The sixth version of the annual Jersey City Summit for Real Estate Investment — a must-attend event in the industry for the top-level panelists it attracts — will be a bit different this year. It will be virtual.
But, that hasn’t stopped founder and Managing Principal Sherif Abouzied from organizing a three-day event (June 15-17), lining up his usual all-star cast — and finding a way to have the networking that so many are looking for.
Abouzied sees it as an opportunity.
“Much more content can be delivered,” he told ROI-NJ. “And, with our virtual platform, there will be the ability to watch everything on demand for one year — and the opportunity for us to add additional content.”
Abouzied said the first two days of the event will feature keynote addresses from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Gov. Phil Murphy, thoughts from Mahbod Nia, the new CEO of Mack-Cali Realty Corp., as well as eight panels.
The final event will have discussions of various projects, including Harborside, the Cove, Bayfront, Canal Crossing, SciTech Scity and more.
And all discussions certainly will come with thoughts and predictions on the commercial real estate sector as it prepares for a post-pandemic world.
To register, click here.
And here’s a closer look at the agenda:
Day 1 (June 15)
Opening remarks (8:50 a.m.)
Summit co-chair: Philip McGovern, managing partner, Connell Foley
Office (9 a.m.)
Moderator: Philip McGovern, summit co-chair, managing partner, Connell Foley
- Anthony Cammarata, managing director, real estate & corporate services, Goldman Sachs
- David DeMatteis, executive director, Cushman & Wakefield
- Rob Naso, co-head of U.S. asset management & managing director, BentallGreenOak
- Mahbod Nia, CEO, Mack-Cali Realty Corp.
- Aaron Price, CEO & president, TechUnited: New Jersey & Propelify
- Jonathan Schultz, co-founder & managing principal, Onyx Equities
Life sciences (10 a.m.)
Moderator: Charles Harrington, partner, RE & land use, Connell Foley
- Kathleen Coviello, EVP for technology, life sciences & entrepreneurship, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
- Debbie Hart, CEO & president, BioNJ, vice chair, NJ CSIT
- Paul Hoffman, CEO & president, Liberty Science Center & SciTech Scity
- Nancy Kelley, CEO & president, Nancy J Kelley + Associates
- Angelo Stracquatanio, co-founder & CEO, Apprentice.io
Networking
Amenities (1 p.m.)
Moderator: David Wolfe, partner, Skoloff & Wolfe
- Juan Lent, SVP property management, Roseland – a Mack-Cali Company
- Nicole Meyer, principal, Kushner Cos.
- Joseph Panepinto, president, Panepinto Global Partners & Panepinto Development
- Eyal Shuster, CEO & president, Shuster Group & DVORA
- Jonathan Schwartz, partner & principal, BNE Real Estate Group
Mayor Steve Fulop address (2 p.m.)
Closing remarks (2:30 p.m.)
Co-chair: Philip McGovern, managing partner, Connell Foley
Day 2 (June 16)
Welcome remarks (8:50 a.m.)
Summit co-chair: George Garcia, partner, Connell Foley
Affordable housing (9 a.m.)
Moderator: Bakari Lee, member, McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, vice chair, Hudson
- Wayne Meyer, president, NJCC, vice chair, FHLBNY Affordable Housing Advisory Council
- Melanie Walter, executive director, New Jersey Mortgage and Housing Finance Agency
- Joyce Watterman, council president, city of Jersey City, planning commissioner
Multifamily (10 a.m.)
Moderator: Eugene Paolino, partner, Genova Burns
- Christopher Albanese, president, the Albanese Organization
- Frederick Cooper, SVP, finance, IDEV & investor relations, Toll Bros.
- Jonathan Kushner, president, Kushner Real Estate Group
- Laurent Morali, president, Kushner Cos.
- Eliot Spitzer, principal, Spitzer Enterprises
Networking
Design (noon)
Moderator: Dean Marchetto, founding principal, Marchetto Higgins Stieve
- Phillip Gesue, chief development officer, Strategic Capital
- Diego Hodara, founder & CEO, Titanium Realty Group
- Akram Khalis, CTO, MHT Lighting
- Raphael Mandelbaum, principal, LanTree Development
- Louis Mont, founder & CEO, Skyline Development Group
Mixed-use + retail (1 p.m.)
