-

KBRA Mourns the Passing of Valued Mentor and Friend, Alan S. Bernikow

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that KBRA mourns the recent passing of our friend Alan Bernikow, an original investor and long-time mentor to many at KBRA, who died on September 26, 2023.

"We’re greatly saddened to learn of Alan’s passing and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time,” said Jim Nadler, CEO and President of KBRA. “Alan bet early on us as a company and helped guide our business in the right direction. He was a trusted adviser, friend, and confidante to many of us here, including Executive Committee members, and will be greatly missed.”

In the firm’s earliest days, Alan called on his wealth of experience from his storied career to establish KBRA as a trusted name in the market and to develop our business operations. He most recently served on the board of K2 Integrity, which was founded along with KBRA in 2010 by Jules Kroll. Alan was a long-time confidante of Jules, who sought his insights while building the respective organizations.

Alan served as deputy chief executive officer at Deloitte, where his primary responsibilities included assisting the chairman & CEO and managing partner on special projects, including firm mergers and acquisitions, partner affairs, and litigation matters. He was a member of Deloitte’s Executive and Management Committee; chairman for the Professional Asset Indemnity Limited Big 4 Insurance Representatives; and president for PAIL Vermont Insurance Company Big 4 Insurance Representatives.

Prior to joining Touche Ross, the predecessor firm to Deloitte, Alan was the National Administrative Partner in Charge of all internal administration and finance at accounting firm J.K. Lasser & Company. He is a graduate of Baruch College, earning a B.B.A. in accounting, and was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

During his prestigious career, Alan served on numerous boards of directors including at Revlon, Inc. and Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, UBS Global Asset Management Inc., Florida Community Bank, and Mack-Cali. He was also a member of the board of the Jewish Communal Fund, United Jewish Communities–The Federations of North America, and UJA–Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, and was very active in civic and service organizations.

“The world has lost a truly great man who will be sorely missed,” said KBRA’s Global Head of Structured Finance Ratings, Eric Thompson. “I’m grateful for his presence in our early days and the counsel he provided to many of us as he was a critical factor in our success.”

About KBRA
KBRA is a full-service credit rating agency registered in the U.S., the EU, and the UK, and is designated to provide structured finance ratings in Canada. KBRA’s ratings can be used by investors for regulatory capital purposes in multiple jurisdictions.

Contacts

Media
Adam Tempkin, Director of Communications
+1 646-731-1347 adam.tempkin@kbra.com

KBRA

Details
Headquarters: New York City, New York
CEO: Jim Nadler
Employees: 400+
Organization: PRI

Release Versions

Contacts

Media
Adam Tempkin, Director of Communications
+1 646-731-1347 adam.tempkin@kbra.com

More News From KBRA

KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust 2026-CES1 (GSMBS 2026-CES1)

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA assigns preliminary ratings to 6 classes of mortgage-backed notes from GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust 2026-CES1 (GSMBS 2026-CES1), a $319.2 million RMBS transaction sponsored by Goldman Sachs Mortgage Company, entirely of closed-end second lien mortgages (CES; 100.0%). The underlying pool is seasoned approximately 7.4 months and comprises 3,961 loans, with AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation (52.4%) as the largest contributing originator. The collateral is charac...

KBRA Releases Research – Loan vs. Lease Aviation ABS: Same Plane, Different Seats

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA releases research assessing the aviation loan ABS market, highlighting its growth, credit considerations, and evolving role within aviation structured finance. Since the inaugural aviation loan issuances in 2021, the aviation loan asset-backed securities (ABS) sector has experienced continued growth, reaching $4.8 billion in total notional volume through 2025. Collateral in aviation loan ABS typically consists of loans directly to airlines (generally full-recours...

KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to OBX 2026-J1 Trust

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA assigns preliminary ratings to 76 classes of mortgage pass-through notes from OBX 2026-J1 Trust, a $366.7 million prime RMBS transaction. The underlying collateral, comprising 298 fixed-rate, fully amortizing loans is characterized by moderate borrower equity, as evidenced by the WA original LTV of 70.9%, and has a WA original credit score of 783. KBRA’s rating approach incorporated loan-level analysis of the mortgage pool through its Residential Asset Loss Model...
Back to Newsroom