About

Robert D. Pearson, Esq. | Chairman of the Board

Robert Pearson is a member of the Board of Governors of the National Realty Club. He served as president of the organization from 2015-2020. Before that, he served as general counsel from 2008 to 2012. As president, Rob helped to reinvigorate the Club, promoting and maintaining the mission and vision of the organization using its storied past as a guide, with an eye always on the future.

In 2004, Rob began representing real estate clients in his law practice. Later, he pivoted to providing relationship-based advisory and financing solutions for owners and principals and also investing in real estate proptech.

Rob actively utilizes his education, experience and skills to help to manage the continuous change process at the NRC. Outside of the Club, in addition to real estate advisory, he specializes in organizational development and empowering others in their efforts to develop capacity for change. Rob enjoys and excels in formulating and guiding change leadership initiatives.

Ed Wilkin | Treasurer

Ed Wilkin co-founded Wilkin & Guttenplan P.C. in 1983. He has over 40 years of experience helping family-owned and closely-eld businesses manage the challenges of growth, cash flow and organizational restructuring. His clients cover a variety of industries including wholesalers, real estate, construction, distribution, manufacturing, consulting, health care services, law firms and other professional practices. Ed has assisted clients with their audit and accounting requirements, securing financing, mergers and acquisitions and planning and implementing business and tax strategies.

As part of his extensive real estate practice, Ed serves a variety of clients in the real estate industry, including commercial, residential and office and medical property developers, owners/investors, managers, agents and brokers. He works with a diverse assortment of properties including residential homes, apartment buildings, condominium, cooperative corporations and town home communities, low-income housing, including issues related to government regulations (HUD, low-income housing credits, etc.), golf course communities, shopping centers, parking facilities, offices and commercial buildings. He is experienced in all facets of condominium, co-op and homeowner association accounting and consulting with clients throughout New Jersey and New York.

Ed also works in the sports, music and entertainment division of W&G overseeing client relationships and consulting with clients in all aspects of their financial lives. He is also closely involved in the business management and tax planning areas. Ed’s expertise in litigation support includes expert witness testimony. He has produced reports and served as an expert in many areas including,shareholder disputes, fraud and embezzlement losses, professional malpractice, and probate matters. Prior to co-founding Wilkin & Guttenplan, Ed was a partner with a regional CPA firm.

Professional and Civic Achievements:

• Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Member of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA)
• Member of the New York Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA)
• Past President and former Board Member, Community Associations Institute – New Jersey Chapter
• Past President and Treasurer, Copper Hill Country Club
• Board Member of the State of New Jersey New Home Warranty Fund
• Board of Governors Member of the National Realty Club, Inc.

Ed graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rider University. He continues his education through regular continuing professional education (CPE) and educational seminars.

Sarah Benton | Chief Operations Officer

Sarah joined the National Realty Club staff in 2019, assisting with efforts toward organizational operations, management of the club along with the standardization of its operations and team collaborations. As the Chief Operations Officer, Sarah works closely with the executive leadership team and Governors in empowering and modernizing the club’s processes and technologies. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of the NRC in New York, she leads NRC’s event management, our re-branding process, marketing and other aspects of design for the club.

Outside the NRC, Sarah has gained extensive experience in business development, event production, operations management and finance from both private sectors and non-profit organizations. Sarah is currently with a digital media co., specializing in programmatic advertising, focusing on analytics and big data for 12 media groups across the nation.

Carter Reich, Esq. | General Counsel

In addition to serving a General Counsel to the NRC, Carter maintains a private law practice that he founded in 2017 as the next stage of his 13-year career as a courtroom lawyer. As a newly admitted attorney, Carter worked as an associate at an established general practice in northern New Jersey where he handled a wide variety litigation matters and had the good fortune of practicing alongside NRC President Rob Pearson. From 2007 to 2017, Carter associated with a midtown Manhattan litigation practice, and then for an offshoot of that practice where Carter was named partner in 2013.

Having developed a diverse commercial litigation practice, including interesting commercial real estate disputes and a growing fine art practice, Carter hung his shingle in 2017. He currently maintains an office in the Financial District.
An aggressive advocate in the courtroom and typifying the “anti-lawyer” outside of it, Carter handles all facets of litigation and dispute resolution from inception through trial, including appeals, in the state and federal courts of New York and New Jersey.

