Christian Glauser Benz is the Managing Partner of Swiss based Leman Holdings, a boutique real estate investment and advisory platform with offices in Switzerland and the US. The group recently announced expansion plans for North America with a new $1.5 billion investment in luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects across the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. www.lemanholdings.com

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos is the co-founder, President, and COO of Flag Luxury Group, a real estate development firm focused on luxury hotels, boutique hotels, and retail. Dayssi oversees all aspects of the firm’s initiatives, including site selection, finance, acquisitions, branding, management contracts, design, programming, zoning, construction, and asset management.

Her renowned portfolio includes the 250-key Ritz-Carlton New York (named a “Best Hotel in New York” by Condé Nast Traveler), ICON Park (named among the “Best Things To Do in Orlando” by US News) and The Ritz-Carlton Residences, South Beach – a collection of “beach houses in the sky” setting a new standard of Miami luxury.

Before joining Flag Luxury, Dayssi worked as a commercial real estate financial analyst and broker in New York. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where she has served on the Board and as a guest lecturer in its 45th Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Dayssi is a valued member of the President's Council of Cornell Women and the Trustee Council of the University. She holds a Master’s in Real Estate Development and Finance from NYU.

Dayssi is also the co-founder of Women’s Power Series, a nonprofit empowering women entrepreneurs through accessible networking events. She is the founder of The Friends of New Yorkers for Children, which supports children in foster care through education, mentoring, and career initiatives. She serves on the board of Save Venice, the largest private nonprofit dedicated to preserving the art and architecture of Venice. Dayssi has been honored with multiple industry accolades, including CRE Women in Real Estate, the Casita Maria Medal of Honor, and the Maryhaven Philanthropist of the Year, and has been inducted into Hospitality Design’s Platinum Circle for their lifetime achievement award.

Website: flagluxury.com

Alexandra Eichner is the President of Continuum Company, focusing on the South Florida market. Continuum Company is a boutique real estate development firm that specializes in complex, mixed-use, ground up development in New York and South Florida.

Until Alexandra joined the team 4 years ago, Continuum Company had not developed anything in South Florida in over 20 years, since developing the Continuum South Beach – arguably one of the most successful luxury condominium projects in Miami. Upon joining the team, Alexandra set her eyes on the South Florida market, with the goal of bringing a New-York level of sophistication and style to projects in undervalued neighborhoods. With her oversight and vision, Continuum Company is now developing luxury condos on 3 waterfront parcels of land in North Miami and Miami Beach and has plans to expand further.

Alexandra graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in Communications and East Asian Languages & Civilization.

Brad Meltzer is a Partner and President of Two Roads Development. In this role, he oversees real estate development activities from design through construction and supports the team in identifying new opportunities. Meltzer has facilitated the growth of numerous regional business units scaling some from start up to more than 250 employees. Specializing in delivering high-end projects, Meltzer has led award-winning projects from inception to completion across various asset classes, including condominium, multifamily, hospitality, office, and retail. A sampling of such projects includes Biscayne Beach, The One Thousand Museum Tower, the 4 Tower Paraiso Complex, the Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach, The Marquis, Millicento, W Hotel South Beach, One Hotel and Homes, Icon Bay, Carillon Miami Beach (aka Canyon Ranch), Town Center One at Dadeland, Aventura Mall Expansion, Westshore Marina Pointe, Mandarin Oriental Miami. Meltzer led the construction of 15 buildings in excess of 35 stories and 2 in excess of 60 stories. He holds a Masters's in Architecture from Tulane University and has more than 30 years of construction experience, having headed a top national construction firm as its CEO. Meltzer also sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Miami MRED+U and Construction Management programs, Tulane University School of Architecture Advisory Board, Gulliver Prep Board of Trustees, and Voices for Children Board of Directors.

Nelson oversees the operational aspects of the company, including accounting, finance, underwriting, construction, legal and risk management. Since co-founding Integra in 2009, he has managed the development of more than $375 million dollars of construction throughout Florida and has grown the company’s portfolio to more than $500 million dollars across 8 different asset classes. Nelson has a Finance and Marketing degree from University of Miami and a Master’s in Engineering from Florida International University.

David Diestel, the CEO of FirstService Residential, leads one of North America's largest community management companies on a quest to simplify property management. Under his guidance, FirstService Residential’s hospitality-minded teams in the U.S. and Canada partner with boards, owners, and developers to enhance the value of every property and the life of every resident.

David's journey began in 2007 when he joined the company, starting as the Regional President, South, and later serving as the Senior Vice President of Operations. Before that, he held a strategic role at FirstService Corporation in Toronto.

With a bachelor's degree in engineering from McGill University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, David is also a LEED AP certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. He resides in South Florida, enjoying travel, running, and family time.

FirstService Residential, a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, offers unparalleled property management solutions. With a service-first philosophy, they provide 24/7 customer care, tailored lifestyle programs, amenity activation, and cutting-edge technology. They are the go-to choice for boards and developers seeking to elevate their communities.

