Acquisition & Investment Climate

• 

  Kevin Benedix

  COO & CFO

  Boston Global Investors

• 

  Justin Krebs

  Prior to founding KIG Real Estate Advisors (“KIG”), Mr. Krebs has over 25-years of real estate investment and development experience ranging from institutional investment management at UBS and JP Morgan to opening and leading the vertically integrated private equity firm Normandy Real Estate Partners Boston office. KIG operates under two ventures, Strategic Land Ventures (www.strategiclandventures.com) and Washington Square Ventures (www.wsvllc.com), platforms that focus on residential development from land acquisition and permitting through vertical development. KIG has a strong track record of the successful re-zoning and permitting of its sites under special permit and Chapter 40b, creating significant land value prior to the vertical development of its projects. KIG currently has 580 units in 5 apartment projects under development throughout the Boston Metro, totaling over $225 million in total development cost. Prior to founding KIG, Mr. Krebs was a Partner at Normandy Real Estate Partners, responsible for opening and overseeing Normandy's Boston office. During his 10 years at Normandy, Krebs built a $2 billion dollar office and residential portfolio with notable projects including the foreclosure, repositioning, and sale of the John Hancock Building (now 200 Clarendon), the acquisition and repositioning 99 Summer Street in downtown Boston, assembling and permitting Center 128 in Needham, a 2 million square foot mixed project which included the development of Trip Advisors Global HQ, and the permitting, design and development of Troy Boston, a 378-unit residential project in Boston’s South End, co-developed with Gerding Edlen. Mr. Krebs began his career in New York holding positions with global investment management firms UBS and JP Morgan. While at JP Morgan, Mr. Krebs held the title of Senior Vice President and team leader, responsible for more than $4 billion in real estate investment and development on the East Coast. At UBS, Krebs was an Assistant Vice President, investing more than $500 million in equity into real estate for pension funds and foreign investors. Mr. Krebs is a graduate from Providence College and has a MBA in Finance from Fordham University.

  KIG Real Estate Advisors

  Founder

  Justin Krebs

  Founder

  KIG Real Estate Advisors

• 

  Daniel Nagler

  Daniel is responsible for leading all capital market activities at CC&F. This includes securing capital for new and existing real estate projects and negotiating joint venture, operating, and loan agreements with investors and lenders. Additionally, Daniel helps identify, underwrite and close potential development and acquisition projects and provides on-going investment analysis for properties within the firm’s portfolio. In complement to these responsibilities, Daniel provides debt placement services through his affiliate AIP Investments, Inc. (www.aip-investments.com). Prior to CC&F, Daniel was a Founding Partner of Andean Investment Partners, a real estate firm focused on investments and developments in Lima, Peru. Prior to Andean, Daniel worked in acquisitions and asset management at Taurus Investment Holdings, an international private equity real estate firm headquartered in Boston. Daniel received a B.A. from Colgate University and is currently an M.B.A. candidate at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

  Cabot, Cabot & Forbes

  CIO

  Daniel Nagler

  CIO

  Cabot, Cabot & Forbes

• 

  Jeff Black

  National Debt & Equity Platform Leader

  Colliers- Boston

• 

  Zev Gewurz

  Portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, joint venture structuring, complex financings, mezzanine and participating debt transactions and distressed debt workout and sales are at the heart of Zev Gewurz’s practice. Zev has a broad-based practice representing institutional and private equity lenders, foreign and US-based investors, as well as owners and developers across the United States and abroad. Zev is a Director in our Real Estate group and serves as Co-Chair of the firm's International Investors group.

  Goulston & Storrs

  Director & Co-Chair, International Investors Group

  Moderator

  Zev Gewurz

  Director & Co-Chair, International Investors Group

  Goulston & Storrs

Construction & Development

• 

  Richard Friedman

  Friedman is the President and CEO of Carpenter and Company Inc., a hospitality and luxury residential real estate development firm based in Cambridge, MA. He is known for his creative approach to hotel developments, the reuse of historic structures, and transformative mixed-use projects. Friedman is the visionary behind the famed transformation of the former Charles Street Jail, a historic landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, into the beloved Liberty Hotel in Boston, MA; the Charles Square Mixed-Use development, a vibrant destination that includes The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, MA; and New England’s tallest residential building, Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston, which The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat recently recognized as a best tall building worldwide. Carpenter also developed Iceland’s first five-star hotel, The Reykjavik EDITION, as well as St. Regis San Francisco, and various other Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Marriot hotels. As a former long-term member of the Board of Directors of Four Seasons, Friedman was actively involved in the company’s global expansion and design quality. His firm is currently developing Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Dallas, Turtle Creek. Friedman’s contributions to the public realm have been recognized with a variety of awards, including Man of the Year from Boston Preservation Alliance; the Icon Award from Boston University School of Hospitality; Developer of Year from Americas Lodging Investment Summit; and Man of the Year from Rogerson Communities. Beyond real estate, Friedman is known for his long-standing dedication to civic service, philanthropy, and education. During the Clinton Administration, he served as Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal government’s central planning agency for the National Capital Region. President Barack Obama appointed Friedman to the President’s Export Council, where he served as Vice Chairman of the sub-committee advising on U.S. travel and tourism policy and he is also the founder of the Interagency Security Task Force. Friedman’s board participation spans across various organizations and nonprofits, such as the Steppingstone Foundation, an organization that named him Man of the Year; Bridge Fund; John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum; PNC Bank – New England; Johnny Rockets, Inc.; GateHouse Media, Inc.; and the Dartmouth College Real Estate Committee. He is a recipient of a Certificate of Appreciation Award from Harvard Business School and has been recognized by the Boston Minuteman Council of the Boy Scouts of America with a Good Scout Award. Friedman is a graduate of Dartmouth College. He is an avid skier and served as the Harvard Ski Team Head Coach from 1965-1971.

