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Commercial real estate investment banking firm George Smith Partners has hired Eric Hamermesh as senior vice president, and director of business development.

J.I. Kislak Mortgage, Miami Lakes, has hired Edward Scott, a former JPMorgan Chase executive, to be its southeast regional manager.

Joseph D’Urso is the new president at Green River Capital, a real estate owned asset management and loss mitigation provider for mortgage servicers, investment firms and banks based in West Valley City, Utah.

National City's warehouse lending chief Paul Best has landed a job with People's United Bank of Connecticut, one of the largest thrifts in the Northeast.

The mortgage banking division of LendingTree plans to hire 125 full timers — including loan officers — to work at its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

Fannie Mae has named investment banker John Nichols chief risk officer for its capital markets division.

Braver Stern Securities LLC, New York, named Peter D. Howard managing director and head trader of CDOs, CLOs and esoteric asset-backed securities.

The Comptroller of the Currency late Wednesday appointed Timothy Ward to be its first deputy comptroller for thrift supervision.

Mortgage vendor Lender Processing Services, Jacksonville, Fla., late Thursday named Tom Schilling its executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Roy DeLoach is packing it in as CEO of the struggling National Association of Mortgage Brokers, but will serve as the trade group's chief (outside) lobbyist on real estate finance issues.