Real Crowd Podcast

Jamie Woodwell
Vice President, Research and Economics

Jamie Woodwell is Vice President in the Research and Economics group at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), where he oversees MBA's research and related activities covering the commercial and multifamily real estate markets.

Jamie and his work are regularly cited in the media, on Capitol Hill and in regulatory settings. He is a regular speaker at industry and corporate events; has appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg and in other popular and trade press; and testified before the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP. Jamie initiated many of MBA's research activities, and created MBA's Peer Business Roundtables and the CREF Careers program.

Mike Milano, CCIM, MAI, is a Managing Director and has been with Colliers for 20 years. Mike has sold retail properties throughout Florida, and is consistently a top producer having sold in excess of $2.0 billion since joining Colliers. Holding both a CCIM and MAI designation is a rare accomplishment and speaks to Mike’s skill as a professional. Mike oversees retail investment sales throughout Florida, providing acquisition and disposition services to institutional and private clients.

Mike specializes in the sale of credit anchored shopping centers, lifestyle centers, enclosed malls, freestanding, net-leased retail and redevelopment properties. Mike has formed strategic alliances with mortgage brokers and lenders active in today’s market. This helps provide clients with access to both debt and equity.

Mike also has extensive experience assisting private clients, lending institutions and special servicers with disposition and workout solutions for challenging assets as well as performing and non-performing debt.

Blake Liggio is a partner in Goodwin’s Real Estate Industry group. Mr. Liggio focuses on mergers and acquisitions, including the representation of acquirors, targets, boards of directors, transaction committees and investment banks. He also advises clients on a range of corporate matters, including fiduciary duties, corporate governance, federal securities law disclosure and compliance, and defensive measures.

Mr. Liggio is also involved in Goodwin’s PropTech Initiative focused on the intersection of Real Estate and Technology through thoughtful collaboration across the two practice areas and advises on relevant market trends impacting the PropTech sector.

Marcia Davies is Chief Operating Officer for the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). As COO, Marcia is responsible for ensuring cross-organizational alignment and facilitating the implementation of strategic initiatives, as well as maintaining oversight of key organizational priorities. She is also the lead strategist for MBA's external activities, providing leadership, guidance and overall management to the public affairs and marketing divisions. In addition, Marcia provides strategic direction and management of MBA's Conferences, Membership, Education, Information Technology and Office Services divisions. She also provides management oversight to and is a Board member of MBA's Opens Doors Foundation.

Previously, Marcia worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner. She directed HUD's industry relations program to strengthen relationships, garner support, streamline communications and resolve policy and regulatory issues. Before joining HUD, Marcia spent 21 years at Freddie Mac, where she held a variety of officer positions in communications, customer outreach, marketing, servicer relations and policy.

Marcia is the founder of mPower - MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach - MBA's networking platform for women in the real estate finance industry. Under her leadership, mPower has grown into an engaged community of more than 12,000, providing best-in-class conference and webinar programming, networking events, and online opportunities to stay engaged. Through mPower, more women are positioned to achieve leadership positions and are well represented in all segments of the industry.

Marcia is a member of the NAWRB Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC). She is also a member of Women in Housing Finance and the International Women's Leadership Association. Most recently, Marcia received the silver Stevie Awards for Women in Business 2018 Maverick of the Year. She has also the recipient of Five Star's Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy award, the NAWRB 2018 Industry Revolutionary Award, and the CIFS Diversity & Inclusion 2018 Trailblazer Award. In 2015, Marcia was honored by HousingWire as one of its 2015 Women of Influence.

Marcia is a graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, N.J.

Shahin Yazdi is a Principal/Managing Director of George Smith Partners. Since starting his career at GSP in 2007, Mr. Yazdi and his team have secured over $1 billion in financing for all asset types including Multifamily, Office, Industrial, Retail, Hospitality, Self-Storage facilities, Land, RV Parks, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing facilities, and Student Housing projects.

Mr. Yazdi’s clients include private individuals, family offices and institutional investors. He is recognized for his expertise in underwriting and negotiating complex transactions, which include mezzanine financing or private equity for bridge, permanent, and construction loans. Mr. Yazdi has received awards for his debt/equity placements, spoken at large conferences, and has been interviewed on national media broadcasts.

In 2009, at the height of the recent economic down turn, Mr. Yazdi played an instrumental role in establishing George Smith Partners advisory services arm to assist borrowers and lenders with troubled loans and distressed assets. Prior to GSP, Mr. Yazdi worked at a major commercial bank, which gave him in depth knowledge and understanding regarding the intricacies of the banking system.

Mr. Yazdi is an active member of the Jewish Federation Real Estate & Construction Division, ULI, ICSC, PREA, NAIOP, and CoreNet Global.

Mr. Yazdi possesses a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is an active Real Estate Investor, enjoys playing basketball, rooting on the LA Lakers, traveling domestically and abroad and most importantly spending time with his wife and family.

As Chief Executive Officer of Zelman & Associates, Ivy Zelman, holds roughly 27 years of experience
covering housing and housing-related industries. Founded in October 2007, Zelman & Associates
provides analyses across all aspects of the housing spectrum. Ivy’s concept for the firm remains
strongly rooted in the ability to perform thematic research overlaid with proprietary surveys to produce
unparalleled differentiated value-added research.

Ivy continues to be frequently quoted in The Wall Street Journal and appears occasionally as a guest
on CNBC. For the past 22 years, Institutional Investor has recognized Ivy as one of the most
preeminent figures within the housing industry. Most notably, Institutional Investors - America
Research Team rankings placed Ivy and her team with eleven 1st place rankings (1999 – 2004, 2006 –
2007 and 2010 – 2013). Ivy achieved this record over the years, most notably when she called the top
of the housing market in 2005. In addition, she reinforced her dominant reputation in the industry by
calling the bottom of the housing market in January 2012.

Ivy received a Bachelor of Science from George Mason University and currently lives in Cleveland,
Ohio with her husband David and their three children, Zoey, Zachary and Zia.

Welcome to the second episode of the Goodwin Proptech Series, where Blake Liggio discusses the rise of tech-experience in the C-suites and boardrooms of real estate firms.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The intersection between Real Estate and Technology is ever evolving, presenting challenges and opportunities to companies, their investors, and consumers. Technology underpins the real estate space in all its forms: from artificial intelligence to smart cities, the adaptation of existing buildings into Tech hubs, the rise in financial modelling, the emergence of cryptocurrencies and economies shared. Steady digital and technology disruption is impacting companies across industries and driving M&A as companies face the need for growth to sustain competitiveness.

This week, we sat down with Brian Neltner and Reynolds Thompson of Select Strategies Realty to discuss the current retail climate, where retail is in the cycle, and why retail doesn't deserve all the negative headlines.

Brian Neltner is the CEO at Select Strategies and is responsible for the overall direction and management of the company.Prior to joining Select Strategies he managed all retail real estate activities for Colonial Properties Trust as their Senior Vice President of Real Estate.  Brian’s position involved the direct oversight of all operational functions including leasing, management, construction, development and redevelopment of a portfolio of enclosed malls and open air shopping centers.  Previously, Brian was responsible for all real estate development, management, leasing and construction activities for over 125 open air shopping centers for Kimco Realty Corporation as their Vice President of Real Estate.  He played a significant role in the repositioning of many assets in various portfolio acquisitions creating significant value and directly contributing to success of the ventures.

Reynolds Thompson is the Chief Investment Officer at Select Strategies and is responsible for the company’s investment activities and investment management services.Prior to joining Select, Reynolds was President and Chief Financial Officer of Colonial Properties Trust, a $4 billion publicly traded REIT with a portfolio of multifamily, office, retail and mixed-use assets. During a 16-year career with Colonial, he also served as CEO, COO and CIO. He has extensive public company management, operating and investment experience having raised $950 million in equity, $2.5 billion in debt and completed acquisitions totaling $4.1 billion, developments totaling $1.5 billion, dispositions totaling $5 billion and joint ventures totaling $3.5 billion. Reynolds also has expertise in strategic planning, investment analysis, capital markets, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and investor relations.Reynolds currently serves on the Board of Directors for Medical Properties Trust, a $7 billion publicly traded REIT.

Mr. Van Keuren currently works for a Family Office who has over 30 years of experience in contrarian and distressed real estate investing producing a gross IRR of 32% on over 200 deals since 1998. Individually, Mr. Van Keuren has over 25 years’ experience in finance, investment banking, and real estate. Among DJ’s experience includes; Raising and securing over $350MM in capital from Institutional Investors, Private Equity Funds, Family Offices, and Direct Capital Sources. Mr. Van Keuren has been a Director of capital markets (equity & debt) for both a domestic and international real estate development company with a focus on luxury condominiums, luxury multifamily apartments, active adult communities & hotels. Additional experience includes acting Director at a boutique investment banking firm where he focused on real estate and energy, COO for ONYX Capital, an alternative asset, real estate due diligence and capital markets group and Managing Director for the Horison Management Group where he acted as the Fund Manager for the American Dream Real Estate Fund.

Mr. Van Keuren is a member of the Harvard Alumni Association, past President and Board Member for the Harvard Real Estate Alumni Organization (HREAO) and a Board Member for the Alumni Advisory Board at the Real Estate Academic Initiative at Harvard (REAI). Mr. Van Keuren is also the founder of www.usfamilyofficerealestate.com. DJ received his B.A. from Ball State University, attended graduate studies in Real Estate from the NYU Schack Real Estate Institute, and received his Masters Degree from Harvard University in Management and Finance.​