In 2010, Mr. Reich was recognized for his acumen in commercial litigation as the recipient of the New York Enterprise Report’s (now SmartCEO) Best Attorneys and Accountants Commercial Litigation Award. Since 2013, Mr. Reich has annually been named a “Rising Star” in SuperLawyers for the Metro New York City region.

Despite relocating from Hell’s Kitchen to northern, NJ in 2010, Carter maintains his connections to Manhattan as an active fundraiser for Ice Hockey In Harlem, where he volunteered as an on-ice coach for six years.

Michael Chetrit | Director of Business Affairs

Michael Chetrit has more than fifteen years of experience in commercial real estate, particularly in development, project management and marketing. In addition to leading expansion and strategic business projects for the NRC, he currently pursues select development, acquisition and finance projects in the tri-state area.

Prior to his current activities, Mr. Chetrit worked with The Park Hudson Group a development firm. At PHG he was actively involved in land acquisitions, financing, construction, and business development at strategic sites in New Jersey. He specialized at PHG in the marketing of multifamily real estate projects which entailed branding and positioning and complete personal oversight of the disposition and sales of the inventory much of the time at record prices.

Michael began his professional career selling financial investments, securities and mutual funds for the Wall Street based firm First Investors. Like friends and family, he became a product of the garment center and textile industry where he created and marketed his own brand and after twenty years, and similar to many in the field, transitioned to real estate.

He has a long background in international trade as well as business relations in Latin America, Europe and Asia. He speaks and is fluent in several languages including Spanish and French.

Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baruch College NYC with a specialization in International Marketing.

Ada Wu | Director of Technology & Blockchain

Ada Wu is the Director of Operations in North America at Calculus Network, a decentralized consensus layer for the Internet of Value. She helps build the community for the development of Calculus Network’s emerging platforms and around trading of cryptoassets.  Her experience in the cryptocurrency ecosystem includes working closely with multi-cryptoasset management firms, exchanges, and market makers in Asia and the United States, such as Eigen Capital. To assist Calculus Network’s goals of building better cryptoasset market infrastructure, she utilizes her professional and academic backgrounds of Finance, Real Estate Investment, and Blockchain Technology.A

da graduated from New York University’s Schack Institute with a Master’s Degree in Real Estate Investment and Finance. She previously worked in Commercial Real Estate Finance as an Investment Manager. She is also a young leader of Asian Financial Society (AFS) and Executive Member of Media Committee of AFS.

Keti Mehta | Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Keti Mehta currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer with HUB International Northeast, responsible for the overall management of the firm’s new business initiatives along with recruiting high performing sales talent to further grow HUB’s regional footprint.

Keti’s passionate commitment has yielded success and fulfillment as she works with C-suite executives and high-potential leaders in the insurance, financial services and technology industries. As a highly skilled performance coach, avid relationship driver, champion of change and advocate of the client experience, she focuses on working with leaders to develop inspiring visions and build collaborative partnerships, while maximizing talent optimization to drive the organization’s growth agenda, deepen client footprint and increase ROI. Prior to joining HUB as the Head of Strategic Partnerships in 2017, Mehta held executive leadership roles at USI Insurance Services, Morgan Stanley, EMC, Alliance and IDB Bank.

Keti is a licensed Property & Casualty insurance broker. She holds an Executive Coaching Professional Certification from the International Coach Federation, globally accredited and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Leadership Coaching from William James College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Charter Oak State College.

Keti serves as the Vice Chair of the Tri-State Diversity Council, where she stands out for being a culture champion, diversity sponsor, talent enthusiast and an innovative business driver providing trusted thought leadership and consultative business partnering to executive leadership. In addition, Keti is a long time Advisory Board member for Gladeo, a digital media non-profit organization fostering career exploration for young people from diverse backgrounds. Keti resides in Westchester County with her husband of 20 years and beloved daughter, Karina.

