Bisnow Multifamily Annual Conference South Florida

As founder, President and COO of EDEN Multifamily – Jay S. Jacobson has, over his 30-year career in the multifamily industry developed over 25,000 multifamily units and invested in/acquired over 40,000 units located in over 30 sub-markets in 22 cities nationwide. EDEN Multifamily is currently developing over 1800 units throughout South Florida and the mid-Atlantic including Miami, North Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Charlotte. Product types range from 3 story walk up to 30 + story high rises. Prior to forming EDEN Multifamily with Jay Massirman, Mr. Jacobson served as the President of Stiles Residential Group in Fort Lauderdale and is a former national partner with Wood Partners. He was also a senior director of multi-family investments for Goldman Sachs Real Estate Services (fka Archon Group) and a managing director of Archstone Communities Trust. Jay also serves as the CEO of EDEN Living – a horizontal and townhome build for rent company that is engaged in the development of one-story apartment homes and two- story rental townhomes. EDEN Living is currently developing over 2100 units in the SE US including Charlotte, Raleigh, Jacksonville, West Melbourne, Orlando, Kissimmee, Wildwood, Ellenton and other locations. EDEN Living has partnered with a real estate investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (“MSREI) to expand the platform throughout the eastern US. Jay received a Bachelor of Architectural Design from the University of Florida and Master of Architecture and Urban Design from the University of Colorado. Jay grew up in south Florida and learned the development/construction business from the ground up--literally—starting at the age of 12 digging foundation ditches for his father’s construction company. Jay lives in Delray Beach Florida where he has served on the City of Delray Beach Planning and Zoning Board and is a member of the NMHC Board of Directors. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Miami’s School of Architecture MRED program. Jay uses his rare spare time flying around the world chasing any of the 12 types of billfish in the ocean—at last count he is up to 7.

Felicite Moorman is an attorney turned multi-exit technology entrepreneur. She’s received EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award and has earned an international reputation as a go-to IoT industry expert, developing pioneering strategic partnerships and unprecedented technology strategies and initiatives for the Internet of Things. Moorman is the CoFounder of STRATIS, a RealPage Company, and SaaS Platform for large-scale Internet of Things installations. STRATIS was named a top ten “Best Company in America” by Entrepreneur Magazine and ranked in the top twenty percent of Inc Magazine’s “Fastest Growing Companies” three consecutive years prior to acquisition. Moorman was simultaneously CEO of BuLogics, which designed, built, and certified hardware, software, and ecosystems for the Internet of Things. Moorman is an international speaker and columnist, and has been featured as a thought leader in dozens of mass media outlets and publications including: U.S. News & World Report, Fast Company, Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Yahoo! News, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Boston Globe, the Huffington Post, and others. She’s also a frequent writer, speaker, and presenter on the Internet of Things and has been featured at CES, SXSW, Samsung DevCon, Eric Ries’ Lean Startup Conference, Smart Cities Innovation Summit Asia, NMHC OpTech, NAA Apartmentalize, Greystar’s Innovation and WAM Summits, and more. Prior to STRATIS and BuLogics, Moorman launched the Emerging Technologies Division for GE’s Consumer and Home Electronics brand. Moorman quickly established her reputation in technology, engaging eight Fortune 500 companies in less than eighteen months, entering new vertical channels, and creating and beginning execution on the strategic plan to dominate the Internet of Things lighting peripherals market. Today the GE lighting line is a part of nearly every home automation and security platform offered in the United States. Early in her career, Moorman led a team that became the most sought after marketing and management partnership in Baltimore real estate. She expanded the companies to include nationwide finance, brokerage, legal, and insurance offerings. Moorman oversaw $1.5 billion dollars of transactions in less than five years, including property acquisition management for the $500 million dollar expansion of Rutgers University. Moorman recognizes the importance of giving back, especially within the Philadelphia community, and volunteers her time and expertise to the following organizations: NAA & NMHC’s Real Estate Technology Alliance (IoT Committee Co-Chair), Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator (Lead Mentor), SXSW (Mentor), Lean Startup Conference (Mentor), Philly Startup Leaders (Mentor), Dreamit Ventures (Mentor), and Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (Small Business Board Member). She is also a community activist and Chair of East Falls Forward, a Philadelphia Registered Community Organization focused on the revitalization of the Riverfront Business District. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and a Law School Club Founder.

