REUVEN BIRNKRANT
Reuven Birnkrant is CEO of PetroCal Associates. Since joining the firm at the end of 2009, Mr. Birnkrant has been involved in the development, financing, purchase, and sale of over $1 billion of carwash and gas station projects throughout the United States. In every deal, Reuven takes a long-term approach to a client’s needs to ensure that a transaction completed today not only accomplishes today’s goals, but also positions a client to achieve tomorrow’s goals as well. Previous clients range in size from some of the largest operators in the industry to mom-and-pop operators building their first location, many of which he’s helped start, expand, and ultimately exit. From clients to lenders to vendors, Reuven takes great pride in building long-term relationships allowing him to support the needs of those around him and has created a company culture that embodies the same.
Reuven is a published author in various trade publications and an experienced lecturer on the topic of financing for automotive properties for various organizations including the Western Carwash Association, Southwest Car Wash Association, California Fuels & Convenience Alliance, Sonny’s Car Wash College, and the International Carwash Association. Born in Washington D.C. and raised in Bethesda, MD Reuven attended the University of Virginia where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and American Politics. He lives in Los Angeles with his three young children, two daughters and a son, and his wife Dorielle.
DORIELLE BIRNKRANT
Dorielle Birnkrant is the COO/CMO of PetroCal Associates. Dorielle is a strategic thinker and an accomplished executive with expertise in managing and growing teams, developing and implementing operational processes and marketing strategies, and sponsorship and partnership negotiations, having established a track record of building and sustaining highly visible client, partner, and vendor relationships. Dorielle is most proud of having her employees say she was their best manager, and her clients say that she was their best advocate.
Born in Los Angeles, Dorielle attended Harvard-Westlake before heading off to earn her Bachelor of the Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and her MBA from Ben-Gurion University. Dorielle then spent eight-years at House of Blues/Live Nation Entertainment/Ticketmaster where she rose to Senior Manager and Team Lead of the Sponsorship Marketing Group overseeing an annual marketing budget of $60 million while working with nearly one third of the professional sports teams in the United States.
In 2014, she brought her team building, negotiation, and marketing skills to PetroCal Associates where she partnered with her husband Reuven. Today she is responsible for company operations and marketing at PetroCal Associates. In her first 5 years at PetroCal she helped drive 213% growth in loans financed.
In 2022, the International Carwash Association’s (ICA) Carwash Magazine included Dorielle as one of the 13 most powerful women in the carwash industry in a fascinating article. She is a founding member of the ICA’s Women in Leadership Group and proudly attends the annual leadership events amongst her mentors and peers in the industry.
Outside PetroCal, Dorielle has been on the Board of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces for the past decade supporting Israeli soldiers and their families. She lives in Los Angeles with her family including her three young children, two daughters and a son, husband Reuven, and an adorable mini-bernedoodle Maggie. She loves to organize and use a label-maker, make beautiful flower arrangements, and befriend all the best vendors at the local farmer’s market.
RYAN DAME
Ryan Dame is the VP - Finance at PetroCal Associates. He previously worked as a commercial loan underwriter for United Bank of Michigan, Chemical Bank, TCF Bank as well as a loan review officer for Green Bank in Houston, TX. He graduated with an MBA from Davenport University. When not working he enjoys spending time with friends and family and traveling.
GABE FLOHR
Gabe Flohr is the Business Development Officer at PetroCal Associates. He previously worked as an associate loan officer and relationship manager at Genesis Capital where he was responsible for the structuring, underwriting and placement of $350MM in debt financing across various asset classes and product types. Prior to Genesis, Gabe worked as a financial analyst for LaSalle Investment Management. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Economics. When Gabe is not working, he enjoys spending time with friends and family and golfing.
MAGGIE
The grandaughter of International Dog Show award winning Bernese Mountain Dog Helga McKibble of Budapest, Hungary, Maggie is a European Old World Bernedoodle. Despite her pedigree, Maggie believes she is human and can often be found standing and walking on her back paws. Her pensive face leads many to believe she was a philosophy professor in a past life and can’t wait to be reincarnated as a human. She loves to sit in laps and be included in meetings.
Rocky Balboa
The original Tamagotchi, Rocky Balboa has been in the family since the mid-70s and originally hails from the Moon. He’s tough and a fierce competitor when put in attack mode. However, since retiring from his fighting days you can normally see him in the Conference Room avidly listening to meetings.
Why Clients Keep Coming Back
“I’ve secured 5 loans with PetroCal Associates over the past 10 years. Recently they arranged financing for me to acquire and renovate a full-service carwash, on leased land, using 1031 exchange funds, that I was redeveloping into an express carwash immediately after closing. They helped me structure everything in a way that worked for the SBA 504 program and got me a great loan for a very complex deal, all during COVID-19. I would never go anywhere else.”