Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate

In this episode of Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate, RCLCO's Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives, Joshua Boren, sits down with Arturo Sneider, Co-Founder & CEO of Primestor minority-owned and led real estate developer and investment firm based in Culver City, CA

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate episode, Taylor Mammen, CEO of RCLCO Fund Advisors, sits down with Heather Fernstrom Border and Jennifer Stevens, Co-Founders and Managing Partners at Alliance Global Advisors

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate episode, RCLCO's Joshua Boren, sits down with Shelley Brindle, Mayor of Westfield New Jersey and Doug Adams, Senior Vice President, Development at Streetworks Development

In this special episode of Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate, listen to the recent webinar where leaders of the new partnership, Eric Willett, Adam Ducker, Ellen Klasson, and Jim Wright, discussed challenges real estate companies are facing today regarding talent management, trends in employee and executive compensation, and answered questions from the audience.

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate episode, RCLCO's CEO Adam Ducker interviews Ellen Dunham-Jones

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate episode, RCLCO's CEO Adam Ducker interviews JP Testwuide and Andrew Lang of Alterra Mountain Company

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate episode, RCLCO's Joshua Boren interviews the President of Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, Bryant Park Corp., & 34th Street Partnership Dan Biederman

In this Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate podcast episode, RCLCO Fund Advisors' CEO Taylor Mammen interviews the founder and managing partner of Park Madison Partners, Nancy Lashine

In this podcast RCLCO interviews CEO of 2HSQ Robert Seldin, who is the US Patent Inventor for the proprietary 2HSQ live/work building conversion and construction method and apartment operating system.

In this podcast RCLCO interviews CalSTRS' Investment Director of Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies and Portfolio Manager responsible for residential assets.

In this podcast RCLCO interviews Bell Partners' President and CEO, Lili Dunn, discussing her career journey, how as the new CEO she is positioning Bell Partners for success, and her five pieces of advice for people breaking into the industry.

In this podcast RCLCO welcomes Ellen Klasson to the firm, discussing her 20-year career journey, experience as a female leader in real estate, and insights into executive recruiting.

Managing Director Joshua Boren speaks with Alliant Strategic Development Co-Founder & CEO, Eddie Lorin, about his personal  journey, including how an orphaned 17 year old became the co-founder of a multifamily real estate investment firm, as well as his passionate mission to increase affordable and workforce housing across the country.

Managing Director Eric Willett speaks with Centerspace's Chief Operating Officer, Anne Olson, about growing up on a farm before starting a career as a lawyer. Olson discusses the value proposition that Centerspace is providing in their selected markets and addresses how the firm is creating the internal infrastructure to support increasingly critical ESG efforts.

Managing Director Joshua Boren speaks with NewMark Merrill Companies' President & Chief Executive Officer, Sandy Sigal, about how learning computer programming at a young age led to a career in real estate. He also addresses the remarkable resiliency of consumer demand for in-store retail experiences, especially within the context of the rapid growth of e-commerce and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this special episode of Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate, Chief Executive Officer of RCLCO Fund Advisors, Taylor Mammen, speaks with Adam Ducker, Chief Executive Officer of RCLCO, about the state of the market, how RCLCO is helping clients respond, and what real estate practitioners can expect for 2022.

The big stories and macro-trends that every real estate company needs to be embracing.

Principal Kelly Mangold speaks with Torti Gallas + Partners' Principal, Brian O'Looney, about starting a career as an intern for the legendary architect Cesar Pelli and choosing architectural design as an alternative to an automotive design career. O'Looney discusses the process of writing his book, Increments of Neighborhood: A Compendium of Built Types for Walkable and Vibrant Communities, and RCLCO's contribution of original research and analysis.

Managing Director Joshua Boren speaks with United Soccer League's Global Chair/Founder, Justin Papadakis, about starting a career working for real estate companies before transitioning to join the “family business” of USL. Papadakis discusses the changing landscape of live entertainment, the impacts on stadium and venue design, and how USL responds to these long-term trends. He addresses the complexity of stadium deals and the importance of creating partnerships with local communities across the municipal, business, and philanthropic sectors throughout the U.S.

Chief Executive Officer Adam Ducker speaks with Populous' Global Chair/Founder, Earl Santee, about what's next in the decade ahead for venue development. Santee discusses Populous' history of planning and designing Olympic venues through collaboration with local and international Olympics committees. He addresses the potential urbanizing impacts of venue development on surrounding neighborhoods and delves into how his firm has adapted to the challenges of the hybrid work model in an international context.

Managing Director Todd LaRue speaks with Cecilian Partners' CEO & Co-Founder, John Cecilian, Jr. about his personal career journey and thoughts on the evolving homebuilding industry. Cecilian Jr. discusses beginning his career in retail before transitioning to the “family business” of real estate, and what lessons he learned that gave a unique perspective into that industry switch. He addresses the importance of equally prioritizing work, family, and self to create balance and grow as a person and leader, and delves into the issues that businesses are facing as digital transformation brings more technology into the daily work of the real estate industry.

