How long have you been a BOMA New York member and how did you first get involved with the Association?
I acquired my RPA in 1994 which enabled me to further my career as a Chief Engineer providing advancement into the property management side of the business. That is when I recognized the value proposition of BOMA New York
and I was all in.
What is your favorite BOMA New York event and why?
The rooftop Spring Networking Event magically connects people, our real
estate, and the irreplaceable NYC skyline.
Congratulations on opening 1 Willoughby Square last year (in the middle of the pandemic). Designed by FXCollaborative, it’s not only the tallest office tower in Brooklyn, it houses an elementary school and attracted a host of collaborative organizations; including the City and the EDC. How did those relationships impact development and operations?
Opening an office building, one of the first in Brooklyn since 2003 and amid the Pandemic, was an arduous task. However, the public-private-partnerships that JEMB REALTY established and the track record they have attained in the marketplace allowed for the success through construction to open.
In the beginning of the pandemic, JEMB began looking at cleaner air initiatives. IAQ has always been important to tenants. What are you doing throughout the portfolio to make a difference with indoor air and how have you juggled the additional energy demand as a result?
JEMB REALTY created a Clean Building Initiative that incorporates technology such as UV, bipolar, air monitoring applications, increased air filtration, enhanced cleaning programs, air and surface testing, as well as a comprehensive communication campaign informing and engaging our tenants in the process. The aggregate of it all was a total success and provided our tenants the comfort in knowing that a well thought out and effective program was set in place to assist with their return to the office.
Your job at JEMB has you operationally focused in the now, as well as focused forward on asset preservation and risk mitigation. What are you doing today to help manage the portfolio ten years from now?
We are constantly looking into the future and collaborating with our peers in the industry. BOMA NY plays a major role in the support system as it is a feeder of pertinent information in the ongoing evolution of our industry. Networking and utilizing data from the past and present allows us to set goals and provides us a gateway to the road ahead.
Please explain the importance of diversity and inclusion within the workspace and industry.
I believe that this is extremely imperative in the workplace and our industry. Inclusion through diversity supports different perspectives and backgrounds coming to the table, which I personally believe yields the best results. As an immigrant and a person of color, it means the world to me to have a seat at the table engaging in discussions which impact our industry. Our building users are diverse, and it is equally important that balance is in place to facilitate their needs.
How do you inspire and motivate your team and what is your advice to someone starting out in the commercial real estate industry?
When leading a team, motivation is a product of how the team is learning, developing, and participating. Input from our team members means they are a part of the process, and everyone loves to be a part of something. All opinions matter. My advice to someone starting out is to be prepared to work hard and to learn the business in its entirety.
When you are not working, what do you enjoy doing with your spare time?
Fishing, landscaping, and enjoying my young grandchildren to the fullest.
If you can invite anyone to lunch – dead or alive – who would it be and where would you go?
Since we’re in an imaginary world, I’d like to go with a trifecta. I’d love to go out to lunch with both Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, because the relevance in their songs transcend time. I’d like to meet them in any Margaritaville, hoping that Jimmy Buffet will join us.
What’s your favorite book and favorite movie?
Undaunted Courage is my favorite book, and Goodfellas is my favorite movie.
