The ACREL Files continues with Jay Epstien’s interview of Mark Rose, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Avison Young, a global leader in providing comprehensive real estate solutions to investors, owners and occupiers across the globe. During his 16 years at Avison Young, Mark has transformed the firm into the commercial real estate services company of the future: data-driven, tech enabled and grounded in a belief that strong culture can advance business goals. Under Mark’s leadership, he and his team have spearheaded the company's expansion from 290 real estate professionals in 11 Canadian offices to approximately 5,000 professionals in 100 offices worldwide. Before Avison Young, Mark served as CEO of Grubb & Ellis and COO and CFO of the Americas for Jones Lang LaSalle. Over the past three years, Mark has been a regular contributor and participant at the World Economic Forum and a proud member of the Davos Baukultur Alliance. Mark currently serves on the Boards of Deskpass, the WEF Real Estate Governors Board and the Queens College Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

The next installment of The ACREL Files is Jay Epstien’s interview of Mary Ann Tighe, the most prominent member of the “exceedingly small club of women who have managed to move to the top of the brokerage business” as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Crain’s New York Business named Mary Ann the most powerful woman -- across both the public and private sectors -- in New York, and chose her for induction to the Crain’s Business Hall of Fame, observing that she “has a history of…transforming the face of Manhattan.” Among her most significant projects, Mary Ann played a catalytic role in the revitalization of Times Square and the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after 9/11. Mary Ann has conceived, structured and negotiated virtually every form of deal including ground leases, air rights acquisition and disposition, net and gross leases, government incentive packages, and a range of equity transfers from partnership and condominium interests through fee simple sales.

Mary Ann currently serves as the CEO of the NY Tri-State Region of CBRE Group (an ACREL Gold Level Sponsor). She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including REBNY’s Deal of the Year Award for ingenious brokerage (9 times -- a record number of wins since the award was created in 1944); REBNY’s Bernard H. Mendik Lifetime Achievement Award; and the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Urban Leadership Award (the first woman to receive that award).

Prior to entering the world of real estate, Mary Ann served as a Vice President of the American Broadcasting Companies, where she launched the A&E cable channel. Recognized nationally for her expertise in the arts, Mary Ann was also formerly the Deputy Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Advisor to Vice President Walter Mondale, and a staff member of the Smithsonian Institution.

Join us for the 25th episode of The ACREL Files where ACREL Past President Jay Epstien interviews Alex Nyhan, the Chief Executive Officer of First Washington Realty, a fully integrated firm that specializes in the ownership of convenience, necessity and experience-oriented retail real estate. First Washington currently owns interests in nearly 150 shopping centers in 22 states and the District of Columbia, totaling nearly 22.4 million square feet with approximately 4,000 tenants and a value of over $9.1 billion. Prior to joining First Washington, Alex was an executive at Forest City Enterprises where he led development activities for major projects in the District of Columbia including The Yards. He has been involved with over $10 billion of real estate investments, developments and initiatives, including housing, retail, office, hotel, and mixed-use projects. Alex also worked for the Deputy Mayor of DC in the Office of Planning and Economic Development, and has served as an advisor to the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of ICSC. Alex holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and an undergraduate degree from Macalester College.

Season Three of The ACREL Files begins 2025 with an interview of Steve Weikal, Industry Chair of the MIT Center for Real Estate’s Technology Hub, which explores innovative new technologies and business models that are reinventing traditional ways of developing, transacting and managing real estate. Steve is also the Managing Partner of MET Fund II, which invests in early-stage startups that have an MIT connection and focus on solutions for the ongoing transformation of the built environment. Previously, Steve was the Head of Industry Relations at the MIT Center for Real Estate. Steve is a member of the CREtech Climate Leadership Board and the ClimateAlpha Advisory Board, as well as the advisory boards of several other real estate and technology companies. An ardent industry advocate and thought-leader, Steve speaks extensively about real estate technology around the world at conferences for AFIRE, AsRES, BOMA, CCIM, CoreNet, CREW, ICSC, IREM, NAIOP, PERE, SIOR and ULI. Steve holds a Master’s of Science in Real Estate Development (MSRED) and Master’s in City Planning (MCP) from MIT, and a law degree (JD) from Suffolk University Law School.

After an extended summer break, The ACREL Files continues with ACREL Past President Jay Epstien interviewing Noelle Perkins, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Cushman & Wakefield (a Silver Sponsor of ACREL). She leads Cushman’s global legal function, providing strategic advice, guidance, oversight and support to C&W’s global business and operations while playing a critical role in implementing governance and risk management practices for the firm. Noelle joined Cushman from Univar Solutions, where she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Risk Officer & Secretary. Prior to Univar Solutions, Noelle served as Chief Counsel for the Oilseeds Processing segment of Archer Daniels Midland Company, as Deputy General Counsel for John Bean Technologies Corporation, and as a litigation associate with Bell, Boyd & Lloyd (now K&L Gates). She did her undergraduate work at Northwestern University and received her law degree from the University of Illinois.

Before taking a break for the summer, the ACREL Files continues with ACREL Past President Jay Epstien interviewing J. Ronald Terwilliger, among the most iconic leaders of the real estate industry in the past 50 years. Ron is chairman emeritus of Trammell Crow Residential Company, a national residential real estate company and the largest developer of multifamily housing in the U.S. for several decades during his tenure as CEO. Ron is past chairman of the Urban Land Institute, where he currently serves as a trustee and established the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing with his $5 million gift. He also is past chairman of the International Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity and currently chairs Habitat’s Global Development Council. Ron currently serves as chairman of the Enterprise Community Partners Board of Trustees and as chairman of the Board of the U. S. Naval Academy Foundation, and is a member of the Boards of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation and the Bipartisan Policy Center, where he chairs the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy. Among Ron’s many recognitions, he was honored in 2009 by the United States Naval Academy as a Distinguished Graduate for his lifetime commitment to service, personal character and distinguished contributions to our nation. Ron also was selected for the Prestigious Horatio Alger Award in 2014, bestowed upon individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and who are committed to supporting young people in pursuit of increased opportunities through higher education. Ron is an honor graduate of the United States Naval Academy. After serving five years in the Navy, he received his MBA degree with High Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Business where he was elected a Baker Scholar.

The ACREL Files 2024 continues with ACREL Past President Jay Epstien interviewing Deborah Harmon, an industry leader and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in real estate. Together with Penny Pritzker, she co-founded Artemis Real Estate Partners in 2009. Prior to Artemis, Debbie spent 17 years establishing and leading the principal investing business at JE Robert Companies. Debbie currently serves as Chairperson of the Pension Real Estate Association Foundation, a member of the Boards of Directors of Starwood Property Trust, Urban Alliance, and Sponsors for Educational Opportunity. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She was recognized in 2020 by Barron’s on its inaugural list of the 100 Most Influential Women in US Finance and was included in Real Estate Forum’s Women of Influence Hall of Fame in 2018. Debbie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

The ACREL Files 2024 continues with ACREL Past President Jay Epstien interviewing Sarah Hawkins, CEO of the East Region for Hines, one of the largest and most respected real estate organizations in the world. In that role, Sarah oversees development, acquisition, asset management, and operations activities across offices in New York City, Boston, Washington, DC and Philadelphia, with $20 billion in assets under management. She is a member of the firm’s global Executive Committee. Sarah joined Hines in 2011 and spearheaded the company’s expansion into senior housing and industrial platforms. Sarah is a rising star in the industry, having been recognized as one of the Power 100 by Commercial Observer. She serves on the board of Vertex Partnership Academies and the Executive Council for the University of Texas Real Estate Center. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees from The University of Texas, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.