Design Development

Benji Moll is the CEO and founder of Arts Urban. They've entered Boston real estate and carved out their unique market corner. The episode highlights creative capital stacks and debt financing and the relationships it takes to really find a way to create affordable housing, help people, and invest in long-term real estate assets.

Benjie founded Arx Urban in 2014 and is responsible for the c, including all acquisitions, capital markets, and investor relations activity. He previously served as Vice President of Investments at Atlas Real Estate Partners and was an Associate at JP Morgan Global Real Assets. In these roles, he oversaw a $1.5B mixed-use real estate portfolio and created the investment strategy for over 30 assets, including leasing, development, financing, and disposition.

Benjie is a frequent speaker on real estate finance and housing innovation and has completed transactions across five different crowdfunding platforms. In 2014, he was appointed to the Mayor of Boston’s SPARK Boston Council (formerly ONEin3 Council) where he consulted the City’s Innovation Housing Lab on forward-thinking financing strategies and was a 2020 Spark Impact Award Finalist for his advocacy for housing stability through innovative financing structures.

Benjie holds a BA from Tufts University, summa cum laude, and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, where he graduated as a Tuck Scholar and received the Julia Stell Award for Leadership. He currently resides in Newton with his wife, Anna, and daughters, Sophie and Janey.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

In today's episode, we will be discussing mass timber and introducing our guest, Ricky McClain, an expert in the field from WoodWorks. We will also explore the most suitable applications for mass timber and learn more about Ricky's background.

Ricky is WoodWorks’ in-house expert on tall mass timber buildings, providing analysis and guidance on architectural, fire and life safety, and structural design topics. He supports the AEC community both directly and collaboratively with WoodWorks Regional Directors and guides the development of education and resources related to tall mass timber buildings in the U.S. Prior to this emphasis, Ricky’s role encompassed all building types and wood systems. He also has extensive experience in lead engineer roles related to structural design, project management, and construction administration. Ricky is the Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of Vermont and a member of numerous committees and councils related to building design.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Lisa Nickerson is the CEO & Founder of Nickerson, an international, award-winning, full-service branding, marketing, PR, and communications agency with offices in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Lisa also serves as the CMO and CRO of Infinityy, an online platform transforming real estate decision-making into a collaborative online experience.

Lisa was recognized as a 2022 GlobeSt Real Estate Forum Woman of Influence in the Marketing/Communications Professional category, an honor given to the most influential women in real estate marketing. Additionally, Lisa was recognized by Bisnow in 2018 as a “Boston Power Woman” and was also awarded the 2016 PRISM for Marketing Professional of the Year. Lisa and the Nickerson team were the 2019 PR Daily ‘Winner’ and 2020 PR Week ‘Finalist’ for Crisis Communications/Reputation Management.

Nickerson is a sought-after speaker and moderator, a devotee of professional and community service, and a champion of women’s leadership initiatives. She is an active member of Urban Land Institute (ULI) and ULI|Boston|New England’s Advisory Board, Chair of ULI New England’s Technology Council, Co-Chair and Communications Chair of ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative Council 2019-2021, Board Member & Founder’s Circle Chair of the Greater Boston Arts & Business Council, Host Committee Member and upcoming Board Member of Cristo Rey Boston High School, former Board Member & VP of Sponsorship of Boston Women in Media & Entertainment 2016-2020, and a former Board Member of SIOR|New England Chapter 2013-2017.

Nickerson has been a board member and development chair of Housing Families Inc. since 2006 and has been a member of the Joshua Frase Foundation (JFF) since 1997, and a Board Member and Vice President of JFF since 2019.

In partnership with her daughter, Catherine McGonagle, Nickerson is the Co-Founder and Advisor of STEMS Flower Farm, LLC, a flower farming venture and content producer teaching high school and college students the power of entrepreneurship.

A proud graduate of Boston College, Nickerson resides in Wayland, MA with her soon-to-be husband, Bob Cramer. A five-time runner of the Boston Marathon, aspiring triathlete, and avid gardener, Nickerson revels in keeping a “rhythm” in her life that brings her great pleasure while also feeding her curiosity and desire for achieving all that is possible.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Our guest today is Nick Schiffer, the owner and founder of NS Builders. Nick is a seasoned construction professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. He has a passion for creating high-quality, functional spaces for his clients, and takes great pride in his work. In addition to running NS Builders, Nick is also an active member of his community, volunteering his time and resources to various charitable causes. We're excited to have him on the show today to talk about all things construction and get his insights on the industry. So let's give a warm welcome to Nick Schiffer of NS Builders.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Expanding ARCO National New England from two employees in 2018 to 22 in 2022 while growing the business from $10 million in revenue to $300 million in revenue – and having a ton of fun while doing it.

