The Real Estate Finance Association update: Continuing to create programming for members

Boston, MA The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA) continues to create programming for its members throughout the summer. 

On Tuesday, July 14^th, REFA hosted its 5^th Webinar since March: What’s Driving Demand In Greater Boston’s Unique Industrial Market? Bill Flynn, senior vice president, Net Lease Capital Advisors LLC, moderated the discussion with Bryan Blake, managing partner, The Seyon Group, Mallory Gonzalez, director of acquisitions, Berkeley Partners, and Greg Lauze, managing partner, Northbridge Partners. The panelists provided their perspectives on the industrial market in Greater Boston. From the supply chain to the life cycle of a deal, the panelists shared how this sector not only survived but thrived during the pandemic. 

The Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB) leadership held a conversation with mayor Marty Walsh on Wednesday, July 15^th. The GBREB leadership, including REFA 2020 president Claudia Piper, Webster Bank, participated in a discussion with mayor Walsh and members of his administration to hear about the challenges facing the real estate industry and how we can all work together. The conversation was available to view live, with 350 people tuning in. Other GBREB leadership participants included GBREB chairman, Bill Dermody, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services; CBA president, Roger Breslin, JLL; BOMA president, Shawn Carroll, CBRE; GBAR president, Jason Gell, RE/MAX Unlimited; and MAA president, Keith Corriveau, DOLBEN.

Following the mayor’s event, REFA hosted its second virtual Mentor Meetup event. Mentor program participants used this meetup to hold a discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the CRE industry. Mentor Program co-chairs Kevin Stone, KeyBank, and John Roach, US Bank, as well as REFA president, Claudia Piper, Webster Bank, and REFA president-elect, Bill Flynn, Net Lease Capital Advisors led the dialogues in their respective breakout groups.

On Tuesday, August 11^th, as part of the Commercial Real Estate Success Training program (CREST) leaders from the GBREB participated in a panel discussion to educate the program interns on careers in commercial real estate. Nilesh Bubna, founding partner, CFO and portfolio manager, Longpoint Realty Partners represented REFA. 

Join them for REFA’s next Webinar on Wednesday, September 9^th at noon: Hiring Diversely with Intention. Mandy Eckhoff, partner, Robinson + Cole, will moderate the conversation with John Cruz III, president and CEO, Cruz Companies; Linda Dorcena Forry, vice president of diversity, inclusion & community for the Northeast, Suffolk Construction; and Tom O’Brien, founding partner and managing director, The HYM Investment Group.

To learn more, visit our website at www.REFA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn @REFABoston.