Our Team

George Merino

Executive Vice President

George oversees private lending operations in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and actively leads the growth of the NAI Capital Finance team. With a keen understanding of lending nationwide, he is highly familiar with lending practices, and active across California and multiple states.

In 1995, he commenced his lending career with GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation) but gained early exposure to real estate during his college years. While attending college, he worked alongside his grandfather, managing multifamily properties across Southern California during summers.

In 2003 George put his mortgage lending career into high gear effectively managing a private lending fund for friends, family, and local investors. While building his lending career, George displayed entrepreneurial spirit by establishing multiple successful restaurants in Santa Barbara. While at Remax Santa Barbara his exceptional performance in the real estate market earned him recognition as the top-grossing agent from 2005 to 2007.

As a Santa Barbara native, his knowledge and expertise of the real estate market in Santa Barbara is unsurpassed in both the residential and commercial sector, with more than 25 years of experience in lending. George has been an active developer in both residential and commercial real estate in Santa Barbara County.  George holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara.