Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> July 2, 2001

Betsy Cohen – Rait Investment Trust (ras)

BETSY Z. COHEN is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RAIT Investment Trust, a specialty finance real estate investment trust that provides structured financing to real estate professionals. She has more than 30 years of experience in real estate, banking and financial law, and real estate lending, investing and developing. Ms. Cohen also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of The Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NM:TBBK), an Internet bank that delivers financial services to its clients through the Bancorp Bank. Prior to her current positions, Ms. Cohen founded Jefferson Bank in 1974, where she served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until its sale to Hudson United Bancshares. Jeffbanks became the largest financial institution headquartered in Philadelphia with 31 branches in six counties. In 1999, Ms. Cohen was ranked number 89 in Working Woman magazine's list of the TOP 500 Business Women in the US. Among her many recognitions, Ms. Cohen was named one of the 50 Leading Female Entrepreneurs of the World in 1997 and one of the TOP 50 business women in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1996. Recently, Ms. Cohen was awarded Drexel University's 2004 Business Leader of the year Award. Profile
TWST: Could you begin by giving us a historical sketch of RAIT

Investment Trust and an overview of the company?

Ms. Cohen: The company began operations in January 1998 and in that year

raised