George Green wanted to be an engineer from a young age, and I grew up around heavy equipment since my dad managed a gas company’s equipment fleet, so working for a design-build construction firm was the perfect fit.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Mark Zweig is a decorated entrepreneur. He founded the Zweig Group, a three-time Inc. 500/5000 fastest-growing company. Throughout his career at Zweig Group, Mark has worked with several thousand CEOs and managers of AEC firms throughout the US as well as foreign countries and helped them with every problem from strategic planning, to ownership and leadership transition, to mergers and acquisitions, marketing, and more. He has written several thousand articles and authored several books, with a new book coming out shortly entitled.

Check out his book "Confessions of an Entrepreneur." He still writes his weekly editorial for The Zweig Letter, read by owners and managers of AEC firms worldwide, and has done so for more than 30 years. He is also a leading contributor to the "Walton Insights" blog on The Walton College website. He is additionally a regular contributor to The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. He has given hundreds of talks at a wide variety of national, state, and local events, sometimes to crowds as large as 2000 people.

Additionally, Mark has been a founder or co-founder of several other private companies besides Zweig Group and Mark Zweig, Inc., including a reading clinic, baby products company, and a bike shop. He has served as an outside director or advisor on the BODs of at least a dozen private companies, ranging from $0 to $200 million in revenue. He has also served on three university boards for two different universities, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Board, and he is currently on the Board of Directors of Miyamoto Relief, a non-profit that provides a wide range of projects in third-world countries struck by natural disasters.

I am sure you will enjoy the fun conversation with a 13-time author and serial entrepreneur in residence at the University of Arkansas. And not only is he a decorated entrepreneur, but this guy is just so fun to talk to and to share some laughs with.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Mass timber is the hottest topic in design and development today. Who better than Jean-Marc Dubois from Nordic Structures to bring that conversation straight to you! He's a passionate leader. He knows everything there is to know about mass timber. He's a great connector of people. Nordic structures is one major supplier of mass timber. You're going to learn about sustainable forest harvesting in the mass timber supply chain and the importance of bringing in someone like Nordic structures as a mass timber partner at the conception of development. This episode will get you to think about how to leverage mass timber in the developments from day one!

Welcome to the Design Development Podcast, your hub of learning from top professionals in real estate, development, design, and construction. I'm your host, Rens Hayes, founding partner of H+O, lifelong learner, and I'm obsessed with high-powered organizations and the leaders that guide them. Welcome, if this is your first time listening.  And if you're a returning listener, I can't thank you enough. Thank you for joining us.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Michael DiMella is a partner at Charles Gate Realty Group. Mike's Story is so incredible. He was an entrepreneur from day one, practically straight out of college. He and his partner, Vineberg, went right to work for themselves at a real estate brokerage firm. They learned many lessons from the 2008 recession. They realized the risk in that business, which helped them build an INC 5000 fastest-growing company today. They're an integrated real estate firm. You'll learn a lot more about leadership, growing a company partnership, and the importance of marketing in multifamily lease-ups.

Welcome to the Design Development Podcast, your hub of learning from top professionals in real estate, development, design, and construction. I'm your host, Rens Hayes, founding partner of H+O, lifelong learner, and I'm obsessed with high-powered organizations and the leaders that guide them. Welcome, if this is your first time listening.  And if you're a returning listener, I can't thank you enough. Thank you for joining us.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Michael Procopio, the outspoken CEO of The Procopio Company, is a family-led business they launched in 1950. That means they've been around for over 70 years. They're into construction and real estate development. Mike and his brothers, Greg and Mark, took over the business in 2016, and they grew it from simple single-family developments to over $300 million in multifamily development in 2022. Mike is really tuned in to critical leadership and business practices. He's an avid learner lifelong learner. You're going to learn more about business transition, ownership, transition, family-led businesses, real estate development, construction, and everything in between. I hope you enjoy it.

Feel free to reach out to him on LinkedIn

Welcome to the Design Development Podcast, your hub of learning from top professionals in real estate, development, design, and construction. I'm your host, Rens Hayes, founding partner of H+O, lifelong learner, and I'm obsessed with high-powered organizations and the leaders that guide them. Welcome, if this is your first time listening.  And if you're a returning listener, I can't thank you enough. Thank you for joining us.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.