Mike Bendix

Founder & President

Michael A. Bendix is an officer of DFPG Investments, Inc., and the president of Bridge Equities, Inc. in San Diego, California, a branch office of DFPG.  As a registered representative, he provides his clients access to a multitude of securitized real estate products.  These products include offerings which qualify as exchange replacement properties under IRC §1031 such as tenant in common investments (TIC) and Delaware Statutory Trusts (DST).*  In addition, Mike provides access to alternative real estate offerings which may be appropriate for direct  investment such as funds and non-traded REITs as well as traditional mutual fund products.  Mr. Bendix has over 25 years of experience in the real estate and financial services industries.

Prior to founding Bridge Equities, Mike was an investment real estate specialist for two national broker-dealers. He has also owned both a mortgage company specializing in financing for real estate developers and a Southern California-based real estate company.  Mr. Bendix is a frequent presenter to real estate professionals and their clients and is an accredited California Department of Real Estate continuing education instructor on the topics of Tenant in Common Investments, Delaware Statutory Trusts, and IRS Section 1031.

Mr. Bendix received a B.S. in Information and Computer Science from the University of California at lrvine.  He holds Series 7 (General Securities Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent) FINRA registrations and is a licensed California Real Estate broker. Mike is active in the real estate securities industry serving as a member of DFPG's Investment Committee and the Legislative and Regulatory Committee for the Real Estate Investment Securities Association (REISA).  He enjoys golf, hiking, travel and spending time with his wife and three children.

*Neither Bridge Equities, Mike Bendix, nor DFPG provide tax or legal advice, as such advice can only be provided by a qualified tax or legal professional, who all investors should consult prior to making any investment decision.

Ryan O. Smith

President & CEO

Ryan O. Smith is co-founder of DFPG Investments, Inc. and currently serves and President and CEO. Mr. Smith has been involved in the securities industry since 2001.

Prior to founding DFPG Investments, he was a registered representative with Mutual of New York as well as AXA Financial. In 2004, Mr. Smith co-founded Diversified Financial Planning, Inc., a company that continues to provide investment, insurance and lending services to clients throughout the western United States. Diversified Financial Planning was awarded the 2010 and 2011 Utah 100 award, which recognizes the 100 fastest growing companies in Utah. They were featured in Utah Business Magazine as recipients of the 2010 and 2011 NABCAP Premier Advisor Award, which recognizes the top financial advisory firms in Utah, based upon strict criteria by the National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices. Mr. Smith is also an endorsed local provider for New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated talk show host Dave Ramsey.

Mr. Smith specializes in securitized commercial real estate analysis and capital funding. He has served on numerous investment committees for multiple firms. He has helped developed real estate due diligence models and reviewed hundreds of commercial real estate offerings, including assets in office, retail, multi-family, oil & gas, industrial, self-storage and more.

Mr. Smith received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Utah. He currently holds active Series 7, 24, 63 and 66 securities registrations as well Life, Health, Property and Casualty Insurance licenses.

Ryan and his wife Alisha reside in Cottonwood Heights, Utah with their two daughters. He enjoys sports, reading and traveling with his family.

Daniel J. Luke, CFP®

Daniel J. Luke is co-founder of DFPG Investments, Inc. Mr. Luke has been involved in the finance industry since 1993. Prior to founding DFPG, he was involved in the banking industry. He spent 3 years with Zion's Bank and two years with First Utah Bank. He became a principal mortgage broker and was responsible for the oversight, origination and procurement of over $100 million of real estate loans. Mr. Luke joined Mutual of New York in 2001 (later acquired by AXA Financial) and as an investment advisor and registered representative, he analyzed and managed client portfolios. In 2004, Mr. Luke co-founded Diversified Financial Planning, Inc., a company that continues to provide investment, insurance and lending services to clients throughout the western United States. Diversified Financial Planning was awarded the 2010 and 2011 Utah 100 award, which recognizes the 100 fastest growing companies in Utah. They were featured in Utah Business Magazine as recipients of the 2010 and 2011 NABCAP Premier Advisor Award, which recognizes the top financial advisory firms in Utah, based upon strict criteria by the National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices.

For nearly a decade, Mr. Luke has been an endorsed local provider for New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio and talk show host, Dave Ramsey. He has also been recommended by the Utah State Bar Association since 2005. Mr. Luke is recognized for his in-depth knowledge of financial planning and has been asked to speak and present at dozens of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University courses across the western United States as well as other industry sponsored events.

Mr. Luke received a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Utah and is a Certified Financial Planner TM. He holds active series 7, 63 and 66 securities registrations and holds a Principal Mortgage License. Mr. Luke also holds active Life, Health, Property & Casualty Insurance licenses. Dan and his wife M'Lisa reside in Sandy, Utah with their 4 boys. Dan is an avid water-skier and snow-skier and enjoys his time with family and friends.

Charles R. Badalamenti

Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Financial Officer

Charles R. Badalamenti has worked in the securities industry since 1979 with a predominant emphasis on compliance and financial operations. He currently serves as the Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Financial Officer for DFPG Investments.

Mr. Badalamenti was an Operations Manager and Compliance Officer with Integrated Resources in NYC from 1979 to 1989. From 1989 to 1999 he managed Securities Transfer and Tender Offer Services at Trust Company of America / GEMISYS Securities in Denver, Colorado. He was Chief Compliance Officer for all three divisions, and the Chief Financial Officer of the Brokerage Division. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Badalamenti was the Chief Compliance Officer and Operations Manager for The Madison Avenue Capital Group, headquartered in NYC. In 2001, he formed Sentinel Compliance Group, a broker-dealer consulting firm located in Denver, Colorado.

Mr. Badalamenti attended Fordham University in NYC, and completed his studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He currently attends the FINRA Institute at Wharton Business School and holds active Series 7, 24, 27 and 63 registrations.