Raymond C. Mikulich, Class of 1981 

Recognized leader in real estate finance and investments 

Raymond Mikulich is a veteran real estate finance and investment professional who currently serves as the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Ridgeline Capital Group, a New York based real estate investment and asset management company. Mikulich was previously the co-head and functioned as chief executive officer of Lehman Brothers Real Estate Private Equity from 1999 through March 2007, where he led the formation, structuring, fundraising, investment and asset management activities of the 140 person business across five offices globally. He was also a Managing Director of Lehman Brothers and a member of the firm’s private equity investment and operating committees. Prior to that, Mikulich was responsible for establishing, building and managing the global real estate investment banking activities at Lehman Brothers. He built and led the 50 person group that provided strategic advice to the country’s largest real estate companies and was actively involved in the public and private debt and equity markets. 

Before joining Lehman Brothers, Mikulich spent seven years at LaSalle National Bank and its parent, ABN/AMRO, where he was involved in property acquisitions and joint ventures on behalf of European pension funds, as well as real estate workouts, REIT structurings and lending. He serves as Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and on the Board of The Real Estate Roundtable. He has also served as a board member of the Real Estate Centers at the Wharton School, Columbia University and the University of Wisconsin. 

What was your favorite class? 

My favorite class was Criminal Law. That’s where I learned that the Constitution is with us everywhere. It was such an intriguing class, and probably the class I’ll remember the most. 

What was your favorite memory? 

My favorite memories were of study groups. Sitting around with fellow students, doing our best to learn the material and to test each other on it. It wasn’t only fun because of the camaraderie, but it was an interesting way to measure people and see how they dealt with the pressure and the stress. Who could persevere and how would they do it? 

What has been your greatest challenge? 

Challenges come in all shapes and sizes. I think there have been challenges in front of me all the time. Certainly moving to New York, completely uninitiated without having any network was a challenge. It required a certain amount of tenacity, patience, and perseverance. I think that’s true of anyone starting their career. You have to be strong to survive it. 

Who was your favorite professor? 

My favorite professor is Ralph Brill. He was omnipresent, and always available. Just a great teacher. 

What does your future hold? 

I hope the future holds more of the same. Probably with a little less rigor and intensity, but I like building businesses. I’m building a business now that has more social good to it- we’re financing people who can’t get mortgages today. It’s a feel good operation and one we think has great prospects in the market today. All in the real estate business. Also, working on my golf game.