Our Firm
John S. Gilchrist
• Atalyst Capital Markets
• Atalyst Commercial Mortgage
Mr. Gilchrist is the Chief Executive Officer of ATALYST. Mr. Gilchrist has approximately 20 years of experience in banking, real estate, and accounting and has worked for public and private multi-national firms and has experienced success as an entrepreneur.
Mr. Gilchrist began his career as a certified public accountant with Arthur Andersen where he specialized in the real estate and communications industries. Clients included Spieker Properties, Glenborough Realty Trust and the The Bristol Group. Mr. Gilchrist left Arthur Andersen to join one of his publicly traded clients, Star Telecom where he was promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer of European Operations. He transitioned to banking when he joined Lehman Brothers in London, where he specialized in cross-border merger and acquisition advisory, capital raises and debt restructuring. Mr. Gilchrist left Lehman Brothers and went on with colleagues to establish two boutique investment banks, Silver Pacific Advisors then Valtus Capital Group.
Mr. Gilchrist has been directly involved in over $2.5bn worth of transactions at Silver Pacific Advisors and Valtus Capital Group. Past clients include Rise Development, Lakai Ltd, DVS, Carina Homes, Celebrate Homes, Stanpark Homes, Olympia Companies, Wingfield Nevada, Mystic Casinos, Kapex, Casino Fandango, American West Development, PDS Gaming, and Resort Gaming among others.
Mr. Gilchrist received his B.S. in Accounting and a MBT from the University of Southern California.
Jackie K. DeLaney
• Atalyst Commercial Mortgage
Ms. DeLaney is a Managing Director of Atalyst Commercial Mortgage. Her experience spans over 35 years in the area of banking and the financial services industry, holding positions in senior management and at the executive level. She served as President/CEO and Board of Director for a community bank in Nevada, organized a start-up bank, facilitated capital offerings, worked on the sale and acquisition of institutions, managed a large commercial real estate bank division with a $450 million portfolio and developed/oversaw the day to day operations of a $60 million non-profit community development agency.
In addition to the staff of Atalyst Commercial Mortgage, Ms. DeLaney was the founding principal of Diversified Asset Solutions, Inc. (DAS) a financial consulting firm specializing in strategic management issues, corporate/business infrastructure development, and financial resolution and growth initiatives.
Prior to establishing DAS, Ms. DeLaney was the founding president/chief executive officer/director of Sun West Bank for 12 years until its sale to City National Bank; executive vice president and chief operating officer for Sun State Bank managing all operational, corporate/shareholder and regulatory aspects of the Bank resulting in a regulatory turn around, doubling the bank’s asset size and then facilitating its high yielding sale to Zions Bancorp; founding president/chief executive officer of the Nevada Community Reinvestment Corporation, a non-profit organization established in concert with the Federal Reserve Bank to provide affordable housing solutions within the state of Nevada working directly with municipalities, developers/borrowers and banks throughout the state in utilizing creative and collaborative funding options, i.e. tax credits, state and federal grants and housing bonds to ensure the communities in Nevada could offer affordable housing to its citizens. Additional experience in the financial services industry include a number of senior management positions with expertise in the key areas of corporate/commercial real estate lending, managing and resolving problem asset loans, chief credit officer, organizational operations management, finance/controllers, human resources and marketing.
Active in the Las Vegas community, Ms. DeLaney has held board, membership and affiliations with a number of non-profit agencies, civic and trade organizations, and business boards.
Ms. DeLaney has resided in Southern Nevada since 1990 and prior to that for 19 years in Reno, Nevada. Graduated – Western University/Portland State University, Business Administration and the Pacific Coast Banking School for executives and CEO’s.
Roy B. Smolarz
• Atalyst Capital Markets
Mr. Smolarz is a Managing Director at ATALYST | Financial Group. Mr. Smolarz has over 25 years of experience providing capital raising and corporate advisory services to large and middle market companies principally in the real estate, lodging and gaming sectors.
Most recently Mr. Smolarz worked at Primary Capital LLC, where he headed the international gaming and hospitality investment banking practice. Previously Mr. Smolarz held senior positions with Dominick & Dominick LLC, Rock Creek Capital Advisors, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., and Gruntal & Co. Earlier in his career he was a Managing Director of Coopers & Lybrand Securities and a Corporate Vice President at Paine Webber Inc.
During his career Mr. Smolarz has been involved with financings in excess of $5 billion. Selected clients have included TLC Casinos, Maloof Company, Cannery Casinos, Planet Hollywood, Resorts International, Tropicana, Resort at Summerlin (JW Marriott), Westward Ho Casino, and Hialeah Race Track/ Racino Molasky Companies, Lincoln Properties, Pulte Homes, Calton Homes, Kaufman & Broad, Marriott, Intercontinental Hotels, WP Carey Company and JMB/ Walton St Capital among others.
Mr. Smolarz received his J.D. from Seton Hall University Law School in 1980. He also graduated from Bernard Baruch College, School of Business where he received a BBA with high honors.