With more than 28 years of experience in architectural design, project management, and community planning, Annabella directs the design, documentation, and administration of all projects initiated with the division. She has experience with all phases of community development from initial land attainment and zoning through construction closeout and owner-occupation requirements. The scope of this work includes land planning, as well as a wide range of architectural projects including residential, affordable housing, commercial, mixed-use, and urban infill projects, both within the continental US and abroad. A special area of expertise lies in the production of development planning strategies for multi-acre sites. Annabella is committed and very passionate about achieving the client’s vision which enables them to fully understand a property's potential and thereby maximize their land use and density. As the Senior Project Manager/Designer for The Martin Architectural Group, Florida Division, Annabella is a valued addition to our team.

John Zalkin is Sr. Vice President of Client Services for RKW Residential, responsible for building key relationships and measuring the success of customer satisfaction at the executive level. He has two decades of South Florida real estate experience, working closely with major multifamily developers and operators to identify project sites, evaluate complex transactions, secure financing, assist with building design and oversee construction. Earlier in his career, John directed all property management functions for a vast portfolio of multifamily and commercial properties in Miami Beach, Fla. His significant real estate industry involvement includes serving as Chair of AIPAC Florida's Real Estate Division and as a member of the National Multi Housing (NMHC) and Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Edson is the Director of Multifamily at Brilliant, a leading Smart Home and Smart Apartment company and recipient of the CES Innovation Award, the CTA TechHome Mark of Excellence, the IoT Breakthrough Award, and the CEDIA BEST Award. Edson is a Sales and Product Leader with experience across a variety of industries: IoT & Smart Apartments (Brilliant & Stratis IoT), Telecommunications (Dish Network) & Smart Multifamily Security (ADT Multifamily). Edson is a strong believer in the IoT Evolution within PropTech and has sat on the board for the National Apartment Association as well as multiple Apartment Associations across the country.

Paul Trenski is a Senior Account Manager in the multifamily development organization for Quantum Fiber, a segment within the Mass Markets division of Lumen, a global technology company based in Monroe, LA. serving customers in North America and 60 countries around the world.   Paul joined the company in 2014 and has held various roles throughout his career within the consumer and business organizations. Paul specializes in helping developers, builders and property management companies meet their objectives by leveraging fiber-based and Instant WiFi technology solutions across Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Paul holds a B.A. in Business Management from Florida International University and resides in Tampa, FL. He enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, golf, and football.

​​Arnaud Karsenti is the Managing Principal of 13th Floor Investments where his core focus is on management and growth of the firm. Mr. Karsenti is primarily responsible for the general direction of the firm’s investment strategy and overall capitalization. In this capacity, Mr. Karsenti’s role is one of new business origination, deal structuring, and investor relations. Mr. Karsenti has been active in the real estate business since 2003 when he began his real estate career assembling and developing land parcels in Miami’s urban cores. These initial one-off acquisitions led to the creation of 13th Floor in 2007, which has acquired, developed and managed over $1.5 billion in real asset value since inception. These transactions have ranged from property acquisitions to restructuring of distressed debt, fractured residential inventory, community district development bonds, and a host of joint venture structures. Prior to founding 13th Floor, Mr. Karsenti founded Collegeboxes, the nation’s leading college-based shipping and storage companies, which was acquired by U-Haul in 2004. Mr. Karsenti is an active member of the Young President’s Organization, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, and a variety of other local and national philanthropic organizations. Mr. Karsenti graduated cum laude from the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and holds an MBA from the Harvard School of Business.

Recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation, R. Donahue (Don) Peebles Jr. is Founder, Chairman, and CEO of The Peebles Corporation. In an era where social responsibility and inclusion are often seen as buzz-phrases, Mr. Peebles is actively influencing change and creating opportunities that positively impact communities, through Real Estate investment and development. The Peebles Corporation is among the leading privately held real estate and development companies in the United States, with a multi-billion dollar project portfolio, spanning key markets in the nation including: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Washington D.C. Mr. Peebles and The Peebles Corporation's uniqueness is guided by the company’s own principles of Affirmative Development (TM) to empower women and minorities in closing the wealth gap – with the aim of developing not just land or buildings, but also opportunities for people. Mr. Peebles is an industry leader in large scale real estate development through Public-Private Partnerships. Through construction excellence, sustainable materials, historic preservation and innovative design, every project is strategically selected to achieve transformative results for the company and community. Mr. Peebles is an avid supporter of mentoring underprivileged youth to expose them to the value of entrepreneurship. He is the former Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, is on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York, was a two-time former member of President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee, and the former Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Peebles is a frequent guest commentator on CNBC, CNN, FOX News and FOX Business Network. He has written two books entitled The Peebles Principles and The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth, which provide the fundamentals for individuals striving to succeed in real estate. The books articulate Mr. Peebles optimism and belief that everyone’s career goals are achievable. Growing up as a child raised by a single parent, in a middle-class home, to achieving multimillionaire status by the age 27, Mr. Peebles believes that dreams really can come true.

