{SOLD OUT} South Florida Condo Summit

Christian Glauser Benz is the Head of Development for the Americas for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Based in Miami, Christian leads all development and investment initiatives for the group in the region, focusing on the US, Canada, Latin America and Caribbean. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is an award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. Having grown from its Asian roots 60 years ago into a global brand, the Group now operates a portfolio of 50 luxury hotels and residences in 25 countries and territories. Mandarin Oriental’s strong focus in fine dining and wellness has garnered a record 29 Michelin stars and 21 Forbes Spa Awards. Mandarin Oriental is a subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group, one of Asia’s largest multinational conglomerates.

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos is the co-founder, president and COO of Flag Luxury Group, LLC, a real estate development company focused on luxury and lifestyle hotels and retail entertainment. As president, Olarte de Kanavos oversees all aspects of Flag Luxury’s real estate initiatives, which include site sourcing, finance, branding, architectural and interior design, hotel programming, zoning and construction and asset management. An industry leader with over 35 years of experience, last year, Dayssi founded the inaugural Women Shaping Miami Power Breakfast and Panel dedicated to celebrating women's achievements in Miami, raising over $40,000 for Women of Tomorrow. Recently, she also earned City of Miami Beach Commission approval to proceed with the$12M revitalization project on Lincoln Road, contributing $4M of private funds towards the effort. The project addresses Lincoln Road's deterioration and immediate need for community preservation and plans to revitalize Lincoln Road’s 100–300 blocks, to help solve traffic, functionality and safety issues. She also secured approval to proceed with the redevelopment of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, South Beach - a private collection of 30 oceanfront beach houses with panoramic views of Miami Beach - the newest and most exclusive development part of a new era of branded luxury residences coming to Miami Beach, ushering a wave of investment and wealth moving back to this oceanfront community.

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.

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.

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 is a Partner and Managing Principal. His project experience includes high-rise residential, mixed-use, hotels and resorts, healthcare, large-scale renovations, and infrastructure. Mr. O 'Donnell brings his 35-year broad-based experience to each project. He is presently leading the design effort for the Broward County Convention Center Expansion and Convention Center Hotel, the Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel, the Miami-Dade Civil and Probate Courthouse, a guitar tower for the Mirage in Las Vegas, the largest cruise terminal in the US at Port Miami for MSC Cruises, and various resorts throughout the Caribbean. Mr. O’Donnell is a Florida licensed Threshold Inspector and has provided these services on many construction projects in Florida. With a broad range of projects and building sites in South Florida and the Caribbean, Mr. O’Donnell has designed many buildings adjacent to marine environments. These projects would include five 8-story residential buildings along the marina perimeter at Albany in the Bahamas, numerous towers along the Miami River including the Aston Martin Tower, Epic, Mint, Tequesta 3, and the Edge. He has also designed the major renovation and expansion of Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, a landmark marina and hotel property. Mr. O’Donnell designed all of the projects at Atlantis Paradise Island including the Marina Village adjacent to the Atlantis Marina. As an innovator, Mr. O’Donnell introduced new construction methods for below grade construction in South Florida. Two levels of subterranean parking were constructed on the beach in Key Biscayne utilizing a high pressure grout injection plug that eliminated the need for piles of any kind, waterproofing, and a hydrostatic slab. He was recently a panelist for an industry symposium, “Miami Underground: How Deep Can You Go?” Mr. O’Donnell was recently the keynote speaker at the Structural Engineering Institute / Applied Technology Council Advances in Hurricane Engineering Conference. Mr. O’Donnell has directed the Miami office through a multitude of large projects including four Hard Rock Hotels, Panorama (Florida’s tallest building), Aston Martin Residences, Resorts World Bimini, Turnberry Ocean Club, all buildings in the Faena District on Miami Beach, Oceana Key Biscayne and Bal Harbour, 1000 Museum, 1080 Brickell, 1450 Brickell, 900 Biscayne, Met 1, Four Midtown, Mint, Ivy, and Marquis. In South Florida alone, he has been responsible for over 115 million square feet of new building design totaling over $32 billion in building construction cost. Mr. O’Donnell received his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Miami. He served the community for ten years in his role as a Board Member of the Miami Supportive Housing Corporation, which developed, improved, and preserved affordable housing for low income persons and families with special needs, and also provided technical assistance to other organizations actively engaged in housing activities. He was Chair of the Ball of the Wild 2006, which was the premier fundraiser for Zoo Miami. For six years, he served as a Director for the Miami Rowing & Watersports Center, Inc., a community-oriented, volunteer based, not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1973 with the specific purpose to promote an educational program devoted to the development of youth and amateur rowing and water sports as a means of athletic competition and attainment of physical fitness. Mr. O’Donnell has been a Trustee for Barry University for 9 years and a board member of the Industry Advisory Board at the University of Miami School of Architecture. He was honored with the 2009 Outstanding Consulting Engineer award given by the Miami AIA Chapter.