Jay Stern-Szczepaniak joined HKS with dual roles as an analyst and originator and has been active in commercial real estate finance since 2010. Over the course of his career, Jay has closed well over $1 billion in loans across a broad range of asset classes, including multifamily, mixed-use, office, retail, industrial, and development projects. His experience spans acquisition financing, cash-out and rate-term refinances, construction executions, bridge loans, and complex capital stack solutions.

Jay began his career at Pergolis & Swartz Associates, where he built a strong foundation in underwriting, lender relationships, and structuring creative debt strategies. Also fluent in Polish, he continues to distinguish himself through diligence, responsiveness, and a commitment to understanding the individualized goals of each client he represents.

In 2017, Jay was recognized as one of Commercial Observer’s “Top Young Professionals.” He is a graduate of Rutgers Business School – New Brunswick, where he earned a degree in finance.