Ryan Shear manages the development of a growing real estate portfolio with over $10B in assets, including all acquisitions, financing, construction, design, marketing, sales and operations. Ryan primarily focuses on new construction condo and multifamily high rises in urban cores, including Miami, New York, Orlando, Denver, Atlanta and more. Recent condo projects he’s spearheaded include Echo Aventura, Echo Brickell, Muse Sunny Isles, Sage Longboat Key Residences, E11EVEN Hotel & Residences and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami. Recent multifamily projects include X Miami, Society Las Olas, Society Biscayne, Society Orlando and Society Wynwood. Ryan graduated with a BA in Business Administration from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in Atlanta.

Matt’s practice focuses on all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisition, disposition, financing, development, construction, and leasing matters. He represents buyers, sellers, lenders, landlords, and tenants. Loan transactions include fixed and adjustable rate loans, mezzanine loans, EB-5 financing, and construction loans. Matt also represents investors of distressed loans in foreclosure and bankruptcy proceedings and in out-of-court loan workouts. Matt’s practice includes the formation and representation of entities holding real estate assets. Matt previously served as Assistant General Counsel at LNR Partners, LLC, the nation’s largest special servicer of commercial mortgage backed securities.

Lewis Stoneburner is a managing director of development for Greystar Development and Construction Services with responsibility for the Florida market, including site selection, negotiation, underwriting, capitalization, and execution of new development opportunities. Since joining Greystar in 2014, he has been involved in the development and predevelopment of over 2,100 multifamily units, representing nearly $600 million of total capitalization, across garden, mid-rise, and high-rise projects in several markets in the Southeast. Prior to joining Greystar, Lewis served as vice president for Robinson Development Group, executing on acquisition and development deals across multiple product types. He started his career with CBRE as an associate and then senior associate, specializing in office brokerage and executing nearly 300,000 square feet of office leases. He earned his MBA in real estate development/finance and corporate finance with highest distinction and Dean’s Scholar recognition (top 5%) from the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and holds a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Virginia.

Asi Cymbal is the Chairman of Cymbal DLT Companies. Mr. Cymbal has over 30 years of experience in real estate development, construction, finance, and law. He is driven by his passion for great architecture and design, his focus on transforming communities, and his commitment to creating great wealth for his investors. He has been fortunate to work with the world’s best architects and designers (Philippe Starck, Bjarke Ingels, Enrique Norten, Jo Palma, Arquitectonica) as a first mover in neighborhoods at a critical time in their transition (the Financial District in Manhattan, Tribeca, SOHO, the Miami Design District, Wynwood, Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, Miami Gardens). Mr. Cymbal is grateful to his investors and proud of the fact that he has rewarded them with unmatched returns.  Mr. Cymbal raised his first fund in 2010.  That $3 million fund is now worth over $180 million.  He is focused on increasing that to $700 million by 2026. After experimenting with retirement in 2014, he came back to create a second fund during the 2020 Pandemic.  He turned that $16 million fund into $90 million in 20 months. Mr. Cymbal is currently raising a $100 million evergreen fund to be deployed into the $2 billion Cymbal DLT pipeline. Mr. Cymbal also has significant food and beverage experience. He has co-created and owned over half a dozen of the hottest restaurants and clubs in Miami, including Sra. Martinez (with celebrity chef and James Beard award-winner, Michelle Bernstein), Bardot, and gigi. Mr. Cymbal has been named by the South Florida Business Journal as a Heavy Hitter in Construction and Real Estate Development, a Top 100 Power Leader, and as one of 2013’s People to Watch. He has also appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Cymbal is the Vice Chair and board member of Florida International University’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts - Miami Beach Urban Studios. He is also a board member of Wynwood Norte, the organization that is spearheading the revitalization of north Wynwood. Mr. Cymbal was a past board member of Business for the Arts of Broward. Mr. Cymbal is a graduate of Vassar College and the UCLA School of Law. He is an experienced real estate and business attorney licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., and is a licensed general contractor in Florida.

