Our team
Better people make better lending
We lend billions of dollars to commercial real estate projects every year. But it’s not just capital that distinguishes us. It’s the empowered nature of our workforce. Our advisors are experienced experts whose sole focus is to deliver financing
strategies that enable you to achieve greater success.
Our Better Lending culture – three decades in the making – is built on the skill that comes from pure mortgage lending. Because we start from a position of knowledge about you, your project, and your market, we can design solutions that
are fit for your purpose. And because accountability is in our nature, we meet our commitments.
Better by design, better by nature, better for you in every corner of the country.

Rita Casinha
Rita is a member of:
Team Cook
Manager, Commercial Financing
416.593.2944
Compassionate. Organized. Composed.
“I add value by collaborating effectively across departments to ensure renewals and new closings are processed without delay.”
Rita has been a part of the First National commercial team since 1998. She has held roles in funding, renewals/assumptions, origination, and servicing. For Rita, compassion is critical to genuine connections. It’s important for people to know they are important, valued and have your full attention. She also believes that setting priorities is fundamental for the motivation needed to achieve goals. In a deadline driven and often stressful environment, Rita maintains her composure and prides herself on performing effectively under pressure.
When she’s not adding value for First National borrowers, Rita treasures time with her family and gets lost in a great book.