Kip Dunkelberger
President, U.S. Capital Markets
Education
Kip comes from a Business Management background at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, and he applies a strong understanding of finance, strategy, and leadership to his work in capital markets.
Interests
- Golf and skiing
- Travel and exploration
- Spending time with family
- Helping others achieve their personal and professional goals
Contact
My name is Kip Dunkelberger, and I serve as the President of U.S. Capital Markets and a shareholder of Peakhill, as we drive to expand our U.S. footprint. I am focused on building a high-performing national origination team, strengthening our life company and institutional relationships, and ensuring that every client interaction reflects our core values: clarity, simplicity, trust, and long-term partnership.
Our competitive edge comes at the intersection of talent and flexible capital. We are not bound to a single capital source, which allows us to find the right solution for the right client at the right time. Our approach is simple: hire exceptional people, give them proven tools, reinforce strong processes, and let them build relationships without micromanagement. In a market defined by volatility and opportunity, talent and trust are our true competitive advantages.
“I lead by helping each person stay aligned with their own goals, as motivation that comes from within is always stronger. I expect my team to be coachable, confident, and persistent. These traits are applicable in sports, business, and life. We all have blind spots; we all have moments where we struggle. But if we stay coachable, believe we can grow, and persist through the difficult stretches, we will achieve great things together.”
Peak Performance
My proudest achievement has been stewarding the evolution of Venture Commercial Mortgage into Peakhill’s U.S. Capital Markets platform. I’ve spent 25+ years working on transactions from under $1M to nearly $100M. Along the way, I’ve learned that talent, clarity of purpose, and deep relationships are what drive successful outcomes.
The integration with Peakhill allowed us to bring those principles to a larger stage. I’m especially proud of how our combined team has rallied behind a shared vision: simplifying the financing process, aligning with a client’s “why” from day one, and structuring solutions that honor both sides of the relationship as a borrower and lender. The acquisition wasn’t just about scaling revenue; it was about scaling impact, trust, and opportunity for the clients and producers we serve. Click to read the press release.
Entrepreneurial
Trusted
Relational
Peakhill in 3 Words
What is one book/podcast/TED talk that has made an impact on you?
Simon Sinek’s 2009 TED Talk on “The Golden Circle” remains one of the most influential frameworks in my leadership journey. The simplicity of “Start with Why” continues to guide how I approach building teams and serving clients. It reminds me that clarity and purpose—not products or pricing—are what truly differentiate an organization.
Books like “E-Myth”, “The Goal”, “Traction”, and “Good to Great” have reinforced this message in different ways. “E-Myth” by Michael Gerber reshaped how I think about building systems; “The Goal” by Eliyahu Goldratt sharpened my focus on constraints and flow; Gino Wickman’s “Traction” provided structure and accountability; and James Collins’ “Good to Great” reinforced that disciplined people, thought, and action build companies that last. These works anchor my philosophy: purpose first, people always, process as the multiplier.
Peakhill had acquired Venture Commercial Mortgage to expand its U.S. lending efforts. How has the merger evolved since the integration, and what key factors have driven its success so far?
The integration of Venture Commercial Mortgage into Peakhill has transformed our U.S. platform in 3 major ways: scale, diversification, and talent. Venture brought 35 years of life company and institutional relationships; Peakhill brought balance sheet strength, an entrepreneurial culture, and a national vision. Together, we’ve unlocked a platform capable of serving clients with bridge lending, fixed-rate life-company debt, structured finance, and equity—across every major asset class.
What has driven our early success is alignment. We share the same values: long-term relationships, integrity, and a belief that great organizations are built around great people. We’ve also adopted a more intentional recruiting strategy, ensuring we bring on individuals who are coachable, confident, and persistent.
Our focus now is on scaling originations nationally and building a servicing platform exceeding $1B in the next 3–5 years—through both organic growth and selective acquisitions. The foundation is built; now we’re accelerating.