Robert L. Shapiro is the founder and President of Master Development, Inc. Organized in 2001, Master Development focuses on the acquisition, design, development and redevelopment of retail and mixed-use projects throughout South Florida. Since 1986, Bob, both individually and with joint venture partners, has been involved in the acquisition and development of over 7 million square feet of retail space in more than 30 separate properties. Each of these properties were successfully developed, completed and sold primarily to institutional investors. In 2021, Bob partnered with Stuart Meyers, the principal of The Meyers Group. Mr. Meyers has more than 40 years of experience as a residential development specialist in both Florida and Texas. Bob was named Vice Chairman of The Meyers Group and President of the newly formed Master Meyers Development, a joint venture between Master Development and The Meyers Group. That company is designed to be a diversified real estate development company which will acquire land and create and develop mixed-use projects throughout Florida. Bob was one of the original partners in the entity that developed Dania Pointe beginning in 2014. Dania Pointe is a 102-acre mixed use development in Dania Beach, Florida, just south of the Fort Lauderdale Airport. The property was developed in partnership with Kimco Realty, Inc., a NYSE-listed REIT. Comprising 2.5 million square feet of retail, residential, office, hotel, restaurant and entertainment components, Dania Pointe is one of the largest mixed-use destinations in South Florida. Kimco acquired Bob’s interest in the property in 2020. Bob has been a panelist regarding commercial and mixed-use developments at seminars of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Florida Redevelopment Association, and the Florida Board of Realtors. He has also been a guest lecturer at Nova Southeastern University Graduate Real Estate program. In both 2015 and 2016, the South Florida Business Journal recognized Bob as one of the "Top 100 Power Leaders in Real Estate" in South Florida. Bob is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a JD law degree from the University of Connecticut Law School, and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University. A resident of Miami since 1971, he practiced law at large Miami law firms. He is married to Janet Shapiro and has three children and five grandchildren.

Jeffrey Ardizon is Principal at The Estate Companies, a Miami-based full-service, vertically integrated developer, owner and operator of residential communities throughout the tri-county region, and one of the largest and most active multifamily developers in Florida. The firm is best known for its institutionally recognized Soleste brand which features Class A multi-family communities throughout South Florida’s urban core and submarket locations. Mr. Ardizon has been credited for identifying and evaluating off-market opportunities, temporary market dislocations, special workouts, overall capitalization and general overall direction of the firm. The Estate Companies has implemented its strategic plan is to increase its focus on development in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and has many luxury projects in various stages of development including Pompano Beach, Dania Beach, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, three projects in Hollywood, two in North Miami Beach, and Spring Gardens, among others. Mr. Ardizon was instrumental in structuring and executing one of South Florida's first opportunity zone transactions, Soleste Grand Central, a 360-unit Class A multifamily project in Downtown Miami. Prior to joining The Estate Companies, Mr. Ardizon was the co-founder and principal of ECI, a real estate investment, management and development firm based in South Florida. The firm focused on providing GP/LP equity and debt for multi-family real estate developments and value-add opportunities across a diverse portfolio of asset classes. During that time, Mr. Ardizon was credited for strategically structuring and creating one of the more notable single-family offices in South Florida. Mr. Ardizon began his real estate career with one of the largest nationally ranked advisory firms in the country, where he led the firm's real estate practice for nearly a decade. He represented some of the largest real estate developers, REIT’s, operators and sponsors in the region. Under his leadership, the firm was awarded the top real estate tax firm by various publications. Mr. Ardizon was a top revenue producer for the firm and quickly gained industry recognition as a leading go-to advisor, advising clients on over $3 billion in transactional value.

Evan T. Bourff is a Principal and Director of Florida Operations at Dwell Design Studio, an award-winning architecture firm with offices in Atlanta, Dallas, DC, Orlando, and Salt Lake City. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Auburn University and is a registered architect in Florida and Georgia. His thorough understanding of building code has set him apart as a skilled leader in the Multifamily industry and has delivered projects throughout the United States with low, mid, and high density. Mr. Bourff is adept at leading large teams and able to interpret and articulate both code and design intent to various industry professionals. Mr. Bourff enjoys working closely with his clients to transcribe their vision through architecture and the built environment while emphasizing communication, attention to detail, and constructability. In addition to his residential experience, Mr. Bourff has been involved in commercial, retail, civic, justice, and athletic projects across the country.

As a Tax Manager with Cherry Bekaert, Benjamin provides tax consulting and compliance and tax minimization strategies for closely-held, family-owned and international businesses. He specializes in C corporations and pass-thru entities, with a primary focus on the real estate and construction industry as well as manufacturing and distribution industry. Benjamin is a member of the South Florida Real Estate and Construction group. He started his accounting career in 2013.

