Perspective

My father died this week at the ripe old age of 88. He was a consummate real estate professional, a well-respected appraiser (MAI) and occasional entrepreneur who got into the business because his father was in the business--a fresh-off-the-boat investor who bought buildings in Harlem soon after arriving in the United States, and ended up going bust in the Depression. I, too, got into the business because my father was in it. As a prime-time Baby-Boomer, I decided to take advantage of Dad's introductions, and, hopefully, build on his success. Just before I left the house on my first day of work, he gave me one important bit of advice: "Don't ever forget that real estate is a relationship business." He was right. As I reflect on all of the executives who I have come to know over my 35-year career, the ones that stand out, the most successful by and large, built their businesses and their success on a strong foundation of relationships.

Tony LoPinto is CEO of Equinox Partners, an executive search firm specializing in the real estate industry, and parent company of SelectLeaders. The views expressed in this article are the author's own.

Job Opportunities

ERNST & YOUNG
 (NEW YORK CITY, NY) Real Estate Senior Analyst A transaction real estate senior professional typically serves as a member of multiple client engagement teams, where the individual will assist with real estate advisory engagements within a fast-paced, service-oriented business environment.

METLIFE
 (LONG ISLAND CITY, NY) Director, Real Estate Controller As a senior member of the CAO Controllers Team, this position is responsible for accounting, financial reporting and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, accounting policy development and internal controls for the Corporate Real Estate Department.

UBS
 (NEW YORK CITY, NY) Asset Management Analyst To strengthen our Real Estate Investment Management team in New York, the portfolio management function is looking to hire an asset management analyst who will support and report directly to the director, portfolio management, Real Estate Asset Management.

GREEN STREET ADVISORS
 (NEWPORT BEACH, CA) Research Associate
 The successful associate will be the main support for the research group, directly reporting to and closely working with top management.

FANNIE MAE
 (WASHINGTON, DC) Senior Project Manager This person will be an active participant of the Program Management Office and with process improvement and project management.

EQUITY, INC.
 (OHIO) Regional Director of Business Development – Construction The director of business development will lead all aspects of construction sales for the assigned territory.

SELECTLEADERS
(SAN ANTONIO) Senior Financial Analyst/Development Associate – Real Estate Our client has acquired the rights to redevelop a former Air Force base into a multi-modal logistics port, Port San Antonio, a 1,900-acre major urban redevelopment project with nine million sf of commercial space. They are seeking a senior financial analyst / development associate for this high profile project.

Promotions

ROCKBRIDGE CAPITAL
(COLUMBUS, OH) Mary P. Grillo is named vice president and corporate counsel after providing legal services to the firm since February 2006.

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD OF TEXAS
(DALLAS) Rick Hughes earns a berth as executive director and D. Kurt Griffin is made senior director.

KRAUS-ANDERSON REALTY CO.
(MINNEAPOLIS) Paul R. Sevenich rises to vice president of leasing and marketing from director.

APARTMENT REALTY ADVISORS
(DALLAS) Michael Girard exits ARA's New England office for a brokerage slot in the Dallas office.

New Hires

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD
(EDISON, NJ) Robert Dinner starts as senior director in office landlord and tenant representation. Previously, he was senior managing director for Newmark Knight Frank.

ALEX GARVIN & ASSOCIATES
(NEW YORK CITY) Nick Peterson joins as vice president of planning after a stint as capital programs manager for the Times Square Alliance and transportation planner for NYC2012.

STAUBACH CO.
(HOUSTON) John M. Talhelm and Kevin Erck join as senior vice president and vice president for the industrial group, respectively. Talhelm and Erck previously were with Cushman & Wakefield of Texas.

HOLLIDAY FENOGLIO FOWLER
(WASHINGTON, DC) James Meisel and Stephen Potts Jr. come aboard as senior managing directors of investment sales in the Mid-Atlantic region. The veterans, formerly with GVA Advantis, also bring along their financial analyst, James Barter, to help launch the firm's newest office.

TIME EQUITIES
(NEW YORK CITY) Jason Moskowitz is made asset manager for properties in the Midwest, Southwest and Canada. He previously was vice president of operations for New York real estate management firm. Also, Bijan Karimian joins as associate director of acquisitions after a stint with a private investment firm in Northern Virginia.

GRUBB & ELLIS CO.
(DALLAS) Timothy S. Feemster is named senior vice president and national director of global logistics transactions services, a newly created position. He most recently was operations director for Menlo Worldwide.

JACK RESNICK & SONS
(NEW YORK CITY) Jonathan Dean joins as managing director of commercial leasing after 20 years with Cushman & Wakefield Inc. He succeeds Resnick executive John T. Pavonem, who recently retired after 31 years with the firm.

SITE SELECTION GROUP
(DALLAS) King R. White, Sam Pruitt, Brett Bayduss and David Witcher, all formerly with Trammell Crow Co., form a global advisory firm for office and industrial projects.

EQUIS CORP.
(WASHINGTON, DC) Theo Bell starts as senior vice president in the firm's government services group. His previous executive posts include Wellington Knolls Real Estate, Capitol CREAG Real Estate and SMED International.

PM REALTY GROUP
(NEWPORT BEACH, CA) Carolyn A. Killion becomes vice president of operations for Southern California. She most recently was general manager for CarrAmerica Realty Corp.'s Southern California division.

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Anthony J. LoPinto

Tony LoPinto is the Global Sector Leader of Korn Ferry’s Real Estate Practice and founder of SelectLeaders. For the past 18 years LoPinto has been serving his clients with deep knowledge and perspective on talent needs and organizational challenges to public and private companies – knowledge gained from a 25-year career in real estate. Prior to his current position, he founded and served as chief executive officer of a boutique real estate executive search firm, where he oversaw offices in New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles. He has successfully led several high profile search engagements for chief executive officers, directors and a wide-range of executive level positions across all industries and sectors. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in European history from Loyola University in Chicago.