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NEW YORK (Standard & Poor's) May 12, 2008--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services
today assigned its AVERAGE ranking to Helios AMC LLC (Helios) as a commercial
mortgage special servicer. The outlook for the ranking is stable.
Although Helios began its operations only in December 2007, it has
appropriately established the requisite personnel, technology, and operational
elements to position itself as a successful special servicer for third-party
clients, especially with respect to commercial mortgage-backed securities
(CMBS) assets. The three executives comprising the company's management team
possess substantial industry experience and have worked together for many
years. Helios has established a solidly experienced professional team for
asset management, investor accounting and reporting, and compliance to provide
sufficient capacity for its initial assignments. Helios has also created the
necessary organizational infrastructure, internal control mechanisms, and
procedures to manage and report on nonperforming loans and real estate assets
in a proactive manner. Furthermore, the company has invested significantly in
its technology environment, which includes a document imaging/electronic file
management application and a proprietary, suitably designed asset tracking and
data management system.
San Francisco, Calif.-based Helios is 75% owned by Helios Ventures LLC
and 25% owned by Brookfield Investment Management. Helios Ventures is a joint
venture of Hyperion Commercial Mortgage Services LLC, which is managed by
Lewis Ranieri, and Castle Hill Ventures LLC. Brookfield Investment Management
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management. The three
managing directors of Helios, Eric Lindner, Michele Heisler, and John Maute,
were all formerly employed with GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp. Helios
currently has 10 employees plus contracted staff to support information
technology.
Outlook
The stable outlook reflects Standard & Poor's belief that Helios is fully
prepared to serve as an effective special servicer based on its diligent
operating policies and procedures, experienced management team, investor
reporting expertise, data management tools, and the financial and ancillary
support from its investor partners.
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