Managing Director Todd LaRue speaks with Convergence Investments' Founder & Managing Partner, Colby Cox. Cox discusses his unique professional work history, starting the company at age 22 after finishing his undergraduate degree, falling in love with the pace and momentum of real estate dealmaking, and how he balances risk-taking between personal endeavors (such as paragliding and snowboarding) with the professional risk management of real estate development.

RFA CEO Taylor Mammen speaks with Pyramid Hotel Group’s President & CEO, Warren Fields. Fields discusses his career journey, from entering the workforce at Wendy’s, and going to Cornell. He addresses what operators and investors of other property types can learn about running a business from the hotel sector, and how traditional expectations about qualifications needed to succeed are changing throughout the industry.

RCLCO’s Chief Executive Officer, Adam Ducker, speaks with Pappas Properties’ Founder & CEO, Peter Pappas. Pappas discusses growing up in Charlotte, South Carolina, starting a real estate career with The Bissell Companies, creating a business vision based on the broad long-term evolution of urban markets, and leading the industry in the shift to focus on the opportunities to take sophisticated mixed-use product to suburban markets.

RCLCO’s Chief Executive Officer, Adam Ducker, speaks with Pellas Development’s Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Hernandez, about the beginnings of Carlos’ career in real estate starting with growing up in Mexico and working as a construction manager, the unique impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic within Central America real estate markets, and the story of the primary housing market performance in the region throughout the most recent real estate cycle.

In this special episode, hear key insights from nine real estate leaders as we look back at how our Best Minds cohort adapts to shifting market dynamics in the past, present, and future. Hosted by Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives, Joshua Boren.

RCLCO Real Estate Advisors, announced today that after leading the firm for 40 years, CEO Gadi Kaufmann has transitioned to the role of Chairman, promoting long-term colleagues and fellow members of the Executive Committee, Taylor Mammen and Adam Ducker to CEOs of RCLCO’s business units.

RCLCO’s Director of Business Development, Joshua A. Boren, speaks with George Smith Partners’ Principal & Co-Founder, Gary E. Mozer, about managing expectations during this period of market uncertainty as transaction volume has slowed; his strategies for successfully balancing work, home, and community life; and the importance of mentoring the next generation of real estate practitioners through ULI and other professional organizations.

How is Avalon Bay changing their business model to respond to the challenges and opportunities of 2020 and beyond? In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Charles A. Hewlett, speaks with AvalonBay Communities’ SVP of Strategic Initiatives, Karen Hollinger, about her career journey from overseas consulting to domestic real estate, how automation and PropTech is disrupting the multifamily sector, and the impact of the pandemic on the rental apartment industry. She also describes how technology has made it possible to lower operating costs at AvalonBay’s newest concept community, Kanso Twinbrook. “Given the influx of capital from the venture capital space, and just PropTech in general exploding, there’s a lot of ways you can mimic an institutional player.” – Karen Hollinger About Karen Hollinger & AvalonBay Communities Karen Hollinger is Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at AvalonBay Communities and is responsible for leading large strategic corporate initiatives. She also is point on innovation initiatives and for venture-capital investment. She is considered an expert in the multifamily industry, especially in matters related to “PropTech” and technology, and has spoken frequently in the industry. AvalonBay Communities, Inc., an equity REIT, has a long-term track record of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing distinctive apartment homes in some of the best U.S. markets, and delivering outsized, risk-adjusted returns to shareholders. With equal parts experience and vision, they’ve established a leadership position rooted in building value for the long term. About Charles A. Hewlett & RCLCO Charles A. Hewlett is a Managing Director based out of the Washington, DC office. He has over 25 years of real estate consulting experience and has advised on commercial and residential properties in most major metropolitan regions. His areas of specialization include corporate, portfolio, and asset-level strategic planning; economic, market, financial feasibility and metropolitan development trend analyses; as well as litigation consulting. Charles has written articles published in the Corridor Real Estate Journal, UrbanLand, and publications of the National Multi Housing Council. He is the author of Strategy Planning for Real Estate Companies. RCLCO is proud to be the “first call” for real estate developers, investors, the public sector, and non-real estate organizations seeking strategic and tactical advice regarding property investment, planning, and development. RCLCO leverages quantitative analytics and a strategic planning framework to provide end-to-end business planning and implementation solutions at an entity, portfolio, or project level. Topics in this episode include: How the AvalonBay family is faring during COVID-19 The biggest challenges of the pandemic and the surprising upsides The lasting impacts of this pandemic on the rental apartment industry and what the post-COVID “new normal” will look like What AvalonBay is doing to change the business model to respond to these challenges and opportunities The impact of technology on real estate over the course of Karen’s career and predicted future impacts How AvalonBay is automating the sales and leasing process, including their new concept community, Kanso Twinbrook How AvalonBay thinks about data as a strategic edge to think about development decisions How the influx of venture capital funds in the “Proptech” space impacts multifamily operations beyond the largest institutional competitors The impact of newer leading-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, could impact real estate The people and resources that have been most valuable over Karen’s career BROWSE MORE PODCAST EPISODES

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Todd LaRue, speaks with Legacy International CEO, Philip Jalufka, about the process of selecting the right developers and projects to work with; the strategy behind creating a vertically-integrated capital deployment arm of the business; and how Legacy International has responded to COVID-19 through enhanced communication and a full embrace of the digital transformationthat is fundamentally changing the business world.