Moderator: Neil Seth, managing director, retail brokerage, Cushman & Wakefield
- James Dale, general manager, Hyatt Regency
- Danielle De Vita, EVP-development, Urban Edge
- Michael Lastoria, co-founder & CEO, &pizza and &vest
- Tom McGee, CEO & president, International Council of Shopping Centers
- Nicholas Stone, founder & CEO, Bluestone Lane Coffee
Emerging neighborhoods (2 p.m.)
Moderator: George Garcia, Partner, Connell Foley
- Sue Henderson, president, New Jersey City University
- Charles Heydt, principal – planning, Dresdner Robin
- Diana Jeffrey, executive director, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency
- Richard Sciaretta, managing principal, Claremont Development
- Peter Wersinger III, SVP and general counsel, the PRC Group
Gov. Phil Murphy address (3 p.m.)
Closing remarks (3:30 p.m.)
Summit co-chair: George Garcia, partner, Connell Foley
Day 3 (June 17)
Opening remarks (8:50 a.m.)
Summit co-chair: Nevins McCann, partner, Connell Foley
Harborside (9 a.m.)
Moderator: Mark Ravesloot, vice chairman, CBRE
- Lauren Adams, principal, Gensler
- Eric Demby, co-founder, Smorgasburg
- Edward Guiltinan, SVP – leasing, Mack-Cali Realty Corp.
- Phil McGovern, managing partner, Connell Foley
The Cove JC (9:30 a.m.)
Moderator: Eugene Paolino, partner, Genova Burns
- Nancy J. Kelley, CEO & president, Nancy J. Kelley + Associates
- Clay McPhail, principal, Argent Ventures
- Peter Shubert, design partner, ennead Architects
Bayfront (10 a.m.)
Moderator: Bhavini Doshi, partner, McManimon, Scotland & Baumann
- Eric Fang, principal, Perkins Eastman
- Tim Henkel, principal and SVP, Pennrose
- Meredith Marshall, co-founder & managing partner, BRP Cos.
- Denise Ridley, councilwoman, Ward A, city of Jersey City
- Eugene Schneur, principal and managing director, Omni America
VYV (11 a.m.)
Moderator: Nevins McCann, partner, Connell Foley
- Andrew Campbell, principal, Eastern Millwork
- Greg Edgell, principal, greenvillain
- Frank Frallicciardi, SVP, Brookfield Properties
- Maggie Moran, principal, Kivvit
- Abe Naperstak, chief operating officer, G&S Investors
SciTech SCity (1 p.m.)
Moderator: Nevins McCann, partner, Connell Foley
- David Barry, chair, Liberty Science Center, Ironstate & Urby
- Steve Fulop, mayor, city of Jersey City
- Paul Hoffman, CEO & president, SciTech Scity & Liberty Science Center
- Diana Jeffrey, executive director, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency
- Tamour Kousha, chief financial officer, Liberty Science Center
- Erik-Jan Vermeulen, principal, concrete architecture
170 Erie (1:30 p.m.)
Moderator: Jay Valgora, principal, STUDIO V Architecture
- Jim Caufield, principal, Fields Grade & Katerra
- Samuel Higgins, VP, commercial RE, M&T Bank
- Eric Silverman, founder & principal, SILVERMAN and &Co Coworking
- Paul Silverman, founder & principal, SILVERMAN and &Co Coworking
Canal Crossing (2 p.m.)
Moderator: Allen Kopelseon, founding principal emeritus, NK Architects
- Sam Boraie, principal, Boraie Development
- Wasseem Boraie, principal, Boraie Development
- Christopher J. Daggett
- Elizabeth Opper, urban designer, city of Jersey City
- Robert Schmitt, CEO, UnitedHampshire US REIT
Remarks (2:30 p.m.)
Annisia Cialone, HEDC director, city of Jersey City
Closing remarks (2:45 p.m.)
Summit co-chair: Nevins McCann, partner, Connell Foley
