Office Visit

Yahoo's new CEO Marissa Mayer recently sent a memo to the Company's professional staff and announced that by June they are expected work in the office and no longer telecommute from home. I was shocked by her bold move, clearly a counter-culture policy that runs against everything we expect from a technology company. Mayer argued that "some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people and impromptu team meetings." A counter-point article in this weekend's New York Times argued that five days in the office is too much, and with available video conferencing technology and other communication tools employees should be allowed to have flexibility and benefit from a balanced approach. I come down on the side of a balanced approach. Punching the clock at work is so passé, but eliminating physical presence and the opportunity for the kind of collaboration that only occurs when professionals gather and ignite spontaneous collaboration ultimately compromises a company's performance. I vote for a three day office work week which would enable two days of telecommuting, but with one day when everyone must gather in the office. This balanced approach would be a win-win all the way around.

Tony LoPinto is the Global Sector Leader of Korn/Ferry International's Real Estate Practice and founder of SelectLeaders. The views expressed in this article are the author's own.

ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST
Regional Portfolio Manager
(BELLEVUE, WA) Duties include assuming overall responsibility for the overall operational and financial goals set for the portfolio/asset; monitoring each asset's performance as compared to company's performance standards and budget; conducting site visits on a regular basis; completing authorized Capital projects per property budget and monitor expenditure and timeliness; possessing a working knowledge of federal, state and local laws concerning housing; conducting monthly financial reviews; monitoring collections of all property revenue sources; providing clear leadership of the company's philosophy and goals; and monitoring hiring and staff performance at site level.

JONES LANG LASALLE
Associate, Marketing
(HOUSTON) The associate, marketing will be responsible for all media/press releases and serve as point of contact for all media-related communications; assist with modification, creation and maintenance of marketing and service tools for the local Jones Lang LaSalle office; and assist in creating and delivering results-oriented public relations programs that leverage digital and traditional channels to support Jones Lang LaSalle's leadership position and growth priorities. Bachelor's degree required.

INVITATION HOMES
Regional Financial Controller
(THOUSAND OAKS, CA) The regional financial controller will be required to support the regional president in the overall financial and operational performance of his/her Portfolio, which will consist of up to 5,000 single family assets. Working closely with the regional president and in-house property managers and leasing agents to enhance cash flow and profitability of their portfolio, the financial controller will: monitor financial operating results on a monthly basis; review in the negotiation of all contracts related to the portfolio; oversee capital investments to ensure completion on-time and on-budget; oversee tax appeal processes under national guidelines; work with risk management on all insurance-related issues; and review over-budget expenditures throughout the year.

NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Assistant Vice President, Planning
(NEW YORK CITY) The New York City Economic Development Corporation is seeking an assistant vice president to manage the planning and environmental aspects of real estate development projects and area-wide initiatives, to provide technical assistance in these areas to staff and clients of other divisions of the corporation and to exercise professional leadership and management skills. The planner will define projects, manage consultants and act as liaison to public agencies and community groups. Projects involve a range of local, state and federal actions, including land use and environmental reviews and other permit requirements. This position will work as a team member with staff of other divisions of the corporation in the preparation of RFPs, and the development and implementation of site specific and area-wide planning initiatives and oversee several on-call retainer consultants, including budgeting and contracting.

THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
Executive Director, ULI North Texas
(DALLAS/FT. WORTH) Reporting to the EVP, District Councils, and Chair, ULI North Texas, the executive director will be responsible for leading the District Council's program of work, including developing and executing strategies that manage the District Council and Institute resources, expertise, and leadership to constructively impact local and regional development issues and land use policies. The executive director will be charged with the oversight and coordination of the various activities of the District Council, including programs, membership, corporate and program sponsorships, communications, public relations and general management of operations.

PIEDMONT OFFICE REALTY TRUST
Senior Property Accountant
(JOHNS CREEK, GA) The senior property accountant will support property management as an accounting resource providing positive and timely client service and to perform property monthly closings in a timely and accurate manner to support the timely preparation of the REIT financial information. Duties include all general ledger responsibilities within MRI for assigned group of properties including closing the books on a monthly basis; preparing straight line rent, accounts receivable and related allowance for doubtful accounts, depreciation, amortization of leasing costs, prepaid rent, accrued property tax and the related expense, prepaid insurance and the related expense, other accrued liabilities and other account reconciliation; and maintaining supporting work papers and account analysis for assigned properties, including a monthly closing checklist.