Yulia Arcuri | Corporate Secretary

Yulia Arcuri is passionate, self-driven and detail-orientated Financial Analyst and Project Manager in Real Estate and Construction Industries within 10+ years of proven success to deliver high-quality projects. Yulia holds a Master’s Degree at NYU Schack Real Estate Institute. She is an excellent communicator and charismatic presenter with outstanding analytical, interpersonal and negotiating skills She is a former scholar member of the National Realty Club. During her volunteering work at NRC, she vetted for her leadership and professional potential and capacity for development. Immediately upon her membership at the National Realty Club she began volunteering as Director of Strategy. She is willing to take ownership and important initiatives at the Club. These included, among others: leading diverse and inclusive membership drives; organizing and managing events; attending networking events to recruit very senior real estate professionals and principals to membership; and leading sponsorship efforts. Yulia was determined and proved very effective on all fronts. She is a highly effective teammate and she supplies her efforts to improve the organization. She embraced a growth mindset. Her rapid professional growth led to her being elected to an officer position of the National Realty Club by the most senior real estate professionals who compose the NRC board of governors. Her interactions and energies have already produced strong relationships with those important real estate influencers. Yulia is enthusiastic, friendly, and confident.

John T. Farrell | President

John T. Farrell has been working in the field of real estate valuation and consulting since 2003. His particular area of expertise is complex real estate disputes such as rent reset arbitrations, environmental contamination, lost profits damages, etc. He has prepared appraisal, rental, market, and feasibility studies for a variety of purposes including lease negotiation, asset acquisition and disposition, corporate mergers, partnership dissolution and other business disputes, bankruptcy, condemnation, property tax appeals, estate tax, gifting, urban renewal, financing, and various other corporate planning purposes.

​Mr. Farrell is also active with the New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate where he previously served on the Global Curriculum Advisory Committee and where he currently serves as president of the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Alumni Association. He also consulted for the New York City Department of Planning on Local Law 33 (the Post 9/11 revised NYC Construction Codes).

Genghis Hadi

Co-founder and Managing Principal, Nahla Capital

Genghis Hadi has more than 14 years of real estate private equity experience in the United States. Most recently he spent seven years with Carlyle Group and worked on several billion dollars of transaction volume including new acquisitions and asset management of existing transactions with a focus on New York City.

Prior to Carlyle, Mr. Hadi was part of both the Acquisitions and Asset Management team at Boston Capital. He completed his Master of Science in Real Estate Development at Columbia University, and his undergraduate studies in economics at Tufts University. Born and raised in Dubai, UAE, he has now lived in the United States for more than 15 years. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Masters of Science in Real Estate Development Program.

Ken Weiss, JD, CFP

Fortis Lux Financial

Ken Weiss began his career in 1988 working in a diversified family business, where his responsibilities included managing an investment portfolio of real estate and other income-producing assets in the United States and Asia, as well as its international manufacturing operations.

With a focus on retirement planning and a commitment to long-term asset preservation and accumulation, Mr. Weiss embarked on a career in wealth management in 2002 at Hudson Wealth Advisors, an office of MetLife. He specializes in helping professionals and their families achieve their financial goals, providing them with tax-efficient solutions to build and preserve multi-generational wealth. In 2016, Hudson Wealth Advisors was merged into Fortis Lux Financial, a member of the MassMutual Financial Group.

Mr. Weiss earned a B.A. degree from Boston College in 1984 and a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1988 and obtained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2013.

He is a member of the National Association of Financial Advisors, the Society of Financial Service Professionals, the Financial Planning Association, and the Estate Planning Council of NYC; sits on the executive committees of the Cardozo School of Law Alumni Association and the National Realty Club; and is a founding member and investor in SPiN Global, a world-class table tennis and social club located in New York City and in other major cities in the United States and Canada.

Jeffrey A. Lenobel

Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP

Jeffrey A. Lenobel is a partner with Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP (“SRZ”) in New York City, an international law firm with over 400 attorneys. He has chaired the Real Estate Group at SRZ for more than two decades. Jeff has served as one of three partners on the Firm’s Operating Committee since it was established ten years ago and had been elected to the Firm’s Executive Committee and Compensation Committee for the past 16 years. Jeff practices primarily in the areas of cooperatives and condominiums, real estate restructuring, development, finance, sales and acquisitions. His clients include real estate funds, developers, borrowers, lenders and other financial institutions in their real estate and capital markets activities, complex financing transactions, sales and acquisitions, developments, funds, joint venture arrangements, including workouts and restructurings, and other related matters.

