Firm News and Events

Sunday, April 12, 2009

John Battaglia and Mitchel Steiner join WS+B as Principals

WithumSmith+Brown is pleased to announce that John Battaglia and Mitchel Steiner, formerly Managing Directors of MorrisAnderson & Associates Ltd., have joined WithumSmith+Brown as Principals and Co-Leaders of WS+B’s Lender Field Exam Services Team. 

Under the leadership of Battaglia and Steiner, this team structure will expand WithumSmith+Brown’s service offerings to asset-based and commercial lenders including banks, factors, investment firms and other financial institutions. Their team structure also includes the support of a network of examiners and consultants nationwide who will help advise WS+B’s institutional clients.

“With the addition of outstanding new talent, WS+B can further enhance our lender service capabilities”, said Bill Hagaman, Partner-in-Charge of WS+B’s New Brunswick office, who was also recently named Managing Partner of WS+B, effective January 2010. “There has never been a time when financial institutions are more in need of exemplary examination services to make sound credit decisions. The addition of John and Mitchel represents our commitment to serve the financial community and help meet the critical challenges they face in today’s lending arena. Their deep experience and reputation allows us to service these clients on a whole new level, nationwide. Combine this factor with our ability to provide industry specialization, and we fully expect WS+B to lead the market in lender services.”

“Our decision to join WS+B was based on their reputation for unparalleled quality in audit services. The fact that we can expand the offering that WS+B provides to lenders is a win-win for WS+B and their clients”, said John Battaglia.

“WS+B has a vast network of well-built relationships with banks and other lenders, and I believe our experience brings a new dimension to the relationship. We can help these institutions make savvy lending decisions especially in times like these”, Steiner added.  

Formerly, John Battaglia was the Managing Director and co-founder of MorrisAnderson, a lending services company which provides borrowers’ credit quality evaluations and other consultation to the lending sector. He has also previously held senior executive positions at GMAC, Fleet Bank, U.J.B. and Franklin Commercial Bank, which later merged into Bank of America. A graduate of Seton Hall University, he holds a dual bachelors’ degree in law and accounting. John is an active member of the New York and New Jersey chapters for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and the Turnaround Management Association, and is a member of the national Commercial Finance Association (CFA).

Mitchel Steiner, was also Managing Director and Co-Founder of MorrisAnderson’s Lending Services Division. Prior to that, Mitchel was VP Field Examination Manager at Webster Business Credit Corporation. Mitchel graduated from Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, N.H. with a BS degree in accounting.