Anthony F. Marone, Jr. serves as our Chief Financial Officer and has previously served as our Principal Accounting Officer since 2013 and as our Controller since 2008. Mr. Marone is also a Managing Director and the Chief Financial Officer of Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies, which encompasses all of Blackstone’s commercial real estate debt investment vehicles, including the Company. Before joining Blackstone in 2012, Mr. Marone was a Vice President and Controller of Capital Trust, Inc. whose wholly owned manager was acquired by Blackstone in December 2012. Previously, Mr. Marone worked in the Real Estate Assurance practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where he provided audit and other assurance services to various real estate companies. Mr. Marone received a B.S. and an M.B.A. from Rutgers University and is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant.