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Rick Kaplan Host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews Deborah Smith Co-Founder & CEO of The CenterCap Group.  Deb is a trailblazer at the crossroads of real estate and finance. She’s passionate about real estate, all its asset classes, and mostly in finding the best solutions for her clients. That said, the size of her firm, her ability to see around corners, and capability to nimbly operate on all sides of a transaction makes way for creative transactions. She gets outside the box and is almost always out ahead on trends before the rest of the industry. She’d be a wonderful guest to discuss early trends and what she’s seeing and hearing on the ground.

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Rick Kaplan Host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast Interviews Andrew LaFuente of LaFuente Sign & Awning. Andrew started working in the trade at just 12 years old, as an apprentice, and it sparked a lifelong passion for craftsmanship and design. In 2015, I founded LaFuente Sign & Awning, and since then, the company has grown into one of the premier custom awning manufacturers in Greater Boston. Something very important to me throughout the years has been making my business successful enough that I am able to spend more time with my daughter. We serve residential, commercial, and industrial clients, and I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done. One recent example is the Boston sports mural and signing at Title City barbers, where many notable Boston sports players frequent for their haircuts. Our innovative designs, combined with our commitment to quality, have really set us apart. Over the years, we’ve modernized the way awnings are built, incorporating new materials and techniques that push the boundaries of traditional construction. It's been a true labor of love to see my company grow and evolve.

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Rick Kaplan host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews Ruberto, Israel & Weiner Attorney's Adam Barnosky and Chris Agostino.  Adam Barnosky chairs RIW’s Restaurant & Hospitality Practice Group and handles alcoholic beverage licensing, commercial real estate, and corporate transactions for the retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries; including the representation of restaurant groups, hotels, sports and entertainment companies, food halls, retailers, hospitality lenders, and award-winning chefs and operators. He completed the Boston Future Leaders program in 2023 and was recently named a 2024 Top Lawyer by Boston Magazine for the 4th year in a row and a 2024 Massachusetts Super Lawyer.

Chris Agostino is a shareholder and serves as business counsel to clients across a range of industries, including commercial real estate, construction, lending, manufacturing, hospitality, retail sales and services, and transportation, including carriers and brokerages. His practice covers the lifecycle of most privately held businesses from entity formation, joint ventures, contracts, employment matters, and commercial finance, to mergers and acquisitions, business succession planning, "business divorces" and creditors’ rights. He was named a Top Lawyer by Boston Magazine in 2024.

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Rick Kaplan Host of NEREJ / NYREJ Podcast Interviews Kyle Dupell of Erland Construction. Kyle talks about his Journey in the industry and how Advanced Technology  and Life Sciences have grown into our industry. As Project Executive at Erland Construction, I bring an extensive background and a robust client network in the lab and manufacturing space. My academic journey began at Norwich University, where I earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture. These foundational experiences instilled in me a deep understanding of the built environment and the importance of collaboration across disciplines.

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of working for several organizations spanning construction management, real estate development, and architecture. These diverse roles have equipped me with a holistic perspective on project execution, enabling me to navigate complex challenges and deliver value-driven results for clients.

Since joining Erland, I’ve been dedicated to enhancing our advanced technology and life sciences offerings. One of my key contributions has been reestablishing our COLAB Solutions model, a platform that fosters seamless collaboration and innovation in project delivery. This initiative has strengthened our ability to address the unique demands of highly specialized facilities, emphasizing efficiency, adaptability, and client satisfaction.

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Rick Kaplan host of the NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews Jonathan Crandall of JC Grounds. Jon Crandall, founder and visionary behind JC Grounds Management, specializing in Commercial Snow and Ice Management in New England. Over the past 28 years, I have transformed a small lawn-mowing endeavor into a sophisticated operation, deploying over 1,000 people per snow event, backed by cutting-edge technology. As a former Chairman of the Board for the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA), I have contributed significantly to setting industry standards. I recently authored a book on snow removal best practices, with all proceeds going to charity.

Jon discussed the innovations and challenges in snow and ice management, the impact of technology and data in improving service delivery, and strategic insights from my book, "Snow Removal Solutions for Property Managers." By sharing my journey and the lessons learned from engaging deeply with property managers, I aim to provide valuable advice to those on the buy side of snow and ice services in the real estate industry.

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Rick Kaplan Host of NEREJ/ NYREJ Podcast interviews Dov Hertz of DH Property Holdings. The real estate industry is entering a new cycle with a new administration, and there are a host of critical issues that will affect owners and developers.  My experience as a developer for residential and hospitality assets, as well as my experience as an industrial real estate developer, enable me to provide insight into the forces that will shape the industry over the next several years.

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Rick Kaplan host of the NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews Ngan Han President, Kristen Hurley Executive Director and Justin MacEachern of Gilbane Building. The group talks about how  To help bring exposure to the ACE Mentor Program of Greater Boston, discuss the positive impacts that the organization has done over the years and to get more local firms involved.

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Rick Kaplan Host of the NEREJ / NYREJ Podcasts Guest this  week is Jonathan Garland  Of JGE Architecture + Design / JGE Development LLC,  In 2018 I founded two separate Boston-based, minority owned firms with a focus on commercial architecture and real estate development. Together the two firms form JGE, otherwise known as J. Garland Enterprises. Before launching into private practice, I served at director and associate principal level positions at design firms in Boston and New York. After nearly 25 years in the industry, I have been fortunate to work on an array of building and project types, ranging in scale, use, context and location. Some award winning and others on a very tight budget. Nonetheless they each provide an invaluable learning opportunity from which to grow, and in-turn convey to others. Our dual practices today share the belief that we bear a social responsibility to build, equitably, sustainably and contextually -- that in many ways defines our mission and allows us to evolve to more directly meet the needs of our communities.

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Rick Kaplan Host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews Mitchell Korbey of Herrick, Feinstein LLP.  Mitchell Talks about why City of Yes is a timely piece of legislation that, if approved, will dramatically change the city's housing landscape and make a big dent in the issue of affordable housing. I think your audience would find it interesting to hear about the specifics impacts of the finalized version on the city, and how this can serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives to spur housing development. More broadly, I can also talk about how zoning can be a tool to make progress in on pressing problems that impact both the city's real estate market and the economy.
Tell us a little about yourself and some accomplishments:  I'm a partner, and chair of Herrick's Land Use & Zoning Group. Mitch is an accomplished urban planner and land use attorney with more than 30 years of experience in private practice and government service. Mitch is a former Commissioner of the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), a former director of the Department of City Planning's (DCP) Brooklyn office, and a former deputy director of DCP’s Staten Island office.

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Host Rick Kaplan of the NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast with Brett Mercer and Steven  Chick of Greek Real Estate Partners.  Brett talk about his believes that exploring the state of the industrial logistics market in the Northeast will provide valuable insight for members of the industry, from investors and developers to space occupiers.  The industry finds itself at a critical moment, coming out of a restrictive rates environment and possibly moving into a period of greater investment and development activity with both existing and ground-up facilities. Discussing solutions to challenges faced by the industry is especially relevant as industry members seek to build and upgrade facilities to meet both the current and future demands of occupiers, preparing for new technology and an evolving landscape for power and distribution. Steven will provide detailed insight into the mechanics and processes that enable industrial real estate owners and developers to reimagine and reposition existing facilities that may benefit from upgrades to technology and layout that create greater efficiency and meet the specific needs of current industrial space occupiers. The design/build process provides a cost-effective approach to repositioning and to new developments and expansions, reducing time and delivering a product with greater utility and value to owners and occupiers.