A veteran of the firm, Jeff has grown the real estate practice at SRZ, which today is in an elite class that completes billions of dollars in real estate transactions annually. Under his leadership, the Real Estate Group has developed a reputation for producing inventive solutions to the most difficult challenges in a timely and efficient manner. In his own practice, one factor that separates Jeff from others is his hands-on approach to matters. Nationally recognized as a leading lawyer, he has a reputation for expediently structuring complex deals that utilize diverse financial vehicles.

Jeff has been ranked for the past eight years as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in the NY Metro Area” by Super Lawyers and named as one of “New York’s Most Powerful Real Estate Attorneys” by the Commercial Observer. An elected member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, he is consistently listed in Chambers USA, The Legal 500 United States and other ranking publications. Jeff has chaired and/or served on numerous committees of the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association, including its Committee on Cooperatives and Condominiums.

Outside of the office, Jeff is a Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Forum on Law, Culture and Society at NYU School of Law, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on human rights and social justice issues. Jeff is also currently a member of the Admission Board at Cumberland School of Law. At various times during his career, Jeff has served on the Advisory Boards of Chicago Title Insurance Company, Stewart Title Insurance Company and Fidelity Title Insurance Company. He is frequently invited to write and speak on current real estate topics at leading industry events.

On a personal level, Jeff is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the Friars Club of New York City and is a member of the Board of Directors of (i) Phoenix Owners Corp. in New York (where he also serves as Treasurer), (ii) the Sanctuary at Longboat Key Club Community Association, Inc. in Longboat Key, Florida and (iii) the Sanctuary IV at Longboat Key Club Condominium Association, Inc. in Longboat Key, Florida. Jeff has also served on the Executive Committee of the UJA-Federation, Real Estate Lawyers Division, and the Executive Committee for the Fund to Cure Asthma of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center. An avid golfer, Jeff is a member of The Longboat Key Club (in Longboat Key, Florida) and a long-standing member of Metropolis Country Club (in White Plains, New York) where he has served many terms as Vice President, Treasurer and member of its Board of Governors. He is also involved as an active member of the Harmonie Club in New York City.

John T. Farrell

Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield

John T. Farrell has been working in the field of real estate valuation and consulting since 2003. His particular area of expertise is complex real estate disputes such as rent reset arbitrations, environmental contamination, lost profits damages, etc. He has prepared appraisal, rental, market, and feasibility studies for a variety of purposes including lease negotiation, asset acquisition and disposition, corporate mergers, partnership dissolution and other business disputes, bankruptcy, condemnation, property tax appeals, estate tax, gifting, urban renewal, financing, and various other corporate planning purposes.

​Mr. Farrell is also active with the New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate where he previously served on the Global Curriculum Advisory Committee and where he currently serves as president of the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Alumni Association. He also consulted for the New York City Department of Planning on Local Law 33 (the Post 9/11 revised NYC Construction Codes).

John T. Dragone

Managing Director, Trinity Street Capital Partners

John Dragone is a 20-year veteran in the commercial real estate arena and currently a managing director at Trinity Street Capital Partners. He began his real estate banking career as a credit analyst at PNC Bank. In this position he underwrote commercial real estate loans ranging from $25MM to $300MM for extensions of credit on construction/mini-permanent loans, revolving lines of credit and letters of credit for various prominent private and public real estate companies. In the late 1990s, Mr. Dragone joined Bear Stearns & Co.’s Real Estate Banking Group, where he evaluated, originated, structured and underwrote commercial real estate loans for inclusion in commercial mortgage backed securities. In 2004, he joined Trinity Street Capital Partners, which is  engaged in the origination and underwriting of debt and equity for commercial real estate, across the United States. In 2005, he founded the Landmark Opportunity Fund, which was a real estate bridge lending vehicle.

Mr. Dragone received his B.S. in Management Information Systems from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his MBA in Finance and International Business from Fordham University.

Bennett Fradkin, AIA

Principal, Fradkin & McAlpin Architects

Bennett Fradkin has more than 36 years of experience working on a diverse array of projects. He believes that a methodical architectural process and a well-directed effort are the means to a superior design and a successful project.

​Throughout his career, Mr. Fradkin has been responsible for a number of widely renowned projects. He is currently working on a new Science, Technology & Innovation Center for Landmark College, the acclaimed college for students with learning differences; he navigated The Russell Sage Foundation’s expansion from their Philip Johnson headquarters into the adjoining Victorian brownstone; and he oversees the firm’s international work for Tiffany & Company. Bennett was also the driving force behind the design of two technically complex projects that have become local institutions: Brooklyn Brewery and NY Distilling.