Bruce Gago heads FCP’s South Florida office as Senior Vice President– Acquisitions, where he sources multifamily investments and works closely with the company’s commercial and structured investment teams on transactions in those sectors.

Joined KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) as a senior banker to expand the firm’s activities in the Southeast. The move comes as KeyBank continues its commitment to affordable housing across the country, with a focus on expanding its CDLI platform in the Southeast region. Fenn was a senior vice president with Wells Fargo and managed community lending activities throughout the Southeast. He has more than 20 years of experience as a banker spending time in Dallas and Atlanta. His areas of expertise include commercial real estate lending, affordable housing finance to include mixed-income/mixed-use finance involving public/private partnerships, and economic development. He also was a director at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, where he was responsible for affordable housing initiatives.

Gerald Guterman is a “hands-on” pragmatic, investment, finance and operational management executive and team leader, with a long term, continuously successful track record. Mr. Guterman’s background includes; limited income, market rate and luxury high-rise multi-family rental buildings and garden apartment residential communities, multi-tenant high-rise and garden office buildings, mixed use developments and full-service hotels, throughout the United States. As Senior Principal Partner of his firm, Mr. Guterman directs acquisitions and participates in all final Board decisions. Gerald Guterman is the only New York historical rehabilitation sponsor, whose grand openings of award-winning landmark building restorations, including the famed Stanhope Hotel, Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York, The Parc Vendome, West 57th Street, Manhattan, New York and Gramercy House, East 22 Street, Manhattan, New York, were sponsored by the New York City Landmarks Commission, under the direction of Mrs. Brooke Aster and Mrs. Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis. As part of his duties as Senior Principal Partner, Mr. Guterman also directed the operations of two nation-wide construction companies: Titan Group, Ltd and Sovereign Construction Co. Ltd. Gerald Guterman is well known for his deep and continuing interest in education, as well as his active and continuing participation in charitable work. Mr. Guterman has five children and four grandchildren.

Throughout his career, Mr. Matus has been involved in thousands of transactions valued at more than $3 billion with expertise spanning across retail, multifamily, hospitality, office, industrial, and land. Prior to joining Franklin Street, Mr. Matus ran Marcus and Millichap’s Fort Lauderdale office as the Vice President/Regional Manager of the company’s Real Estate Investment Services division. He was with Marcus and Millichap for more than 11 years progressing from Sales Associate to Senior Associate, Vice President/Regional Manager of Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, First Vice President of Investments, and as a Director of both the company’s National Retail Group and National Multi Housing Group. Throughout his career, he has acted as a mentor, manager, and trainer for hundreds of agents. Naturally driven, Mr. Matus has received several awards for his accomplishments including being named a 50 Under 40 professional by Real Estate Forum in 2014 and a 40 Under 40 professional in 2010 by the South Florida Business Journal. He received Franklin Street’s Sales Achievement Award in 2015 and is a repeat recipient of Marcus and Millichap’s National Achievement Award, a Top Ten Agent in Ft. Lauderdale, and Rookie of the Year. Highly active in the commercial real estate community, he serves as a member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). He is also a dedicated member of his community, volunteering and donating to the non-profits Push America and the Jorge Nation Foundation. Mr. Matus received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida and is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Florida.

Brad Williamson is a Managing Director at Berkadia in Miami, Florida, where he provides complex capital solutions for a variety of asset classes. He has over 15 years of experience working with institutional and private investors, and an in-depth knowledge of commercial real estate fundamentals. He has successfully underwritten, structured and closed close to $2 billion in commercial real estate transactions consisting of both debt and equity during the course of his career. Prior to joining Berkadia, Brad served as Director of Acquisitions at Tate Capital, a private real estate investment firm that invests in distressed and opportunistic real estate ventures throughout the United States. Brad started his career as a real estate valuation analyst, and later Associate Director, for GE Capital Real Estate, where he structured, underwrote, and closed over $750 million of commercial real estate debt throughout the United States.

With over a decade of construction and insurance experience, Daniel has managed nearly $1 billion dollars worth of new construction, commercial and residential remodeling. In addition, Daniel has placed hundreds of insurance policies, serves as an expert witness in thousands of insurance disputes, and assisted community associations, business owners and homeowners recover from a wide variety of property and business income losses. He maintains a strong commitment to the community and serves on the BB&T Local Advisory Board and as Vice-Chairman of Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.