Redwood Trust Names New Chief Investment Officer

Redwood Trust Inc., a specialty finance company focused on several distinct underserved areas of housing credit, today announced changes to its leadership team as part of “a strategic evolution” of its organizational structure.

Fred Matera, Redwood’s current head of residential, will assume the role of chief investment officer, overseeing centralized investment, capital markets, and distribution functions across the company’s investment portfolio and Business Purpose Lending and Residential Mortgage Banking businesses, the company said.

In addition, Beth O’Brien, founder and CEO of CoreVest American Finance Lender LLC, and Christopher Hoeffel, CoreVest president, will depart Redwood on Oct. 14. The departures are scheduled to occur on the third anniversary of Redwood’s acquisition of CoreVest, as part of a planned transition to a seasoned group of leaders within CoreVest, Redwood said. 

Redwood Trust acquired CoreVest American Finance Lender, a lender to real estate investors, for $490 million in October 2019.

Dash Robinson, Redwood’s president, will continue to maintain oversight over both of Redwood's mortgage banking platforms.

“I want to congratulate Fred Matera on his new role as chief investment officer of Redwood,” said Christopher Abate, Redwood CEO. “Fred has been a trusted partner to Redwood over many years in various roles, providing invaluable leadership.”

Abate said Matera “will lead a collaborative effort that should further strengthen our industry-leading capital markets and investing disciplines to capitalize on the opportunities that we see in today’s markets. Fred’s deep expertise across both the residential and commercial mortgage spaces, track record in capital markets, and commitment to innovation have contributed to Redwood’s success over the years, and we look forward to the leadership he will continue to bring to this important function of our business.”

Robinson thanked O’Brien and Hoeffel on behalf of Redword “for their significant contributions over the years.” 

“Since founding CoreVest in 2014, Beth, along with Christopher, Ryan McBride, and the rest of the leadership team, have grown the platform to be the national leader in the business purpose mortgage space, with an exceptional reputation and unrivaled market footprint,” Robinson said. “CoreVest remains a critical driver of Redwood’s business strategy, and developing and transitioning to the next generation of leadership has been a key driver for the long-term success of the platform. We look forward to continuing to deliver value to our CoreVest customers through best-in-class service and our broad array of products that distinguish us as a true life-cycle lender.”

Mill Valley, Calif.-based Redwood Trust Inc., which operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT), provides liquidity to growing segments of the U.S. housing market not well served by government programs. It delivers customized housing credit investments to a diverse mix of investors, through its securitization platforms; whole-loan distribution activities; and publicly traded shares.

Redwood operates in three segments: residential mortgage banking, business purpose mortgage banking, and Investment Portfolio. Additionally, through RWT Horizons, a venture investing initiative, it invests in early-stage companies strategically aligned with its business across the lending, real estate, and financial technology sectors.