Photo: Monday night with wife Hope at Craft Restaurant in NYC (photo taken by our humble publisher).
Title: President, Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group.
What that means: Arranges debt, mezz, and equity financing around country, rapidly expanding investment sales platform.
Most recent deal: This week closed $230 million, 7-year refi of apartment building at under 3.4% in NYC.
Fave clients in DC: "Gary Rappaport and the Jemal boys."
Fave food/restaurant in DC: Chicken pimento at Barcelona on 14th.
Other thoughts about DC: Time for a local office?
Hometown: Philipsburg, Pa.
Wife's interjection: "Simon Ziff is a hillbilly at heart."
School: Penn State, NYU masters in real estate.
First job: Making boxes at grandfather's suit factory.
First adult job: Real estate analyst at Mass Mutual, Springfield, MA.
How got job at Ackman Ziff: Answered New York Times ad 25 years ago (for predecessor firm).
Favorite movie: A Field of Dreams--"I cried like a baby."
Greatest song of all time: U2's Bad
Takes credit for: Zen golf, suit-no-tie look.
Favorite destination/obsession: Penn State, home of the Nittany Lions.
Domestic chores capable of doing: Prunes 100 Japanese maples on property.
Where property is located: Front yard is Armonk, NY; backyard is Greenwich, Conn.
Wife's Interjection: "Simon Ziff's obsessed with sex, horticulture, and Penn State football."
Fam: Two daughters (age 16 and 18) and son (9).
Startling fact: Subscribes to two collegiate wrestling websites and seven Bisnow newsletters.
Editor's interjection: You can never subscribe to enough Bisnow newsletters.
