The ROI Influencers Power List 2020: Real Estate

By
Robert F. Russo
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Chris Paladino and Jon Hanson appeared in our Top 30 rankings.

Dave Barry
President
Ironstate Development Corp.
Longtime leader in Jersey City remains so. Next venture appears to be Journal Square Urby, a 25-story project that would copy the success of the downtown version.



Omar Boraie/Wasseem Boraie
Chairman/Vice president
Boraie Development
The family firm’s next project — in the heart of Newark — could be the biggest and best for a group that has found success up and down the state. The firm is well respected and skilled in the art of being patient in a sector known for the long game.


Mike DeMarco
CEO
Mack-Cali Realty Corp
Sent shock waves through the industry when he announced Mack-Cali was dumping all of its suburban stock, a career-defining move if there ever was one. It remains to be seen how an unhappy investment group will affect those plans, but a successful détente holds promise.


Gene Diaz
Principal
Prism Capital Partners
One of the sharpest minds in the industry, his On3 project continues to impress. A noted thought leader, he’s a frequent panelist on the speaking circuit.


Jimmy Hanson
CEO
The Hampshire Cos.
He’s the day-to-day guiding hand of one of the state’s most respected companies. Also serves as co-chair of board of advisers for the Rutgers Center for Real Estate and member of the state investment council.


Jonathan Kushner
President
Kushner Real Estate Group
He continues to find success with high-rises in Jersey City, where KRE and Ironstate recently delivered the 46-story tower known as 235 Grand, and rehabbing garden apartment complexes in the suburbs.


Ron Ladell
Senior vice president
AvalonBay Communities
State’s most prolific multifamily builder has plenty of other projects on his plate, most notably the massive project to transform the Princeton Junction train station.


Jeff Milanaik
Principal
Bridge Development Partners
It’s a broken record that’s worth listening to: The state’s industrial market is still red-hot, and Milanaik still is in the middle of it all.


Sam Morreale
Founder and managing partner
Vision Real Estate Partners
Solid, steady growth — and the king of Morris County. Vision’s plan to transform two Parsippany office buildings into the project known as Latitude has already secured a key renewal with Reckitt Benckiser and a new lease with Sax LLP. 


Jack Morris
CEO
Edgewood Properties
He may be best known for his ownership stake in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City — or all the work he does for veterans — but the former Ericsson plant he purchased with longtime partner Joe Marino could be his biggest move yet.


Steve Pozycki
Founder and CEO
SJP Properties
One of his latest projects — M Station, which will help connect the Morristown train station to downtown Morristown — made a splash with the signing of its first tenant: Deloitte.


Ed Russo
CEO
Russo Development
The 3 million-square-foot Kingsland Meadowlands e-commerce project he’s doing with Forsgate will be a game-changer — and just another check in the win column for a developer who has had plenty of them the past decade. 


John Saraceno/Jonathan Schultz
Co-founders
Onyx Equities
They’re generally known as the Onyx guys — but they may soon be known as “the guys who saved Gateway.” They’ve taken control of what should be the premier entry point into Newark; their ability to transform it will impact the city for a generation.


Joe Taylor
CEO
Matrix Development
Well-respected industry veteran continues to play an important role in both urban centers and New Jersey Turnpike distribution sites. Matrix’s new industrial sites continue to attract the likes of Modell’s, Walmart and other household names.

Ralph Zucker
President
Somerset Development
The Bell Works project is improving by the month/year — and that’s not the only thing he is doing. Somerset Station Transit Village will transform that area, as well.

Click below to see who landed in the Top 30 spots on the ROI Influencers Power List 2020:

Here’s the most powerful people in 13 industries:

And to read how a political scientist made the call on who was named No. 1 on the list, click here.