In this episode, RCLCO Senior Managing Director, Taylor Mammen, speaks with Oregon State Treasury Senior Real Estate Investment Officer, Anthony Breault, about how leadership-intensive military experience built the skills needed for a real estate career, the challenge of creating rigorous investment processes while being flexible enough to respond to market conditions, and creating a culture that emphasizes fiduciary responsibility.

In this episode, RCLCO Senior Managing Director, Taylor Mammen, speaks with Oregon State Treasury Senior Real Estate Investment Officer, Anthony Breault, about how leadership-intensive military experience built the skills needed for a real estate career, the challenge of creating rigorous investment processes while being flexible enough to respond to market conditions, and creating a culture that emphasizes fiduciary responsibility.

In this episode, RCLCO Senior Managing Director, Taylor Mammen, speaks with 3650 Capital Managing Partners and Co-Founders, Justin Kennedy and Jonathan Roth, about coming up in the real estate industry among the backdrop of the industry’s RTC era in the 1990s, how that crisis, among others, set the stage for Jonathan and Justin’s careers, and lessons learned about equity investing from a lender's position.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Charles A. Hewlett, speaks with Bell Partners Chief Operating Officer, Cindy Clare, about “falling into” a career in real estate; personal stories regarding the importance of communication and relationship-building; the challenges of onboarding new people and properties remotely during COVID-19; and her take on the rise of single-family rentals.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Gregg Logan, speaks with H. J. Russell & Company President, H. Jerome Russell, about starting a career in real estate as a project manager for a $5M development, how to prioritize “doing well, while doing good”, and what H.J. Russell is doing to address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 downturn.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director Gregg Logan speaks with Schroeder-Manatee Ranch President and CEO, Rex Jensen, about pivoting to real estate after beginning a career in law, how to communicate an executive vision that “sees three chess moves ahead” to all internal stakeholders, and what the success of Lakewood Ranch means for the future of the master-planned community concept.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director Gregg Logan speaks with Schroeder-Manatee Ranch President and CEO, Rex Jensen, about pivoting to real estate after beginning a career in law, how to communicate an executive vision that “sees three chess moves ahead” to all internal stakeholders, and what the success of Lakewood Ranch means for the future of the master-planned community concept.

In this episode, RCLCO CEO and Managing Director, Gadi Kaufmann, speaks with Turner Impact Capital CEO, Bobby Turner, about leaving Wall Street to pursue social impact investing, creating the first social impact fund in 1998 with Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and expanding the scope of social impact investing metrics to include healthcare, education, and workforce housing initiatives.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Gregg Logan, speaks with Tavistock Development Company President, Jim Zboril, about integrating public art into real estate development, utilizing parks and restaurants for creative placemaking, and the synergies that come from mixed-use development.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Gregg Logan, speaks with Weyerhaeuser Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Energy and Natural Resources, Jim Kilberg, for a conversation about balancing entrepreneurial spirit with organizational discipline, the role of partnerships and joint ventures in leveraging value from an extensive land portfolio, and navigating the complexities of the regulatory environment on the state and federal levels.

In this episode, RCLCO CEO and Managing Director, Gadi Kaufmann, speaks with CapRidge Partners’ Founding Partner, Steve LeBlanc, for a conversation about the growth in alternative investments for institutional investors and family offices, and the relationship between GP's and LP's.

In this episode, RCLCO Senior Managing Director, Adam Ducker, speaks with Strategic Property Partners CEO, James Nozar, for a conversation about expanding the definition of sports-anchored entertainment districts, establishing company culture from scratch in a new venture, and lessons learned from an extensive career in real estate consulting and development.

In this episode, RCLCO CEO and Managing Director, Gadi Kaufmann, speaks with Republic Property Group Co-CEOs, Tony Ruggeri and Jake Wagner.

In this episode, RCLCO CEO and Managing Director, Gadi Kaufmann, speaks with H.G. Fenton Company President and CEO, Mike Neal, for a conversation about creating a positive company culture for multiple stakeholders, balancing the pace of growth with fiscal discipline, and financially preparing for changes in the real estate cycle.

In this episode, RCLCO Managing Director, Charles Hewlett, speaks with The Bozzuto Group’s Chairman and Co-Founder, Tom Bozzuto, and President and CEO, Toby Bozzuto, for a conversation about succession planning , the demographic changes facing the apartment rental market, advice for young executives, and the challenges, as well as the benefits, of working in a family business.

In the latest installation of our podcast series, Charles R. Brindell Jr. of Mill Creek Residential Trust joins RCLCO CEO & Managing Director, Gadi Kaufmann, to discuss the changing landscape of multifamily development, the viability of scaling a “sharpshooter” strategy, and navigating the details of a recapitalization transaction.

In our inaugural episode, RCLCO CEO & Managing Director Gadi Kaufmann sits down with Tricon Capital Managing Director Andy Carmody for a conversation about maintaining a healthy work-life balance as an executive, how to measure success, and lessons learned throughout a career in real estate.