Zeitlin & Company Realtors has named mortgage lending veteran Sam Averbuch as the company’s new chief financial officer.

Averbuch will also lead Shelter Mortgage, a new division that will market loans to area home buyers, and has merged Midtown Mortgage – which he founded four years ago – into the residential real estate brokerage. Zeitlin has partnered with Wisconsin-based Guaranty Bank, which has $1.3 billion in assets and offices in five states, to launch Shelter Mortgage.

“Sam brings astute financial acumen to the position of CFO and to our new Shelter Mortgage division,” said CEO Shirley Zeitlin. “In-house mortgage capabilities will enable home buyers to successfully navigate the challenging real estate environment, in close coordination with our sales team.”

Prior to starting Midtown Mortgage, Averbuch worked at the mortgage units of First Tennessee Bank and Union Planters Bank. Before that, he worked for CitySearch and AOL in advertising sales and business development. He earned a bachelors degree in business and political science from Washington University in St. Louis.