Russian bankers visit GFC.

Eager to learn how the U.S. investment community works, top Russian bankers reaped an unexpected dividend during their recent visit to New York's financial district - an inside look at one of America's fastest growing financial and real estate services companies.

The seven member Russian delegation, headed by Nikolai G. Antonov, chairman of the National Investment Bank of Russia, was treated to a four-hour seminar, tour and luncheon at the Broadway headquarters of GFC Capital Resources Group.

It's not hard to understand why GFC was selected to share its insights and experiences with these future capitalists from Moscow. Founded as a tiny neighborhood mortgage company in the early 1980s, GFC today has 350 employees, divisions In mortgage banking, commercial sales and finance, property management, commercial and industrial lending and insurance, and offices throughout New York as well as in New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida.

"We've managed to survive and grow in a very challenging and competitive financial marketplace," said GFC president and co-founder Allen I. Gross. "Our Russian friends were very interested in learning how we accomplished that."

The U.S. tour was sponsored by the American People Ambassador Program and included visits to Republic National Bank, Dean Witter Reynolds and the Federal Reserve.

In addition to Antonov, the Russian delegation included the chief accountant and two economists from Inzer Commercial Bank, the president of Bashenergobank Commercial Bank and the Deputy Chairperson of the National Investment Bank of Russia.