Mr. Fradkin has written architectural guidelines for, and is the chair of, the Architectural Review Board in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County, New York, and he has served on the economic development committee for the New York State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, helping to develop a program for a 30-acre waterfront development site. He uses these same advisory skills as consulting architect for Radburn, America’s first garden city. For this groundbreaking community, Mr. Fradkin wrote architectural guidelines and regularly helps the association’s board evaluate proposals for new building projects. He is also president of the Board of Directors of the Greenburg Nature Center, a board member of the New York League of Conservation Voters, and chairman of the President’s Advisory Committee at Landmark College.

​Mr. Fradkin received his B. Arch. from Carnegie Mellon University, and is a registered architect in New York, New Jersey and Vermont.

Lance H. Wilson

Managing Director, Berkeley Point Capital, LLC

Lance H. Wilson is a managing director of Berkeley Point Capital LLC, a subsidiary of Cantor Fitzgerald and Cantor Commercial Real Estate, specializing in the financing of multifamily rental housing projects, assisted living facilities and nursing homes primarily through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the FHA mortgage insurance programs.  Mr. Wilson had been a senior vice president of Oppenheimer Multifamily Housing & Healthcare Finance, Inc., a subsidiary of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., until April 2016 when Berkeley Point acquired the entire deal pipeline and new business production staff of Oppenheimer Multifamily. Prior to joining Oppenheimer in 2008, Mr.Wilson held senior positions in multifamily housing finance and municipal investment banking with American Property Financing, Inc. (later acquired by Wachovia Multifamily Capital, Inc.), Greytsone & Co., and PaineWebber Incorporated. Before PaineWebber in 1986, Mr. Wilson was executive assistant to Secretary Samuel R. Pierce of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1981 to 1984, and president of the New York City Housing Development Corporation from 1984 to 1986.  Prior to government service, Mr. Wilson was an attorney with the Wall Street law firm of Mudge Rose Guthrie and Alexander from 1972 to 1977, and an associate counsel of The Equitable from 1977 to 1981.

Among his many charitable, professional and political activities/affiliations, Mr. Wilson is a director of the Faith Center for Community Development, Inc., an associate member of the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York, a governor of the National Realty Club, a member of the of the advisory council of the Atlantic Legal Foundation, and a member of the New York State Bar Association.

Mr. Wilson is the recipient of several awards, including The White Housing Private Sector Initiatives Commendation, Housing Man of the Year from the National and New York Housing Conferences, Secretary’s Award for Excellence (highest departmental award) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Outstanding Public Service Award from the National Association of Home Builders.

Mr. Wilson is a graduate of Hunter College, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and the U.S. Army Officers Transportation School.

Michael J. Novak

LSRP, President Atlantic Environmental Solutions, Inc.

Michael Novak has been the President of Atlantic Environmental Solutions, Inc. (AESI), located in Hoboken, New Jersey, since 1997. Michael was one of the first group of individuals to be issued a license by the State of New Jersey under its Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) program. Michael has 30 years of experience in the management and implementation of environmental consulting and remediation services. Mr. Novak has directed over $70 million in environmental projects at over 5,000 client locations across 45 states. His areas of expertise include: environmental due diligence, wetlands, brownfields redevelopment, soil and groundwater remediation, underground storage tank compliance, hazardous waste management, asbestos and indoor air quality, and regulatory compliance.

Notably, a $3MM remediation project performed under his direction by AESI was awarded the Environmental Excellence Award by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, a 24,000 member organization. Recently, Michael was honored by NJBIA as Executive of the Year for the 2018; and AESI was listed on Inc. Magazine’s INC 5000 list of top growing firms, NJBIZ Fast 50 list of top growing firms and NJ BIZ 250 list of Top Privately Held Firms.

