Peachtree Group Launches Equipment Finance Division
Peachtree Group has launched an equipment finance division, expanding its private credit capabilities at a time when large banks continue to retreat from small- and mid-sized business lending.
The new division will initially focus on lease transactions ranging from $500,000 to $10 million, with terms between 24 and 84 months. Peachtree will also target opportunities to serve existing commercial real estate clients, particularly within the hospitality sector, providing furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) financing for new hotel developments and renovations.
The new platform will be led by three seasoned industry executives — Brian Shaughnessy, Roger Johnson, and Dennis Shields. Shaughnessy and Johnson previously built IMT Commercial Credit into a leading equipment finance specialist, while Shields joins from Meridian Leasing, where he spent 15 years structuring financing for a diverse range of middle-market companies.
“Large banks continue to pull back from serving small- and mid-sized businesses, leaving a significant void in the market,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree’s Managing Principal and CEO. “Our new platform allows us to step in with creative financing solutions—whether that means helping medical facilities upgrade technology or supporting hotels with FF&E for new developments.”
Shaughnessy joins Peachtree as president and principal of the new division after more than 35 years in financial services and investment banking. Johnson, serving as EVP and principal, brings three decades of experience in portfolio acquisitions, credit structuring, and commercial lending.
For Peachtree, the launch represents a strategic expansion of its private credit business, leveraging its existing balance sheet strength, underwriting expertise, and institutional investor relationships. The firm—best known for its real estate lending, equity, and asset management businesses—views equipment finance as a natural adjacency to its commercial real estate operations, particularly in hospitality and healthcare, two industries that are capital-intensive and often underserved by traditional lenders.
Pictured: Brian Shaughnessy
