Western Alliance Bank Expands Note Finance Team in New York With Addition of Market Manager Ian Hawk

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 2, 2026--

Western Alliance Bank today announced that Ian Hawk has joined the company as New York market manager for the Note Finance Group, expanding the bank’s presence in one of the nation’s most competitive private credit hubs .

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In this role, Hawk provides Western Alliance Bank’s differentiated leverage solutions to New York-based private credit platforms, offering clients nearly a decade of experience across public and private real estate, capital markets, origination and AI‑driven financial analysis to deliver deep data-driven insights to facilitate informed decision-making.

“We’re pleased to enhance Western Alliance Bank’s Note Finance presence within the New York region with the addition of Ian Hawk, who has strong experience and relationships with key real estate lenders, portfolio managers and institutional investors,” said Mark Roberts, National Sales Manager for Western Alliance Bank’s Note Finance Group. “Ian is well prepared to help Western Alliance expand the availability of note finance and single note-on-note products and solutions in this region, which is experiencing growing demand for tailored, flexible financing.”

Hawk brings extensive experience with commercial real estate financing, including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), mortgage brokerage, and debt and equity capital for real estate developers and institutional and entrepreneurial sponsors across all asset types. He joins Western Alliance from Lument and previously worked for Dwight Securities Management, Walker & Dunlop and Fitch Ratings.

“Western Alliance Bank is at the heart of the note finance industry, with a distinctive entrepreneurial approach that focuses on ways to say ‘yes’ and do deals,” Hawk said. “Having served on both sides of the note finance relationship, including managing capital markets at a debt fund, I’m excited to bring my insights into what clients are seeking from note finance solutions to better meet their needs in this competitive landscape.”

Hawk earned his Bachelor of Finance degree from the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. He is active in his community, having served as a volunteer firefighter with the Woodmere Fire Department, as well as working with Project Ezrah, a community organization that provides job placement and other services to families in need.

Western Alliance Note Finance, a national banking group within Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, delivers flexible, custom-tailored solutions and exceptional service that private lenders can rely on. The experienced relationship banking team is a trusted, committed resource empowering funds nationwide to access financing quickly. For more information, visit Western Alliance Note Finance.

About Western Alliance Bank

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL) is one of the country’s top-performing banking companies and has ranked as a top U.S. bank by American Banker and Bank Director since 2016. Its primary subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank, is a leading national bank for business that puts customers first, delivering tailored business banking solutions and consumer products backed by outstanding, personalized service and specific expertise in more than 30 industries and sectors. With $90 billion in assets and offices nationwide, Western Alliance excels at helping businesses of all sizes capitalize on their opportunities to solve today and succeed tomorrow. For more information on our offerings, subsidiaries and affiliates, visit Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Note Finance

Western Alliance Note Finance, a national banking group within Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, delivers flexible, custom-tailored solutions and exceptional service that private lenders can rely on. The experienced relationship banking team is a trusted, committed resource empowering funds nationwide to access financing quickly. The Note Finance Group is part of Western Alliance Bancorporation, which has $90 billion in assets and has ranked as a top U.S. bank by American Banker and Bank Director since 2016. With significant national capabilities, the Note Finance Group delivers the reach, resources and deep industry knowledge to help businesses capitalize on their opportunities to solve today and succeed tomorrow. For more information, visit Western Alliance Note Finance.

Ian Hawk, Seasoned Commercial Real Estate and Private Credit Professional to Support Growing Demand for Note Finance Solutions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Workers began removing President Donald Trump's name from the facade of the Kennedy Center early Saturday, hours after a court-ordered Friday deadline to remove references to Trump from the building and other aspects of the iconic performing arts venue’s operations.

Scaffolding was erected Friday around a section of the building that includes Trump’s name, but shortly after midnight, the Kennedy Center asked a judge to extend the deadline until noon Eastern Time on Saturday because of thunderstorms that had swept through the Washington area, causing a delay.

In the filing, the Kennedy Center offered assurance that the “removal work is presently ongoing” and would “conclude in the early hours of the morning.”

A few hours later, workers began covering the scaffolding with tarps before they eventually started taking down Trump's name. They packed up and left the site around 3:30 a.m., though the tarps remained, leaving it impossible to determine if all the letters had been removed.

Dozens of people spent hours Friday on the plaza in front of the Kennedy Center taking pictures and cheering occasionally as they broke into chants of “take it down.” Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who sued to have Trump's name removed from the building, was spotted at one point on the plaza.

Earlier Friday afternoon, a judge rejected a request to pause the court-ordered deadline. The institution appealed that ruling, an effort that was also rebuffed Friday evening.

After ignoring the Kennedy Center for much of his first term, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his return to office. Just a month into his second term, he ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. Trump's name was quickly added to the building.

In his ruling that only Congress could make changes to the Kennedy Center's name, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July and last for two years.

The Kennedy Center's leadership argued in its appeal Friday that the renovation was badly needed and accused the lower court, in terms that seemed similar to Trump's speech patterns, of interfering in the effort.

“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” according to the appeal. “Indeed, total collapse!”

Even as the Kennedy Center has fought efforts to remove Trump's name from the building, it has taken steps to comply with Cooper's initial ruling.

A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s website has dropped Trump's name. And an earlier email sent to members offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump’s name.

Associated Press journalists Anna Johnson, Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Workers wait for the rain to stop before resuming work to remove President Donald Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Workers erect scaffolding in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A double rainbow is seen from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Workers construct scaffolding below the sign for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Protestors wave a U.S. and signs as workers prepare to remove President Donald Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)