Michael is active in regional professional groups including the Advisory Boards of publicly
traded banks, Investors Bank and ConnectOne Bank. Michael also is on the Rutgers Business School Advisory Board of its Center for Real Estate and he is on the Board of Governors of the 70 year old, NYC-based National Realty Club. Mr. Novak is an Associate of the Society of Industrial and Office Realty (SIOR) association, and on the Government Affairs Committee of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) New Jersey Chapter. Locally, Michael has served on many Boards including the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, the North Hudson YMCA, Stevens Cooperative School, the Hoboken Rotary, the 200 Club of Hudson County, and the Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment. Additionally, Michael completed a two year term as President of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Novak received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1987 from Lehigh University located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Some of his certifications include:

• NJDEP Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP)
• NJ Redevelopment Agency, Redevelopment Training Institute (NJRA-RTI)  – Redevelopment Planning Process 4-day Workshop
• NJDEP Certified Subsurface Evaluator
• NJDEP License UHOT
• OSHA Certified: 40-hour Health & Safety Hazardous Waste Operations

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

• Licensed Site Remediation Professional Association (LSRPA)
•  New Jersey Highlands Council’s Brownfield Technical Advisory Council Work Group
•  New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA): Environmental Network Committee
•  Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ): Environmental Business Council
•  National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP): Regulatory Committee
•  Urban Land Institute (ULI): Member

Memberships and Affiliations

•  Rutgers Business School, Center for Real Estate, Advisory Board Member (2017-Present)
•  Investors Bank Advisory Board (2017-Present)
•  ConnectOne Bank Ambassadors Board (2017-Present)
•  Hoboken Chamber of Commerce (1998-Present), President Board of Directors (2009-2012)
•  Hoboken City Zoning Board of Adjustment, Member 2009
•  Michael J. Novak, LSRP
•  Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA, Board of Directors (2005-2010)
•  Hoboken Rotary: 2003-2011 (Club President ‘05/’06, Foundation President ‘06/’07)
•  Stevens Cooperative School, Board of Trustees 2005-2009
•  200 Club of Hudson County, Board of Directors (2007-Present), President (2011-2013)
•  Park Performing Arts Center, Union City, Hudson County, Board of Directors (2007-2009)
•  Jubilee Center of Hoboken, Board of Directors (2010)
•  Hudson County Chamber of Commerce (1998-Present), Board of Directors (2010-2017)

Frank DeLucia

Senior Vice President HUB International Northeast

Frank DeLucia currently serves as Senior Vice President of HUB International Northeast. Frank joined HUB International in 1991. Based out of the New York City office, he works primarily with residential and commercial real estate owners and management companies in the New York metro area. As one of the senior brokers at HUB Northeast, he currently works with over 100 major real estate companies in the region. Additionally, he has experience in building insurance and risk management programs for general contractors and construction companies. Frank also specializes in the apparel industry.

Frank is an active member of various real estate associations in New York such as Community House & Improvement Program (CHIP), New York Association of Realty Managers (NYARM), Bronx/Manhattan North Association of Realtors, the New York Association of Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) and the National Realty Club, where he was recently elected to serve as Governor. In addition, he is a board member of the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York (ABO).

Outside of his work with the Real Estate industry, Frank is also an active member of the Fashion Service Network (FSN), which is a group of leaders in all professional service areas that are dedicated to the improvement of the fashion industry. In addition, Frank serves as a board member of the Nassau County Police Department’s Exploring Advisory Board, where he was honored for his dedication as their 2012 “Person of the Year”.

In 2017, Frank was a recipient of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) “Tree of Life” award and was elected as “Person of the Year” by Community Management Associates (CMA) in 2019. He has been recognized annually at HUB’s sales conference with top honors; recently achieving the HUB Triple Legend Award in 2017, which is awarded for meeting the highest category criteria for over 15 consecutive years.

Frank holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from C.W. Post – Long Island University and is a licensed Property & Casualty insurance broker in New York.

H. Edward Wilkin III

Co-founder of WilkinGuttenplan

Ed Wilkin co-founded WilkinGuttenplan in 1983. He has over 40 years of experience helping family-owned and closely-held businesses manage the challenges of growth, cash flow and organizational restructuring. His clients
cover a variety of industries including wholesalers, real estate, construction, distribution, manufacturing, consulting, health care services, law firms and other professional practices. Ed has assisted clients with their audit and
accounting requirements, securing financing, mergers and acquisitions and planning and implementing business and tax strategies.

