Ryan Sanzari has been named president of Alfred Sanzari Enterprises, enabling one of the preeminent family-owned and -operated commercial and residential real estate firms in the state to move toward its third generation of leadership.
Sanzari assumes the role from his father, David Sanzari, who will remain as CEO of the 75-year-old company. Alfred Sanzari is Ryan Sanzari’s grandfather.
In his new role, Ryan Sanzari will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s construction, leasing, property management and accounting departments, while ensuring the firm’s operational efficiencies.
Since being appointed chief operating officer in 2016, Ryan Sanzari has helped guide the sustained growth of ASE, spearheading a number of innovative initiatives, technologies and strategies to enhance and streamline the firm’s operations as well as its portfolio, particularly on the residential and hospitality fronts.
David Sanzari said the time was right for the organizational change.
“Ryan has played an integral role in our firm’s success over the past several years, demonstrating outstanding leadership on a number of fronts to enhance our portfolio, modernize our operations and consistently put our employees and tenants first,” he said.
“Throughout his time with the company, Ryan has steadfastly charted a clear vision for the future of our firm, while never losing sight of the foundational ideals that have stood at the root of our success for the last 75 years. It is with great pride that I am naming him as my successor as president, and I look forward to watching him lead the organization into the future.”
David Sanzari, who was appointed president in 1988, became CEO and president in 1998.
Ryan Sanzari said he is humbled by the opportunity to carry on the family business.
“I am incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside my father over the course of my career, during which I have gained invaluable insights from him as a mentor, leader and businessman,” he said. “I am deeply honored and humbled to build upon the examples of my father and grandfather, and am thankful to our dedicated team of employees who have been instrumental in our continued success and always go above and beyond to provide the best possible experiences for our tenants.”
Sanzari recently initiated and oversaw a sweeping upgrade of the organization’s technology infrastructure, substantially improving operating and financial efficiencies, while enabling a more collaborative workflow enterprise-wide. Additionally, he significantly revamped ASE’s internal capabilities, placed a renewed focus on recruiting and retaining the industry’s top talent, and has successfully created the strongest property management division in the firm’s history.
He also has been integral in the ongoing transformation of the company’s multifamily portfolio, where he helped oversee the 1031 exchange that enabled the firm to acquire Zephyr Ridge in 2019, a 24-unit luxury multifamily property located in Cedar Grove. He also worked closely on the acquisition of Greenway Village in 2016, a 49-unit apartment complex in Metuchen.
Maintaining a steadfast focus on the company’s complete life-cycle ownership of its assets, Sanzari said he is committed to continually upgrading and adapting every property to the needs of modern tenants. He recently directed the visionary multimillion-dollar capital improvement plan that transformed the firm’s iconic 50-acre Glenpointe campus in Teaneck. ASE redesigned breakout areas and revamped the property’s outdoor area, the Green, transforming it into a multipurpose outdoor amenity space, complete with new stonework, seating areas and greenery, surrounding the campus’ iconic fountain.
Under Sanzari’s leadership, ASE has been agile and decisive in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the health and safety of the firm’s employees, tenants and residents while also giving back to the local community.
During the pandemic, he recognized a variety of ways the organization could help the local community.
The firm donated 2,750 stays at its Hampton Inn & Suites hotel to the selfless health care workers fighting COVID-19, hosted the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office at the parking lot outside its Medical Arts Building as it sanitized personal vehicles of 50-plus Hackensack Meridian Health employees and is continually monitoring for other ways to give back to the community during these challenging times.
The firm also worked with the Alfred N. Sanzari Family Foundation to donate $20,000 to the Hackensack Public School District to assist in supplying iPads for elementary school students to facilitate virtual learning. Additionally, Sanzari is committed to ensuring Alfred Sanzari Enterprises continues to work with the ANS Family Foundation on future initiatives to help give back to the community.
