Who We Are
Capstone Capital Partners
Hard Money You Can Trust
Capstone Capital Partners, LLC is a Texas hard money lender backed by a trusted network of private individuals. We originate, close, and service loans with our very own in-house loan servicing company, Walter Servicing. The Capstone team ensures a smooth process for our borrowers and lenders. Our combined experience, from past career experience to present, has funded over $500M for both traditional and private transactions.
Our Executive Team
Ray Walter
CEO and Founder
Ray Walter grew up in Orange County, California, and learned about real estate investing from his family at an early age as he watched his father save every penny he could to purchase investment property. In the early 90’s his family discovered attractive real estate opportunities in central Texas. Eventually, this passion for real estate moved Ray and his entire family to the Austin area that same decade.
Before founding Capstone Capital Partners in 2012, Ray started out with conventional mortgage lending in 1998 and eventually became a Licensed Texas Mortgage Broker for a period of time. Over time Ray moved out of the conventional lending space altogether and focused primarily on Private Lending (his passion) and helping other local private lending companies with their origination process.
In 2007, Ray founded Capstone Servicing Corp, a servicing company that services private loans on real estate. Capstone Servicing has serviced more than $200M in private loans since 2007. Through many hardship lessons, especially during the credit crisis of 2008, Ray has learned the value of staying prudent while maintaining a relational approach to lending by focusing on creating positive lasting relationships with his clients to create a win-win scenario on every transaction.
Ray has been in the mortgage lending business for over 24 years and enjoys his passion of lending. Ray and his wife, Kayla, live in the Orange County, California with their three children.
Curtis Simpson
Chief Lending Officer
Curtis joined Capstone in 2017 with more than 30 years of experience in business-building, venture capital, investor relations, real estate, sales & marketing, construction, business development, public speaking, and operations management. He leads Capstone’s growth through loan originations, asset valuation, due diligence, asset performance, forecasting, and investment diversity. He utilizes high-value relationships to make connections, structure deals, develop solutions, and create "win-win" scenarios to achieve optimal results.
In addition to a degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, Curtis is proud to be a small part of the fraternity of Texas Longhorn football players as a former QB. He has served on the Board of Directors at companies in the real estate, restaurant, finance, technology, and broadcasting industries.
Nicole Southerland
Vice President of Lending Operations
Nicole Southerland is an Austin native and serves as Capstone’s Vice President of Lending Operations. She ensures that all lending operations are aligned, organized, processed, and closed efficiently while also assisting with loan origination. Aspiring to put 10+ years of commercial and mortgage lending experience to use in private lending, Nicole joined the Capstone team in 2019.
Nicole is passionate about cultivating clear and timely communication with Capstone’s borrowers and takes pride in creating seamless closing experiences. Nicole lives in Cedar Park with her husband of 17 years along with three adorable, yet very energetic boys.
She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, reading, and cheering on her sons’ baseball teams. She attends Expression Church in Cedar Park where she and her husband actively serve in kids ministry. Nicole has B.S. from Texas State University.
Dorothy Horton
Operations Manager
Dorothy Horton has been with the Capstone companies since 2005. She oversees the daily business operations including loan servicing, bookkeeping, human resources, payroll and office management. Dorothy is a real gem and has worked in several departments bringing a very thorough knowledge to all sides of the business.
After very successfully working her way up through the company, Dorothy took on the operations manager role at Capstone Servicing and has been a true asset. Dorothy has worked closely with borrowers and private lenders over the years and works very efficiently handling a majority of the operations of Capstone Servicing.
Prior to moving to Austin, Dorothy gained experience in Loan Processing. Her background includes banking, human resources, benefits administration, payroll, and executive administrative work. She attended the University of New Mexico and University of Phoenix majoring in Business Administration.
Melanie Miller
Loan Servicing Manager
Melanie originally started with the Capstone Companies in 2006 and over the years Melanie has helped build the growth of Capstone to what it is today. Melanie handles many aspects of loan servicing including, but not limited to construction draws, borrower and lender payments and overall support to our clients. Melanie began her career in banking specializing in credit and lending eventually becoming Executive Secretary to the VP.
