Nasser of Intercontinental Real Estate to receive REFA’s Swain Distinguished Service Award

Boston, MA According to The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA), Paul Nasser, president of Intercontinental Real Estate, has been selected to receive the Robert S. Swain, Jr. Distinguished Service Award at the 36^th Annual REFA Gala to be held Thursday, October 17^th, 2024 at the Omni Seaport. 

The Annual REFA Gala, the city’s premier commercial real estate awards dinner, will honor Nasser for his leadership roles in civic and charitable causes both local and national, his professional achievements, and his unwavering commitment to REFA, the commercial real estate industry, and the greater Boston business community. REFA 2024 president Ravi Ragnauth, CEO of Berkshire Residential; and REFA Gala co-chairs Peter Bloomfield, KPMG partner and real estate practice leader-New England, and Elizabeth Lowrey, principal of Elkus Manfredi Architects, will present Nasser with the highly coveted Boston Harbor Bowl. 

Ragnauth said, “We are delighted to be honoring Paul Nasser with the Robert S. Swain Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Paul is a prominent figure in the Greater Boston commercial real estate space and embodies the true definition of leadership, collaboration, and integrity. We are thankful for his leadership as 2017 REFA President and look forward to honoring him on October 17^th.”

Nasser joins a list of previous award honorees, all of whom have made outstanding contributions to the greater Boston community, including Steve Samuels, founder and chairman, Samuels & Associates; Paul Ayoub, chair, Nutter; Jon Davis, CEO and founder, The Davis Companies; Pam Herbst, managing director, AEW; Tammy Jones, CEO and founder, Basis Investment Group; Bryan Koop, EVP, Boston Properties; Elizabeth Lowrey, principal, Elkus Manfredi Architects; David Manfredi, CEO and founding principal, Elkus Manfredi Architects; Kirk Sykes, co-managing partner, Accordia Partners; and mayor Thomas Menino.

Nasser said, “Robert Swain was someone I looked up to as I began my banking career many years ago. Fast forward to today and to receive this honor is truly humbling. When I look at the list of previous honorees, I am very grateful to be included with so many accomplished individuals whom have had a significant impact on our industry and the community.”

Lowrey, a previous recipient of the Robert S. Swain, Jr. Distinguished Service Award, returns as co-chair of the REFA Gala for the fourth consecutive year. “The annual Gala is a chance for members of the real estate and finance industries to celebrate the people who are making important contributions and moving our communities forward,” said Lowrey. “This year we’re excited to recognize Paul Nasser for his past, present, and future contributions.”

Nasser’s professional background encompasses most aspects of the real estate finance industry. As President of Intercontinental Real Estate, he is responsible for managing the resources of the firm across investment and operating disciplines. 

Prior to joining Intercontinental in 2000, he was senior vice president and team leader in Fleet’s Real Estate Finance Group, handling a real estate portfolio of over $1 billion. Before joining Fleet in 1991, he held a variety of senior management positions in the banking industry.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Nasser is active in many civic, industry, and charitable organizations. A previous president of the Greater Boston Board of Real Estate Finance Association (REFA), he is currently on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and the Board of Trustees for Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA. He holds memberships with REFA, the Treasurer’s Club of Boston, the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF), the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers (NAREIM), and the Pension Real Estate Advisory (PREA). Formerly, he was chairman and president of the NAIOP’s Massachusetts Chapter; a director of the National Board of Directors of NAIOP in Washington, D.C.; Chairman of the Advisory Board for St. John the Evangelist School, Beverly, MA; Chairman of the Board of Trustees for St. John’s Preparatory School, Danvers, MA; and a member of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Eastern Massachusetts. In 2015, Mr. Nasser was named the CFO of the Year for Midsize Private Companies by the Boston Business Journal. He is a guest lecturer at the University of New Hampshire, Boston University, and Roger Williams University, and received his BA in Urban Planning from the University of Rhode Island in 1983 and his MBA from Suffolk University in 1998.