Career moves

The PrivateBank named John P. Richardson managing director of commercial real estate in the Minneapolis office.

MortgageFlex Systems Inc. said that Phil Scialabba has joined its professional services team.

Capsilon named Sheila Plunkett vice president of sales, where she is responsible for spearheading sales and business development for the company.

Within minutes of Rep. Barney Frank's surprise announcement that he planned to retire next year, industry insiders and political analysts were focused on who would take his place as lead Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee.

Default management vendor ServiceLink, Pittsburgh, on Tuesday named Chris Azur as its new president.

Walker & Dunlop, LLC, Bethesda, Md., on Monday announced that it has hired Dale Brem as vice president and deputy chief underwriter for the firm's FHA finance department.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., will announce today that he will not seek re-election next year, capping a 32-year career in Congress, a spokesman said Monday.

First Guaranty Mortgage Corp. added Mark Mayhook as managing director, capital markets.

HFF said that its Austin office has expanded with the addition of Robert Wooten as an associate director in the debt placement group and Kelsey Roop as an associate director in the investment sales group.

Real Estate Mortgage Network Inc. hired Justin Tucci in its Myrtle Beach office in the role of mortgage loan originator.

Lisa Lautner, Heidi Brunet and Nicole Perri have joined Berkadia Commercial Mortgage's senior housing and health care team.

CBRE Group Inc. said that Jim Rice and Nick Santangelo have joined CBRE Capital Markets, creating a new debt and equity finance team in Portland.

The PrivateBank named John P. Richardson managing director of commercial real estate in the Minneapolis office.

MortgageFlex Systems Inc. said that Phil Scialabba has joined its professional services team.

Capsilon named Sheila Plunkett vice president of sales, where she is responsible for spearheading sales and business development for the company.

Carrington Mortgage Services, Santa Ana, Calif., this week announced that it has hired Brad Nease as senior vice president in charge of capital markets.

David Bochsler, one of two Bank of America divisional production managers who got the ax when the bank exited a handful of retail states early in the fall, has accepted a position with Cobalt Mortgage in the Seattle area.

The freeze on confirming picks to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s board appears to be melting.

A group of House Democrats is pressuring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow a vote on the confirmation of a director for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich made between $1.6 million and $1.8 million in consulting fees from two contracts he had with Freddie Mac (prior to its federal takeover), according to a report from Bloomberg.