RADNOR, PA — Archwell Capital named mortgage industry executive Mike Middleman chief executive officer as the private investment manager moves to scale businesses employing more than 10,000 people and deploy additional capital across financial services, real estate, technology and professional sports.
Middleman will oversee the expansion of Archwell Capital’s existing investments and operating companies while directing new investment across mortgage, insurance, commercial real estate, professional sports and other markets in which the firm operates.
The appointment is part of a broader leadership restructuring that also adds executives overseeing operations, finance, investments, strategy, artificial intelligence, legal affairs and human resources.
Archwell Capital, founded in 2013, has made more than 40 current and former investments. Its wholly owned businesses serve hundreds of corporate clients globally, according to the company.
Middleman joins the CEO role after a decade in senior leadership at Freedom Mortgage, where he remains vice chairman. He also co-founded Moder, an Archwell Capital business intelligence company that uses AI and operations teams to work with financial institutions, and remains its executive chairman.
He has also been involved in building BrightCover, Archwell Capital’s insurance business.
“Archwell Capital is an investment management company built by operators,” Middleman stated. “People who have been in the guts of successful businesses and know how to grow them, enabling us to provide active capital to the companies we incubate, build, and in which we invest.”
Middleman holds bachelor’s degrees in finance and accounting from Hofstra University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Archwell also named James Blanco chief operating officer and president of Archwell Reinsurance. Blanco previously was a senior managing director in Guggenheim Partners’ financial services practice and an executive vice president at OneMain Financial, after earlier roles in debt capital markets and corporate finance at Barclays Bank.
Raj Patel was appointed chief financial officer, overseeing financial strategy, planning and reporting. He previously led the finance function at Freedom Mortgage for several years.
Jordan Glick was named chief investment officer, responsible for investment strategy and oversight across Archwell’s real estate, sports and early-stage investments.
Matt Harbus was appointed chief strategy officer after previously serving as an executive vice president at Freedom Mortgage, where his responsibilities included origination sales and a servicing contact center covering more than $650 billion in loans. He has also overseen Archwell’s technology work, including Moder’s partnership with Palantir Technologies.
Kristin McHale-Johnson was named chief AI officer in the Office of the CEO, working with Archwell operating companies on technology strategy and industry partnerships.
Kat Rugge was appointed chief people officer, with responsibility for talent, culture and organizational design across the investment firm and its operating companies.
Melissa Rubenstein was named general counsel, overseeing legal and compliance functions. She previously spent more than 20 years in private practice at a multinational law firm serving financial-services clients and later served as general counsel for a multistate construction company in a regulated industry.
Archwell Capital is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and has opened a new flagship office in Radnor, PA.
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