William Elder is the Managing Director of RXR’s New York City division and an Executive Vice President of RXR. Mr. Elder is responsible for the oversight and management of the Company’s New York City office.

Previously, Mr. Elder worked with RXR’s senior management in expanding and managing Reckson Associates Realty Corp.’s six-building, 5.5 million-square-foot NYC portfolio before Reckson was sold to SL Green Realty Corp. in 2007.

Mr. Elder most recently was Senior Managing Director in the strategic agency services group at Cushman & Wakefield. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of leasing at Ruben Co. Elder has also held senior positions at SL Green and Shorenstein Co.

Mr. Elder holds a BS from Wagner College and is a board member and treasurer of the East Side House Settlement, an educationally focused charity located in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. He is also a member of the Real Estate Board of New York.

Joe Plotkin is director of business development for Stealth Communications, an independently owned ISP in New York City. Stealth has built its own state-of-the-art fiber network throughout the city, and provides multi-gigabit connectivity to businesses.

Plotkin has been at the forefront of broadband connectivity for over two decades, filling a variety of ISP roles. Prior to joining Stealth, he founded a start-up WISP in upstate New You, with a mission to bridge the rural broadband gap. Previously, he led marketing efforts for Bway.net, beginning with the U.S. rollout of DSL.

He also serves on the board of directors for the Internet Society’s New York Chapter (ISOC-NY.) He holds a master’s degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP).

Bill represents clients in the real estate industry in connection with acquisitions and

dispositions of properties in all asset classes, commercial leasing of both office and

retail from both the landlord and tenant sides, and real estate financing representing

both lenders and borrowers.

On the leasing side, Bill represents landlords, tenants, sublandlords, and subtenants in connection to office

leases and subleases, as well as retail leases for national retailers. With respect to acquisitions and dispositions,

he represents buyers and sellers of commercial properties across all asset classes. On the lending side, Bill represents lenders and borrowers in connection with complex real estate financings (including both mortgage

and mezzanine loans) related to the acquisition, construction, or refinancing of commercial properties

throughout the United States.

Bill has also represented various financial institutions in connection with restructurings of distressed assets

including workouts, forbearance agreements, notes sales, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure agreements, and litigation

related to foreclosures of real property.

Ryan Simonetti is the CEO and co-founder of Convene Hospitality Group, a global hospitality company that manages a growing portfolio of lifestyle brands focused on revolutionizing the way people meet, work, and gather. The company designs, develops, and operates premium meeting and event venues, flexible office spaces, membership clubs, and hospitality infused amenity centers across its core brands: Convene and etc.venues by Convene.

After a dynamic career spanning real estate finance, acquisitions, and development, Ryan co-founded Convene in 2009 with the goal of bringing lifestyle hospitality into commercial real estate assets. Under his leadership, Convene has become the largest single provider of non-hotel meeting and event venues in the US and UK with a network of nearly 40 locations across nine cities.

Ryan has been named to Crain’s New York “Most Notable in Real Estate” list, Commercial Observer’s Power PropTech List,Real Estate Forum’s 50 Under 40, Inc. magazine’s 30 Under 30, and was a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year® New York. Beyond Convene, he is the co-founder and chairman of Ease Capital and an active supporter of CoreNet Global.

Wendy brings an impressive background with extensive experience in business development, operations, and strategic implementation for some of North America’s largest commercial food service providers. Most recently, she led a transformative journey as President of a corporate catering company, establishing it as a dynamic leader in New York City’s commissary-based dining space. As Chief Growth Officer, Wendy will focus on driving expansion and enhancing Infuse’s reach in the market. Her entrepreneurial spirit, passion for culinary innovation, and strategic expertise are a perfect match for our ambitious growth goals.

Joseph J. Pollaci joined Nucor Construction Corp in 2011 following a nearly decade-long career in commercial real estate, specializing as a tenant representative.

Joseph joined Nucor as a project executive to support operations in the field, while also acting as a sales executive to drive business development. He assumed operational control in 2014 and was shortly appointed President. Under his leadership, the company has more than doubled in both size and revenue—and aims to double again over the next 10 years. In 2019, Joseph led the strategic acquisition of a Long Island-based general contracting team, extending Nucor’s reach and strengthening its talent bench.

Joseph holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Providence College and serves as Executive Chairman of the Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on promoting peace and stability in conflict-affected regions of eastern Africa.

Michael Beyda is the Principal of Benchmark Properties, a broker and developer of New York office buildings. Michael has been active in New York for 20 years, primarily as a Tenant Advisor, and more recently as an active developer of an iconic Manhattan property. Michael has represented dozens of companies in acquiring and activating their New York workspaces. By way of this work, he brings a unique appreciation for what drives value for Tenants, and by implication, for Owners.

An undisputed leader in the industry, Paul J. Amrich, Vice Chairman in the New York City Advisory & Transaction Services Group, combines marketing intelligence and an incisive understanding of his clients’ goals to consistently achieve outstanding success in leasing and repositioning properties.

Mr. Amrich’s expertise lies in forging and nurturing alliances with the many landlords and financial institutions he serves. He has completed more than 20 million square feet of leasing transactions, and currently represents more than 25 million square feet of Class A office space on behalf of New York’s premier landlords.

Mr. Amrich is often tapped by the media, including Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, to offer his unique insight on the commercial real estate market. He regularly lends his expertise to panel discussions, including the CBRE New York office’s quarterly media updates, and profiled in publications like the Commercial Observer and The Real Deal.

Colleen Werner is the Founder and CEO of Playbook, a company transforming the future of the workplace through hospitality, placemaking, and human-centered design. Under her leadership, Playbook partners with leading owners and operators to reimagine office buildings as vibrant destinations—curating fitness, wellness, food & beverage, conferencing, and community programming that drive connection, productivity, and longevity.

Since launching the company in 2014, Colleen has grown Playbook into a national leader in workplace experience, working with top real-estate partners across 18 markets. A former professional ballet dancer turned entrepreneur, she brings the discipline of performance, the creativity of artistry, and the strategic rigor of a business leader to every project.

Colleen is a frequent speaker on the future of work, placemaking, and the intersection of hospitality and real estate. She is passionate about creating healthier, more connected workplaces that unlock human potential and ensure office buildings thrive in the new era of work.