  Carpenter & Company

  President & CEO

  Richard Friedman

  President & CEO

  Carpenter & Company

• 

  Fred Kramer

  A passionate believer in the power of teamwork and collaboration to elevate design outcomes, Fred stresses the importance of client-centered process, communication, investigation, and inquiry. Fred’s commitment to “design with community in mind” translates into his active engagement in numerous industry, cultural, and philanthropic organizations—where architects’ problem-solving abilities stand to make a real difference. A past chair of the Urban Land Institute, Fred is also a member of the Boston Society of Architects and NAIOP. Prior to joining Stantec, Fred was the long-time president of ADD Inc. There, his focus on diversifying markets and services created a well-balanced multidisciplinary practice, and his mentorship of young designers and mid-career professionals cultivated the next generation of design and management leaders.

  Stantec Architecture

  VP

  Fred Kramer

  VP

  Stantec Architecture

• 

  Gretchen McGill

  In her role as Vice President, Construction, Gretchen is responsible for managing construction projects to ensure that they are executed within The Davis Companies’ guidelines; negotiating terms of agreements, drafting contracts and obtaining permits and licenses; estimating costs and scheduling deliverables; overseeing all on site and off site construction to monitor compliance with building, safety and environmental regulations; and collaborating with architects, engineers and other construction specialists to ensure timely delivery of projects. With over 20 years’ experience working for such notable firms as Trammell Crow Company ( Vice President) and Boston Properties ( Senior Construction Manager), Gretchen has been involved in every facet of development and construction management. Prior to joining The Davis Companies, she held the position of Senior Program Manager at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, where she was responsible for managing permitting, environment and infrastructure planning, and pre-construction for a $360 Million semi-conductor laboratory and micro-integration facility. In addition to the Firms above, Gretchen worked for Community Builders as a Construction Manager and for Shawmut Design and Construction as Project Executive. Her depth of experience with complex construction and development projects makes her well suited to handle the development and construction challenges at our Firm. Gretchen holds a Master Degree in Emergency Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Economics from Boston University. She also holds Certificates in Real Estate Finance and Development from MIT, Building and Construction Technology from Northeastern University and Environment Management from Bentley College. In addition, Gretchen is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds a Massachusetts construction supervisor’s license. She is a member of CREW Boston. Gretchen is also an Instructor, Project Management, Boston University Center for Professional Education, and is a Board Member of All Hands & Hearts Smart Response, Inc.

  The Davis Companies

  Vice President of Construction

  Gretchen McGill

  Vice President of Construction

  The Davis Companies

• 

  Walter Hartnett

  Regional Director

  Vidaris

• 

  Ron Walker

  Ronald J. Walker, CPA, is a partner in CohnReznick’s Boston office and a member of the Firm’s Assurance Practice. He has extensive public accounting experience with a focus on the affordable housing and commercial real estate industries. Ron provides services that include eligible basis cost certifications, affordable housing investment partnerships, and residual value studies. His clients include real estate entities around greater Boston and across the country, including California, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Ron is fully versed in the stringent reporting requirements and deadlines of such agencies as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and various state tax credit allocating agencies. Education  Bentley College: Bachelor of Science, Accounting Professional Affiliations  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants  Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

  CohnReznick

  Partner

  Moderator

  Ron Walker

  Partner

  CohnReznick

The State of Leasing

• 

  Mark Roberts

  EVP of Leasing

  WS Development

• 

  Matthew George

  Matthew George is a Vice President of Leasing at Equity Office Properties, a leading real estate investment, development and operating company encompassing more than 50 million square feet nationwide. Mr. George has been part the Equity Office leasing team since 2010, with a primary focus on Cambridge and Boston assets. Previously, Mr. George was a Director on Cushman & Wakefield’s Downtown Brokerage team specializing in tenant and landlord representation. Mr. George holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College, is board member of St. George Cathedral in South Boston and an active member of both NAIOP and Commercial Brokers Association.

  Equity Office Properties

  VP of Leasing

  Matthew George

  VP of Leasing

  Equity Office Properties

• 

  Arie Barendrecht

  Arie Barendrecht is the CEO and Founder of WiredScore, the pioneer behind the international Wired Certification standard that evaluates and distinguishes best-in-class Internet connectivity in commercial buildings. Holding degrees from The Wharton MBA Program and University of California, Berkeley, Arie worked with the Boston Consulting Group prior to founding WiredScore, where he focused on the technology and media industries as a consultant.

  WiredScore

  CEO/Founder

  Arie Barendrecht

  CEO/Founder

  WiredScore

• 

  Eric Allon

  Eric Allon’s principal practice areas are real estate law and business law, with particular emphasis on commercial leasing, the acquisition, management and sale of properties, financing transactions, commercial loan workouts and residential and commercial development. His clients include commercial landlords, tenants of retail and office space, private and institutional lenders, hotel and restaurant operators, fiduciaries, brokers, and lawyers. Eric’s clients often credit Eric’s responsiveness and business acumen with maximizing their business opportunities and minimizing their financial and legal risks.

  Bernkopf Goodman

  Partner

  Moderator

  Eric Allon

  Partner

  Bernkopf Goodman