Andrew Gerardy is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sage Lending, bringing over 16 years of experience in underwriting, credit analysis and commercial lending. His career began at JP Morgan Chase and Silicon Valley Bank and includes senior leadership roles at PennyMac LLC and Einstein Capital.
Andrew has built a reputation for delivering tailored financing solutions, disciplined risk management and client-focused service. He built Sage Lending on the belief that businesses deserve smarter, faster and more flexible financing than traditional models allow. Today, Sage Lending serves clients across the U.S., specializing in financial services structuring, risk transfer and capital solutions that adapt to evolving markets.
Outside of work, Andrew grew up playing soccer through college, remains an avid runner, and is the proud father of two young girls.
RK Neely is the Chief Operating Officer at Sage Lending, where he oversees the firm’s operations and capital relationships. He brings over 30 years of experience in commercial real estate investment and capital raising, including as Managing Member of Secure Capital Investments. His expertise spans multiple asset classes and institutional investment strategies, with a specialization in sourcing and structuring opportunities across commercial real estate, business finance and private equity.
A graduate of the College of Business Administration at The Ohio State University and The University of Toledo with a focus in finance, RK combines rigorous academic grounding with decades of real-world execution. Through an expansive network of property owners, brokers, family offices, and domestic and international capital partners, he structures and closes public, private and proprietary transactions ranging from $5 million to $5 billion.
Cassidy Gerardy is the Chief Legal Officer at Sage Lending, LLC, where she leads all legal and compliance efforts. She began her practice at Northrup Schleuter and spent the bulk of her early career at Viper Law Group as a senior attorney and junior partner. Cassidy is committed to practical advocacy that keeps clients informed and moves matters forward efficiently. She earned her J.D. from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona.
Outside of work, Cassidy is a lifelong athlete who grew up playing volleyball and basketball and today maintains her active lifestyle through her passion for yoga. She is also the proud mother of two young girls.
Kurt Kaunas is the Chief Technology Officer at Sage Lending, where he leads technology strategy, platform engineering and the systems that power the firm’s lending operations. He brings over a decade of experience in fintech, building digital banking and lending platforms at scale, with deep expertise in the security and compliance requirements that regulated financial institutions operate under.
That background shapes how Kurt builds at Sage Lending. He applies AI and modern engineering practice to remove the manual work that slows lenders down, from underwriting intake through servicing and reporting, while carrying forward the security and access control discipline he built in banking. His standard is simple: technology should be invisible to the client and indispensable to the team.
Outside of work, Kurt is a former Division I athlete who played men’s lacrosse at Lehigh University, where he earned All-Patriot League honors as a midfielder. He remains an avid golfer and stays committed to fitness and training. He and his wife, Becca, live in Queen Creek, Arizona, with their son and daughter.
Ryan O’Connor is the Senior Vice President of Finance at Sage Lending, where he oversees the firm’s financial strategy, capital management, underwriting analytics and operational finance functions. He plays a key role in supporting Sage’s continued growth by ensuring disciplined financial management, scalable processes and data-driven decision making across the organization.
Ryan brings more than a decade of experience across finance, strategic planning and business operations. Before joining Sage Lending, he held a variety of finance leadership roles at Comcast, where he developed expertise spanning traditional FP&A, operational finance and corporate strategy. Throughout his career he has partnered closely with business leaders to drive financial performance, support long-term planning and evaluate strategic growth opportunities.
That breadth shapes Ryan’s approach at Sage Lending. He combines rigorous financial analysis with a practical understanding of business operations to help the company scale efficiently while maintaining disciplined credit and risk management. His focus is on building financial frameworks that support growth, enhance transparency and improve decision making across every stage of the lending lifecycle, so that Sage remains a trusted, client-focused capital partner for businesses nationwide.
Outside of work, Ryan is a former Division I wrestler who competed at Drexel University, where he developed the discipline, resilience and competitive mindset that continue to shape his professional life. He remains passionate about health and fitness, enjoys time on the golf course, and is an avid fan of live music. Ryan and his wife, Kiera, live in Chandler, Arizona.
Bakari Neely is Vice President of Business Development at Sage Lending, where he educates and partners with financial advisors, CPAs, tax attorneys, RIAs and other professionals on the firm’s alternative financial risk programs, and helps mid-market clients and investors navigate alternative risk transfer, capital and financing solutions.
With a background in finance and sales, Bakari holds the SIE and is pursuing Series 7 licensure, pairing a strong grounding in securities and investment products with a track record of building lasting professional relationships. It is a natural fit for structuring the non-traditional financing and insurance-linked investment opportunities Sage delivers with speed and precision.
Outside of work, Bakari is a former Division II men’s lacrosse player at Emmanuel College, later finishing his career at Catawba College. He performs as the guitarist in a band in his free time and is dedicated to health and fitness. Raised in Toledo, Ohio, he now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Our vision
Empowering business with innovative, risk-aligned capital. Where insurance meets opportunity.
Sage Lending delivers tailored financing at the intersection of insurance and capital markets. Our vision is to create flexible, disciplined solutions that help businesses thrive and investors capture value in a changing world.
Industries we serve
Your business never stops. Neither do we.
At Sage Lending, we are dedicated to the needs of our clients. Our team listens, assists and supports every step of the way. The only thing stronger than our work ethic is our track record of delivering results.
