Murray Hill Properties announced the following appointments:
• Brian M. Fennelly has joined Murray Hill Properties as Managing Director.
Fennelly offers a diverse professional skill set and personal profile to corporations seeking to derive maximum value from real estate leases and owned property.
A CPA and former U.S. Navy Petty Officer Third Class with top secret security clearance, Fennelly specializes in representing corporations in office leasing & sales transactions. He develops strategic plans that are aligned with clients’ medium-to-longterm business plans for better overall financial results.
His background in financial accounting and corporate taxation informs his custom solutions for improving key financial metrics.
His familiarity with evolving FASB 13 standards regarding operating leases, U.S. GAAP, capital leases and EBITDA enhances his ability to provide superior client service.
Prior to joining MHP, Fennelly worked at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank as a Director.
He is a Licensed Certified Public Accountant, State of Illinois; Member, New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA); Active Member of the NYSSSCPA Private Equity/Venture Capital Subcommittee and holds a B.A., Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Zach Kantor has joined MHP Real Estate Services as as sales associate.
Kantor provides full-service commercial real estate guidance from acquisition, disposition and marketing to lease negotiation and space planning.
Prior to joining MHP, Kantor was with the National Football League serving as a Media Sales analyst.
He graduated from The University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Management and a concentration in Business
Ilana Shrier has joined MHP Real Estate Services as a sales associate. Prior to joining MHP, Ilana served as a broker at HighLine Commercial. She was responsible for tenant representation, searching and securing offices for small businesses and technology startups, and a databank project on the Manhattan real estate markets.
Shrier graduated from the University of Maryland Scholar’s program, magna cum laude, with a double degree and minor in History, Jewish Studies, and Religious Studies, respectively.
She earned a Masters degree from the Azrieli School in Jewish Education and Administration.
She speaks Dutch, Hebrew, French and German and is a member of REBNY.
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Choyce Peterson, Inc. announced that Adam M. Cognetta has joined their team as Vice President.
Cognetta will be responsible for delivering a competitive advantage while advising corporate tenants in Fairfield and Westchester counties in the search and negotiation of their comprehensive real estate needs.
Prior to joining Choyce Peterson, Cognetta worked across Global Banking and Strategy platforms with HSBC.
In addition, Adam held positions within HSBC’s Management Office in the Americas.
He is a graduate of Villanova University with a B.S. in Business Administration, and double majored in Finance and Marketing.
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Jones Walker announced that Brian E. Lawlor, former New Orleans and New York housing official, joined the firm’s affordable housing team as special counsel in the New York and New Orleans offices.
During Lawlor’s tenure as the Director of Housing Policy and Community Development for the City of New Orleans, he was integral in returning the Housing Authority of New Orleans to local control, served as the Mayor’s primary liaison to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and led several initiatives that allowed more than 850 low-and moderate-income families to purchase their first homes.
He also designed, implemented, and oversaw several of the City’s disaster recovery initiatives.
Lawlor served as the Commissioner for New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, the President and CEO of the New York State Housing Finance Agency, and as the President and CEO of the State of New York Mortgage Agency.
In his leadership roles for the State of New York, Lawlor successfully transformed and consolidated operations of the state’s three major housing agencies and public authorities, leading to a more efficient and effective use of the state’s investments in diverse neighborhoods and communities.
Prior to serving as commissioner, he also served as Assistant Secretary to the Governor for Housing, Executive Deputy Commissioner, and General Counsel to the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation.
Notably, he served in various high-level positions under both Republican and Democratic governors.
Lawlor earned a juris doctor degree from New York Law School and a bachelor of arts degree from Hofstra University.
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Herrick, Feinstein LLP announced that the firm has promoted two attorneys to partner, in its 50-attorney Real Estate Department:
Efram Friedman concentrates his practice in commercial real estate law, focusing primarily on representing owners and developers in acquisitions, sales, developments, financings and joint ventures.
He represented a real estate fund in the acquisition of a 12-building multi-family portfolio in Manhattan, and in the $100 million acquisition financing of a 30-building multi-family portfolio in Manhattan.
Christina Ying advises lenders, owners and developers in real estate financings, acquisitions, sales, developments, joint ventures and workouts involving office, retail, hotel, condominium and mixed-use developments across the U.S.
Recently, she represented the purchaser in the $68 million acquisition and financing of The Chocolate Factory, a 123-unit mixed-use building in Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower in a global life insurance company’s $60 million refinancing of a major Manhattan hotel.
Herrick’s 75-attorney Litigation Department named Michael Berengarten partner.
He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation and real estate litigation, including contract disputes and commercial torts, disputes that arise under the Uniform Commercial Code, and business divorces and other actions involving joint ventures, partnership members and limited liability companies.
He frequently advises and represents real estate management companies, property owners, and national retailers in controversies involving acquisitions, development projects and operations.
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Colliers International announced that 30-year industry veteran James De Luca has joined the Tri-State operations as a Senior Managing Director.
Most recently a Senior Director with Cushman & Wakefield, De Luca will continue his broad range of activities, which include tenant representation, landlord representation, sales brokerage, and consultation services.
Among his career highlights he has arranged significant transactions on behalf of ownership for properties such as 1177 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, and for the RJR Nabisco headquarters in Atlanta.
De Luca received a Bachelor of Arts from Bradford College with a major in Business Administration and Management, with a special emphasis on Economics, Accounting/Finance, and Marketing.
Prior to joining Colliers, De Luca spent his entire real estate career with Cushman & Wakefield.