CITY OF CALGARY
Manager Real Estate Sales and Marketing
(CALGARY, ALBERTA) The Office of Land Servicing & Housing (OLSH) is committed to developing and selling the City's real estate assets, and developing affordable housing solutions with the aim of building a more livable, workable Calgary. Reporting to the Director of the Office of Land Servicing and Housing, the manager of real estate sales and marketing will develop and manage a team of professional staff responsible for $30–$100 million of land sales per year. Primary duties include: overseeing all land sale transactions, including valuations and appraisals; reviewing sales reports to council and boards; financial monitoring, analysis and forecasting of sales projections and revenues in the short and longer term; and developing innovative marketing and sales strategies (including disposition strategies) for City real estate.

CIM GROUP
Vice President, Development
(LOS ANGELES, CA) Responsibilities include managing all phases of the development and/or redevelopment of assigned properties from the time of initial site acquisition through stabilized occupancy. The development manager operates as a vital member of the deal team assigned to a given investment and lead by a investments deal lead. The vice president will have resources within the deal team's in-house Investment analysts and associates, leasing directors, capital markets, property management, leasing and accounting professionals. The position is expected to perform the lead role in actively managing the entitlements, design, preconstruction and construction phases on development investments.

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MARCUS & MILLICHAP
(OAK BROOK, IL) Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Services promoted Sean Delaney to associate vice president investments. After being named an associate of the firm in March 2004, Delaney was promoted to senior associate in March 2007. He is also a director of the firm's National Self-Storage Group.

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COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL
(NEW YORK CITY) Colliers International announced that Howard Grufferman has joined the organization as a vice chairman. Formerly a vice chairman with Grubb & Ellis, Grufferman's arrival signals the first of what is expected to be several new strategic hires that Colliers International will execute in the Tri-State market. Also from Grubb & Ellis, Hadley Springer has joined the New York office of Colliers International as an associate director.

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD
(ATLANTA) The Atlanta office of Cushman & Wakefield announces the addition of Ryanne Pennington and Blake Fertitta to the firm's Atlanta office. Pennington joins Cushman & Wakefield's tenant representation practice group as a brokerage associate, where she will focus on transaction management and business development. She began her commercial real estate brokerage career in 2010 at CresaPartners. Fertitta joins Cushman & Wakefield as a junior appraiser, where he will work in the firm's Multi-Family Valuation & Advisory Services team. He was previously a community bank client specialist in the Marietta, GA headquarters of Valuation Management Group LLC.

ARBOR COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE
(UNIONDALE, NY) Paul Olson was appointed as FHA originations director in Arbor's Chicago office, where he is responsible for originating FHA-insured multifamily, seniors housing and healthcare facility loans nationwide on an expedited basis for acquisition, refinance and construction transactions. Previous to Arbor, he was vice president and regional director for Great Lakes Financial Group, another FHA MAP and LEAN Lender.

SRS REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
(DALLAS) SRS Real Estate Partners (SRS) welcomes back Ken Galvin as senior vice president in the Chicago office. He spent time with Staubach Retail (formally SRS Real Estate Partners) from 2000-2009. His last position with Baum Realty Group.

ROUNDHILL CONSTRUCION
(BOSTON) Roundhill Construction, a Boston-based general contracting firm specializing in interior build-outs for users of commercial space, announced that Timothy Rielly has joined the firm as vice president – pre-construction and estimating. Prior to joining Roundhill Construction, Rielly served as director of pre-construction services with J. Calnan & Assoc. of Quincy, MA.

KIDDER MATTHEWS
(BELLEVUE, WA) Mark Forgette has joined the Bellevue office of Kidder Mathews, and he will specialize in Eastside office leasing and sales. Prior to Kidder Mathews, Forgette was with Colliers' Bellevue office.

NEWMARK GRUBB KNIGHT FRANK
(DALLAS) Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) Global Corporate Services has amplified its team in Dallas, adding Jefferson Lillard and Jim Landsaw to its ranks. Lillard, a managing director, recently served as a senior adviser with Cresa, where he focused on sourcing and procuring portfolio account work for its National Corporate Services group. Landsaw, managing director, account management, was formerly a senior vice president with Fischer & Company.