George Fraguio serves as the Vice President of Bridge Lending at Vaster, bringing over three decades of expertise in mortgage banking and real estate. With a distinguished career spanning Fortune International, BBVA Compass, Bank of America, and JP Morgan Chase, George joined Vaster in 2017 and has played a pivotal role in the firm's ascent to become one of the top private lenders in Miami. He is widely recognized for his proficiency in originating multimillion-dollar loans with precision. His pivotal role at Vaster demonstrates his adeptness in creative financing for both residential and commercial real estate in South Florida, particularly in the luxury condo segment. George's contributions have been instrumental in originating over $250 million for Vaster's bridge lending division.

Mr. Defortuna is President, CEO and Founder of Fortune International Group, a Miami-based full- service real estate firm recognized throughout South Florida, Latin America and Europe as a leader in high-end luxury real estate. He oversees all of the company’s activities across all of its business units. Mr. Defortuna is involved with the strategic decision making of the group, as well as the day-to-day operations of each of its divisions.

He started the business in 1983, and quickly became a driving force in real estate. Through his company’s success and far reach into U.S., European and Latin American markets, Mr. Defortuna is widely recognized for having made a significant contribution to the internationalization of Miami and its reputation as a global business, trade and vacation hub. He currently serves as a member of the Mayor of Miami's International Council and also as Director of the Argentine-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in Miami. Additionally, he is a member of several charitable organizations in Miami, such as Manos del Sur, Mt. Sinai Hospital and St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

Mr. Defortuna holds a Bachelors Degree in Electrical and Chemical Engineering from the National University of Argentina and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Miami. Fully fluent English and Spanish, Mr. Defortuna is married to Ana Cristina and has five children.

Carlos Rosso is the Founder of Rosso Development, a fully integrated development firm focused on high-end boutique development opportunities. Rosso is set to oversee multiple upcoming awe-inspiring projects in key markets in South Florida and Latin America—with the first ever The Standard Residences in Midtown Miami as his debut project. Rosso founded Rosso Development in 2020 after nearly 20 years with The Related Group, where he was a driving force behind the company’s condominium operations. As the president of the condominium and international development divisions, he oversaw all facets of condominium development domestically and internationally.

Over the course of his career, Rosso developed well over 16,000 units, and in the process, mastered diverse development disciplines including construction, project financing, land acquisition and sales and marketing. Under his leadership, Related successfully delivered iconic projects including the 1,600 unit Paraiso District in Miami; Residences by ARMANI/CASA designed by César Pelli; Hyde Beach House; Park Grove by OMA/Rem Koolhaas; Auberge Beach Residences and Spa in Fort Lauderdale; SLS Cancun & Residences in Mexico; and V:HOUSE in Brazil.

Prior to his time at Related, Rosso held a number of positions across global development firms, having served as Vice President of Real Estate Development for Investment Properties Ltd. in Boston; and ten years as Project Director for Besix International, overseeing the development and construction of over ten million square feet of multi-family, hotel and office buildings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Rosso graduated summa cum laude from the Universidad de Buenos Aires with a master’s degree in Architecture. He also earned a master’s degree in Real Estate Development and Finance, with the highest honors, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). www.rossodev.com

Will brings over 30 years of operations experience to Castle Group. He is a former Army officer with over a decade of leadership experience in infantry and special operations units. Following a successful transition from the military, Will held senior management positions in both publicly traded and privately held companies. An MBA graduate from Rutgers University, he has successfully managed all stages of high-rise tower and HOA projects from initial design through Developer turnover.

Upon graduating from Boston University in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in

accounting, John joined Continental Bank’s equipment leasing division in the

workout group. After 15 months, he took a position as a commercial real

estate banker with the Freeman Group in Chicago. In 1988, John formed

Century Funding Corporation with a partner to provide commercial real estate

banking and real estate investment services to third-party real estate

developers and investors. After over a decade heading up Century Funding,

he joined American Invsco as Chief Investment Officer in 1999 with the

primary role of overseeing the acquisition, financing, and ongoing real estate

operations of various condominium and mixed-use developments. Under his

tenure, the company acquired and developed over $2 billion in real estate

projects in several markets. In 2008, John formed CF Capital Holdings LLC

with Michael Fish. Since its inception, they have provided asset advisory,

management, restructuring, and consultancy services to the condominium

development, multifamily rental, and single family “for sale” housing industries.

Such services include determining optimum repositioning of assets that had

gone insolvent due to the 2008 economic downturn, many of which were

condominium conversions that had not sold completely.

Drawing on his prior experience as a banker and general counsel for a

private equity firm, Joe Hernandez counsels a variety of clients in negotiating and structuring complex commercial real estate transactions. He represents real estate developers, financial institutions, private equity firms, and public entities in all phases of such transactions, with deals across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. He handles acquisitions, development, financing, leasing, joint ventures, and advises clients on raising capital for real estate projects.

