About Us
With 5,000+ transactions completed and recognition as the only independent defeasance consultant recommended by two of the nation’s top five CMBS servicers, Paragon has earned its reputation by relentlessly advocating for our clients.
Paragon was founded to bridge a gap in the market: defeasance consultants could execute checklists but lacked the expertise to translate complexity into bespoke, client-focused guidance. Our founders sat on all sides—as borrowers navigating opaque processes, as consultants who saw the industry’s gaps, and as servicer representatives protecting investors—and knew that borrowers needed a stronger advocate.
From the outset, our mission has been to replace “off-the-rack” consulting with tailored expertise grounded in insider knowledge but centered on your interests. More than a decade later, clients continue to choose Paragon because we’ve remained true to that vision: combining servicer insight with borrower advocacy to deliver certainty and trust in every transaction.
Leadership Team
Our leadership team brings decades of experience in commercial real estate, capital markets, and operational strategy. Together, they have directed billions of dollars in defeasance transactions and worked alongside some of the largest CMBS servicing organizations and their counsel. This collective expertise defines Paragon’s ability to anticipate servicer demands and successfully guide borrowers through complex transactions.
Ted Hailu
Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor
Ted Hailu brings over 20 years of commercial real estate and defeasance experience to Paragon. As Vice President of Capital Markets at GMAC Commercial Mortgage (later Capmark), he managed over $10 billion in defeasance transactions. During his tenure, GMAC’s servicing portfolio exceeded $360 billion, giving him direct experience with how top servicers evaluate and process complex transactions—knowledge he leverages, enabling clients to stay ahead of servicer requirements.
Under his leadership, Paragon has distinguished itself as the only independent defeasance consultant recommended by two of the nation’s top five CMBS servicers. Ted has been an invited speaker at industry conferences including ICSC, the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, and the Advanced Real Property Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Colorado State University, Pueblo.
Kevin Kim
Director of Client Engagement
Kevin is the Director of Client Engagement.
Beth Clemens
Head of Operations
Beth is Head of Operations.
Advisory Panel
Paragon’s Advisory Panel provides strategic guidance and independent oversight of the firm’s defeasance consulting services. Its members bring broad expertise and experience in structured finance and securitization, including decades of representing CMBS loan servicers. Their careers span the early years of the CMBS market, where they were involved in shaping many of the standards and processes that continue to govern defeasance, loan assumptions, easements, partial releases, and ownership transfers, as well as the regulatory frameworks that support them. That depth of experience informs how Paragon navigates borrower–servicer interactions today.
Lorena Trujillo
Vice President & General Counsel, Everstory Partners
Dimple Patel
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, RRA Capital
We’re here to help.
Get clarity and control over your defeasance. Contact Paragon, the only independent consultant recommended by two of the nation’s top five CMBS servicers, to ensure your transaction closes on time and without surprises.