade spent originating and executing asset-backed transactions for North American businesses. She spent the prior 10 years at Macquarie Group, where she developed deep expertise in equipment finance solutions across the manufacturing, industrial, commodity, and technology sectors. Her background positions her to work closely with corporate borrowers, private equity sponsors, and advisors to structure tailored financing arrangements suited to varying company stages and credit profiles.
Rick Rockhold, CEO of Empire, characterized Rudzitis's arrival as a significant addition to the origination team, noting her "deep experience navigating complex equipment and asset-backed transactions and a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach to serving middle-market clients." Rockhold emphasized her ability to deliver flexible capital solutions aligned with sponsor and borrower objectives. Mike Miroshnikov, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer, added that Rudzitis's "institutional background and disciplined approach to sourcing and executing transactions" align with Empire's operational model, particularly her ability to navigate complex situations with a structured, process-driven methodology.
In her expanded role, Rudzitis will focus on scaling Empire's direct origination efforts while strengthening relationships with private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers, and intermediaries—a strategic priority as the firm continues positioning itself within the competitive middle-market equipment finance landscape.
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