Melanie has also managed large multi-family complexes and was an Assistant Manager for one of the southwest region’s largest real estate offices in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Melanie has diverse experience and a wide range of knowledge in banking, real estate investing, retail management, realtor, and executive administrative work.
Ashley Hester
Loan Servicing Specialist
Ashley Hester joined the Capstone team in August 2022. She handles many aspects of loan servicing and borrower communications and support. Her diverse background in finance and construction are invaluable to Capstone’s mission.
Ashley came to Capstone with 10 years of business experience in finance and accounting, audit, risk management, business development, construction, and project management. Throughout her career, she has worked for premier design-build developers and contractors in Texas. She believes that the construction industry is a phenomenal industry to be a part of as it is one of constant change, incredible results, and an opportunity to positively impact the community.
Laszlo Szabo
Consultant – Business Process and Operations
Laszlo is a first-generation American. Raised in Texas by his Hungarian father and German-Hungarian mother, he grew up in a household where retaining his family’s heritage and languages was important.
Laszlo graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree and has pursued dual careers in information technology and construction for the past 25 years. His interests in real estate and construction began in the 80s when his father guided him through his first real estate investment.
In 1998, Laszlo and his wife Dianne moved to the Austin area where he continued his IT career as an International IT Project Manager working overseas and across the US. Laszlo also started and managed a successful construction company and built multiple custom homes. He has been a student of building construction technologies, real estate management, and project management holding a current Project Management Professional Certification.
While in Austin, Laszlo has invested in real estate projects as a lender of capital but has also contributed to his investments through providing his skills in architectural design, new and renovated construction, strategy and planning, project management, ongoing multi-family facility and tenant management, communication specific to builders, lenders, contractors, realtors, attorneys and city officials culminating in many successful residential and multi-family project exits.
In his free time Laszlo enjoys the outdoors, road and mountain biking, hiking, and gardening.
As of March 2022 Laszlo has joined the Capstone team as a contractor to work across all departments to improve business processes, standards of operations, technology, and communications as it applies to all stakeholders.
Jeremy Pate
Investor Relations
Jeremy Pate, our Senior Loan Processor, started with Capstone in 2014 and brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry. Jeremy graduated from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in Business. Jeremy is a great asset to Capstone with his amazing people skills and his mortgage experience developed over the years making him a valuable contribution to our Capstone Team.
He works with borrowers to obtain necessary items and oversees the closing process for the lenders. Creatively meeting the needs of our clients is what Jeremy likes best in his role at Capstone. Jeremy is actively involved with his church as he serves in many different ministries.
Mindy Walter
Consultant
Mindy Walter has been in the real estate sales, leasing, and property management industry for more than 25 years. She holds an active Texas Real Estate Broker’s License and serves as our Asset Manager. Mindy is responsible for overseeing asset management in Capstone’s loan portfolio across the state of Texas. She appreciates working directly with lenders and borrowers while bringing her decades of diversified property management experience and skills to our team.
As part of her duties, Mindy regularly conducts site visits and meets with contractors, builders, and vendors. In addition, she oversees the collection of payments from borrowers. She is also responsible for managing the proper disposition of foreclosed properties when they occur. Mindy purchased her first rental property in 2003 and has been an active landlord since.
Mindy moved to Austin in 1994 to go to school and entered the real estate and lending sectors at the young age of 17. Outside of work, her passions are camping, RV traveling, and hiking with her black lab.
Kayla Walter
Advisor
With a background and education in real estate, home building, interior design, architecture, and new home consulting, Kayla is a great fit for this role. During her formative years, Kayla had the pleasure of helping her parents grow and build an interior design and home furnishings company. She went on to graduate from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design.
After working in residential and commercial design, Kayla branched off into real estate in 2000. She enjoyed the privilege of working for Newmark Homes and then DR Horton Homes as a new home sales consultant.
Kayla’s passion is her family, and she also works closely with Ray Walter (her husband) on important decisions for the business. She skillfully divides her time between her family including three children in elementary school and serving in church related ministry roles.
We focus on speed, ease, and competitive pricing. Our borrowers and investors appreciate our common sense approach to lending with our friendly experienced staff. Capstone has gained a reputation as a private lender that you can trust to bring you to the closing table.