As part of his extensive real estate practice, Ed serves a variety of clients in the real estate industry, including commercial, residential and office and medical property developers, owners/investors, managers, agents and brokers. He works with a diverse assortment of properties including residential homes, apartment buildings, condominium, cooperative corporations and town home communities, low-income housing, including issues related to government regulations (HUD, low-income housing credits, etc.), golf course communities, shopping centers, parking facilities, offices and commercial buildings. He is experienced in all facets of condominium, co-op and homeowner association accounting and consulting with clients throughout New Jersey and New York.

Ed also works in the sports, music and entertainment division of WG overseeing client relationships and consulting with clients in all aspects of their financial lives. He is also closely involved in the business management
and tax planning areas.

Ed’s expertise in litigation support includes expert witness testimony. He has produced reports and served as an expert in many areas including, shareholder disputes, fraud and embezzlement losses, professional malpractice, and probate matters.

Prior to co-founding WilkinGuttenplan, Ed was a partner with a regional CPA firm.

Es is member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Also member of the New Jersey and New York Societies of Certified Public Accountants. Past President and former Board Member, Community Associations Institute – New Jersey Chapter

Ed graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rider University. He continues his
education through regular continuing professional education (CPE) and educational seminars.

Diane M. Ramirez

Chief Strategy Officer of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties.

Diane M. Ramirez currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties. In this highly Influential role, she is charged with growing the brand across New York City and neighboring markets in addition to enhancing partnerships with BHHS franchises around the world. As the leader of the brokerage’s flagship office at 590 Madison Avenue, Diane will foster the development of BHHS New York Properties agents and teams while leveraging the global brand and her vast knowledge of innovative services and technology platforms.

Prior to joining the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices team in 2021, Diane was the Executive Chairman & Senior Advisor of Brown Harris Stevens. She began her brokerage career as an agent initially working in Palm Beach and soon after returned to New York City where she was a successful agent. In 1984, she founded residential brokerage Halstead with Clark Halstead in Manhattan. She led the firm with a focus on technology and the high-end market. The firm’s success did not go unnoticed and in 2001 it was purchased by Terra Holdings. Under Diane’s wise and steady leadership, the firm grew to over 30 offices and 1,400 agents across New York City, The Hamptons, Hudson Valley, New Jersey and Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 2020, Halstead merged with Brown Harris Stevens and her role expanded to help guide the company’s growth.

Licensed in New York, Connecticut and Florida, Diane has a deep commitment to the industry. She is an accredited New York continuing education teacher and is an active and supportive member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). REBNY has honored Diane with three prestigious awards the Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award, the Bernard H. Mendik Lifetime Leadership Award and the Henry Forster award for her long-standing reputation for excellence in residential real estate and contributions to cultural, charitable and community organizations outside and within the industry. Diane is an Inman Influencer, is consistently ranked in the Swanepoel Power 200 and by the New York Observer as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate.

Diane served on the Board of Directors of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World for five years and was Chairman from 2019-2021. Leading RE is comprised of residential brokerages in over 70 countries, with 550 firms and 150,000 sales associates producing 1.3 million global transactions. Diane has recently been elected to the Board of Governors of the National Realty Club which is a premier membership club of real estate professionals founded in 1947 by Harry Helmsley and other leading professionals.

Diane lives in Manhattan with her husband and is a proud mother of two and grandmother of five.

Dennis Karr

Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank

Dennis Karr focuses on representing corporate and multinational clients in real estate sales and leasing transactions. Over the course of his career, Mr. Karr has conducted many major leasing and sales transactions, representing many tenants on multiple occasions. Mr. Karr possesses more than 30 years of commercial real estate. Most
recently eighteen years at Newmark’s Headquarters in New York City. As the director of Newmark’s China Business Group China Initiative and an associate (American) member of the China General Chamber ofCommerce (CGCC), Mr. Karr represented Chinese companies entering or expanding in Manhattan. Taking further advantage of his connection
with the Chinese business community and using knowledge-based negotiation skills, can leverage national capacity to assist international firms in their real estate requirements throughout the United States. Additionally, he currently represents sustainable new technologies in air quality equipment and prefabricated construction

Gregg L. Schenker

Founder, ABS Partners Real Estate, LLC

Gregg L. Schenker is President and Co-Managing Partner of ABS Partners Real Estate. His responsibilities include overseeing the company’s business activities, providing real estate and advisory services to the clients of the firm, long-term strategic planning for generational minded families, and organizing partnerships for the purpose of owning real estate. He is a partner in many real estate ventures owning office, hotel, retail, and multifamily properties.