He also represents developers and investors in the area of condominium

redevelopment, which oftentimes involves the complex process of

terminating an existing condominium. He helps clients navigate all stages of the process, from due diligence, joint venture structuring, and termination strategies to acquisition financing, construction financing, and mezzanine financings that facilitate the redevelopment.

Joe is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), a prestigious fellowship reserved for lawyers distinguished for their skill,

experience, and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law. He also serves as Chair of ACREL’s Common Interest Ownership Committee.

Andrew Cohn is Senior Director of Risk at The Related Group. He oversees the strategic procurement and analysis of insurance, and risk mitigation, reduction, and transference, for all projects and corporate programs across the company's diverse divisions: Development of condominium, market-rate and affordable rentals, In-House General Contracting, and Property Management of over 20,000 units. With nearly 20 years of experience in various insurance sectors, including brokering and underwriting, Andrew brings a deep understanding of risk management. He is a leader in implementing InsureTech solutions like leak detection devices to proactively mitigate risks. Andrew is also a recognized thought leader, with articles published in The Insurance Journal and speaking engagements at RIMS conferences. He holds a degree from the University of Miami.

Mr. Casal serves as Executive Vice President of Construction. In this capacity, he is involved in all facets

of the firm’s construction-related projects and works closely with Mast Capital’s development teams on

ground-up and value-add transactions.

Mr. Casal is a seasoned construction and real estate development professional with over 30 years of

experience and an established track record of leading multiple large-scale projects from inception to

completion. Additionally, he has led project design development and construction document

production, developed relationships with state and local municipalities, selected and procured bulk

commodities, and negotiated and managed various contracts and teams.  Prior to joining Mast, Mr.

Casal was Construction Manager at The Related Group, a privately held real estate development

company based in Miami, FL, where he led notable residential and hotel transactions with total budgets

in excess of $1 billion and completion of over 1,500 for-sale residential, commercial and condo hotel

units. Prior to Related, Mr. Casal was Senior Project Manager with OHL Arellano, the vertical

construction unit of OHL North America that specializes in healthcare facilities, universities, and

commercial buildings throughout the Southeast. Select projects that Mr. Casal oversaw included

University of Miami, Cox Neuroscience & Health Center and the Miami AirportLink Metrorail. Previously,

he was with Turner Construction Company and held various positions including Senior Project Manager,

Senior Estimator, and Project Engineer.

Mr. Casal received his Bachelor of Science degree current Management from Florida International

University. He is a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) and has completed the OSHA 30-hour Construction

Training Certification. He participates on the U.S. Green Building Council and was a member of the South

Florida Associated General Contractors’ Board of Directors.

Rob Tricamo is Senior Vice President and Head of Construction Property at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI). He joined BHSI in 2014 to start up the Builder’s Risk insurance operation in North America. Rob has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years underwriting builder’s risk, energy, technical property and large commercial property business. He started his career as a property Risk Engineer at Industrial Risk Insurers. Rob has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Contact Rob in New York at 917.374.8965 or rob.tricamo@bhspecialty.com.

Alex Fuentes has over 20 years of experience in start-up and rapid-change environments within the tech industry and is Brickeye’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Growth. He works with leading real estate developers, general contractors, and insurance providers across the U.S. and Canada to help de-risk high-rise construction projects and mitigate water damage risk through the adoption of construction IoT (Internet of Things) technology. Alex holds an MBA from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Matthew leads Marsh’s Southeast Construction Practice. An expert in project specific construction risk, Matthew spend the majority of his time working directly with clients on project strategy, planning and building resources and bespoke market solutions. Highly focused on delivering service excellence, Matthew and his team can provide construction

expertise nationally and have extensive experience in high-risk projects as well as a deep understanding of solutions and markets designed for unique geographically challenged exposures across varied project types: multi-family, condominium, master plan communities, SFR/BTR, mixed-use, office, adaptive reuse/renovation, rail/civil infrastructure,

airports/seaports, manufacturing, and entertainment venues.

Prior to joining Marsh in June of 2021, Matthew led Aon’s Construction Service Group for the state of Florida.

A two-time University of Miami graduate, Matthew has called Miami home for the past 24 years.

William O’Donnell has managed the DESIMONE Miami office for 35 years. During his tenure, the firm has designed well over 100 million square feet of projects in Florida. Recent Florida hospitality projects include the Four Seasons in Surfside, Naples, and Jacksonville, the St. Regis in Longboat Key, the Raleigh, Ritz-Carlton Residences, and Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel on Miami Beach, the Broward County Convention Center Hotel, the renovation and expansion of Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, and the new Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key replacing the existing building he designed in 1999. Current Caribbean projects are underway in The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, and Antigua. He is a graduate of the University of Miami, has been on two industry advisory boards at UM, and is a Trustee for Barry University.