Kase Abusharkh
Kase Abusharkh is a Partner at Verlaine Capital and the Founding Principal of The Kase Group. Since beginning his real estate career, he has developed deep expertise in the acquisition, financing, and development of commercial real estate. Most recently, Mr. Abusharkh served as Chief Investment Officer of American Realty Capital – Retail Centers of America, Inc., a publicly registered non-traded REIT based in New York City. Over his three-year tenure, he oversaw a $1 billion equity raise and directed the acquisition of 7.5 million square feet of retail shopping centers valued at $1.2 billion. He concluded his role by guiding the successful merger of Retail Centers of America with American Finance Trust, creating a $4 billion diversified REIT.
At Verlaine Capital (formerly Bear Equities), Mr. Abusharkh leads principal investments across real estate, technology, and food & beverage sectors. Since 2020, the firm has completed more than 50 commercial real estate transactions for approximately $200 million as a principal investor. Its affiliate, Watch Hill Development, provides financing solutions to real estate developers and investors.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mr. Abusharkh is deeply committed to philanthropy. He established the Kase, Jeannine and Jacob Abusharkh Endowment at Stanford University School of Medicine to support kidney transplant research and improve clinical outcomes. He also created the Kase, Jacob and Jeannine Abusharkh Endowment at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, which funds a four-year scholarship for students whose lives have been affected by illness. Additionally, he has endowed the Abusharkh Family Athletic Training and Injury Rehabilitation Center at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, where he serves on the Board of Regents. His broader civic contributions include support of Hearts of Gold, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of homeless mothers and children, for which he was honored with the Humanitarian of the Year Award. He has also been recognized by Real Estate Forum’s “50 Under 40” and is a Club for Growth Fellow.
Mr. Abusharkh is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California, holds a master’s degree from Brown University in Providence, RI and received an MBA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.