Mr. Schenker has more than 30 years of experience working locally in the New York City commercial real estate industry. He began his real estate career by working at a New York City construction site in Fort Greene, Brooklyn during summer recess from college, literally learning the real estate business from the ground up. After college, his first job was with Helmsley, at the time the largest privately held real estate company in the country and a very fertile place for learning. While working at Helmsley alongside Earle Altman, a legendary veteran New York City Real Estate professional, Gregg learned the real estate business and attended the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate. In 1999, after Helmsley began to unwind, he, along with partners Earle Altman, Dan Burack, Peter Burack, and Steven Hornstock, formed ABS.

Under the leadership of Gregg and the other ABS Partners, the ABS firm quickly became well known for its expertise in handling real estate matters for property owners and successfully organizing ventures to own real estate. Gregg consistently focused upon the benefits of long-term investing, the conservative use of leverage, and the importance of maintaining well-capitalized entities. Having fared well through many business cycles, the firm continues to participate in many of the early partnerships. Additionally, each year the firm organizes new partnerships with a growing base of investors, real estate holdings, and prominent clients who own real estate and utilize the services of the firm. Over the course of the past 10 years, the firm has steadily diversified its holdings with a concentration on the east coast of the United States. 

The ABS Partners maxim is “we build partnerships that last” a guiding principle. With the influence provided by Gregg, the firm strives to perform well for its partners and clients by utilizing its key relationships, remaining flexible, employing a strong and positive work ethic, and building upon a foundation of integrity. Thanks to the support of friends, clients, and partners in the real estate community, those strong relationships, coupled with the reputation which has been established by the ABS team are the collective driving force behind the firm’s success.

Since 1999, ABS has grown from the initial group of 14 people to 80 real estate professionals located in the New York City headquarters and more than 250 employees in New York City. ABS maintains offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester and Florida.

Rob Pearson

Chair, Board of Governors, National Realty Club, Inc.

Rob’s background includes private practice in litigation and real estate early on in his career as an attorney. Following the practice of law, Rob focused on entrepreneurship with the development and launching of real estate and human resources technology platforms among other endeavors. Currently, he manages organization and business development, leads organization change efforts, and oversees real estate acquisitions and development as Chief Strategy Officer for NuRide Transportation Group, the largest asset-based transportation company in the New York metropolitan area.

Rob was unanimously voted chairman of the NRC in 2020. Previously he was president (2015-2019) and general counsel (2008-2012). As president and chairman, Rob helped to revive the Club, promoting and maintaining the mission of the organization while developing a focused effort on adding significant principals and senior professionals as members and spearheading diversity and inclusion efforts in the Club.

He is responsible not only for reinvigorating the Club, but also for successfully guiding it through the unprecedented challenges that were and continue to be presented by the global pandemic.

Rob earned a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College and a juris doctorate from Seattle University before beginning his career. More recently he studied leadership and organization change earning executive master’s degrees from the Lyndon Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and Columbia University. He has a passion for the real estate industry and for empowering others in their efforts to develop their personal and leadership capabilities and capacity. He is an avid sports fan, a practitioner of muay thai, and resides in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

Kent Swig

President, Swig Equities

Mr. Swig is President of Swig Equities, LLC, an investment and development firm focusing on the acquisition and development of real estate in New York City and California. Since2001, Swig Equities has purchased and developed in excess of $3 billion of properties
including holdings in Downtown Manhattan’s FiDi (Financial District) neighborhood comprising of 110 William Street, a 910,000 square foot office building; 80 Broad Street, a 440,000 square foot office building; 90 Broad Street, a 400,000 square foot office building; 44 Wall Street, a 350,000 square foot office building; 48 Wall Street, a 324,000square foot office building; 5 Hanover Square, a 335,000 square foot office building; 770Lexington Avenue, a 175,000 square foot commercial office building located in MidtownManhattan, among others. Swig Equities residential investments include The Sheffield, 322West 57th Street, a 58-story mixed-use building comprising 582 residential units, 109,000square feet of commercial office, 8,840 square feet of retail, and a 372-car parking garage; 58 apartments within the 198 unit residential building located at 401 East 89th Street; among others.