Leading Voices in Real Estate

Andy Cohen | Co-CEO of Gensler

Jul 6 • 66 min

Andy Cohen is the Co-CEO of Gensler, the leading global design firm, which includes 6,300+ people networked across 50 offices and serving clients in 120+ countries. He joins Matt for another interview in our series of conversations on leadership in the…

Black Voices in Real Estate: Our Industry Can Lead Change

Jun 15 • 117 min

This is a special episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate featuring conversations with six Black real estate leaders, each of whom speaks with Matt about their personal experiences and their thoughts on how our industry can address inequalities and…

Mary Ludgin | Senior Managing Director – Head of Global Research at Heitman

Jun 8 • 89 min

Mary Ludgin is one of the best big-picture, strategic minds in the commercial real estate investment business. She is the Head of Global Research at Heitman, a global real estate investment management firm with $45.5 billion in assets under management.…

Amy Rose | President and CEO of Rose Associates

May 26 • 68 min

Amy Rose, President and CEO of Rose Associates, joins Matt for this week’s Leading Voices in Real Estate interview. Rose Associates is one of the largest, most storied apartment owners and managers in New York City with over $15 billion of assets under…

Leonard Wood | Founder of Wood Partners

May 11 • 64 min

This week’s episode features a real estate legend: Leonard Wood, the Founder and Former CEO of Wood Partners, one of the nation’s leading apartment builders. Leonard talks about leadership lessons learned and important values for the real estate industry.…

Doug Bibby | President of the National Multifamily Housing Council

Apr 20 • 68 min

As we enter the second month of the Covid-19 lockdown, Matt met with longtime industry colleague and friend Doug Bibby, President of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), the leading trade association for the apartment industry. In addition to…

Spencer Levy | Chairman, Americas Research & Senior Economic Advisor at CBRE

Mar 30 • 65 min

Special Episode: Covid-19’s Impact on Commercial Real Estate With so much uncertainty in the world due to Covid-19, Matt sat down (virtually) with Spencer Levy, Chairman, Americas Research & Senior Economic Advisor at CBRE, on March 24 to discuss the…

Maria Hawthorne | President and CEO of PS Business Parks

Mar 16 • 66 min

Today’s conversation with Maria Hawthorne, President and CEO of PS Business Parks, explores how her quiet confidence led to unexpected leadership.

Ricardo Pagan | Founder and CEO of Claridge Properties

Mar 2 • 74 min

Recorded in front of an audience at a ULI Young Leaders event in Los Angeles, Matt sat down with Ricardo Pagan, Founder and CEO of Claridge Properties, a 100% minority-owned real estate investment and development firm. Throughout his career, he has…

Alex Mehran Sr. | Chairman of the Board of Sunset Development Company

Feb 17 • 64 min

This week’s episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features Alex Mehran Sr., the Chairman of the Board of Sunset Development Corporation and the immediate past Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Sunset Development was founded in 1951…

Ben Harris | CEO of Link Industrial Properties

Feb 3 • 63 min

Ben Harris, CEO of Link Industrial Properties, Blackstone’s industrial sector operating platform, joins us for this week’s episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate. In the episode, we dive into the drivers of the robust industrial sector, especially how…

Mark Myers | EVP and Head of Commercial Real Estate at Wells Fargo

Jan 20 • 62 min

With almost 40 years under his belt at Wells Fargo, Mark Myers is the bank’s Head of Commercial Real Estate. Under his leadership, Wells Fargo has been the #1 commercial real estate lender for the last 10 years. As a longtime leader in this space along…

Amy Price | Managing Partner, Co-Head of U.S. at BentallGreenOak

Jan 6 • 55 min

Our first episode in 2020 features Amy Price, Managing Partner and Co-Head of the U.S. business for BentallGreenOak. After the recent merger between Bentall Kennedy and Green Oak, which she helped orchestrate, the company has grown to become a $48B real…

David Brickman | CEO of Freddie Mac

Dec 16, 2019 • 49 min

David Brickman was appointed CEO of Freddie Mac in July 2019. He has been with the company for over two decades, previously serving as a longtime leader of its multifamily division. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, Freddie’s sister GSE, have both been in…

Cedric Bobo | Co-Founder of Project Destined

Dec 2, 2019 • 68 min

As we wrap up Thanksgiving and head into the 2019 holiday season, we wanted to re-release an episode about hope, empowerment, and giving back with Cedric Bobo, Co-Founder of Project Destined. Project Destined is a social impact nonprofit that trains…

Brad Greiwe | Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Fifth Wall

Nov 18, 2019 • 64 min

Disruptors in real estate, particularly in the PropTech sector, are topics that Matt has tackled on several Leading Voices in Real Estate episodes. He expands on this conversation with Brad Greiwe, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fifth Wall, the…

Paul Smithers | CEO of Innovative Industrial Properties

Nov 4, 2019 • 49 min

This week, Matt speaks with Paul Smithers, CEO of Innovative Industrial Properties, the first and only NYSE REIT serving the cannabis space. It’s hard to imagine that this type of business would exist even a decade ago, but with the changing landscape of…

Jamie Hodari | CEO and Co-Founder of Industrious

Oct 21, 2019 • 67 min

It’s no surprise that coworking spaces are shaking up the business world. Many companies are abandoning their traditional offices, selling assets like desks and rolling chairs, and downsizing square footage to move into modern outsourced workplaces, like…

Dr. Peter Linneman | Founding Chairman of Wharton’s Real Estate Department

Oct 7, 2019 • 56 min

The late 1980s saw massive changes in the real estate industry. The passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and then the S&L crisis that followed transitioned the industry into a modern, institutional business. During this time, Dr. Peter Linneman had just…

LVRE Podcast Season Four Kick-Off

Sep 16, 2019 • 77 min

After our summer hiatus, Leading Voices in Real Estate returns for its fourth season. To kick it off, host Matt Slepin shares the current trends of listeners and the direction for the new season.

Phil Freelon (Rebroadcast)

Jul 9, 2019 • 42 min

Leaving a legacy is easy for Phil Freelon, who founded one of the largest African American–owned architecture firms. Enjoy this rebroadcast in celebration of his life and legacy.

Larry Webb | Founder and CEO of The New Home Company

Jun 17, 2019 • 74 min

Larry Webb, founder and CEO of The New Home Company, talks about lessons learned in the homebuilding industry and his approach to business. Thanks to JLL for sponsoring this episode.

Bobby Turner | Principal and CEO of Turner Impact Capital

Jun 3, 2019 • 64 min

Bobby Turner is the Principal and CEO of Turner Impact Capital, one of the country’s largest social impact investment funds, and previously the leader of Canyon’s real estate investment platform. He shares how his careers have taught him how to balance…

Gene Golub | Founder and Chairman of Golub and Company

May 20, 2019 • 52 min

Listen in to hear Gene discuss the discipline and passion it took to build this commercial real estate business from the ground up in the ‘60s, and how his family values and culture have shaped its impressive trajectory. Thanks to JLL for sponsoring this…

Chris Rising | CEO of Rising Realty Partners and Host of The Real Market

May 6, 2019 • 64 min

In this episode, Chris and Matt talk about the lessons learned from hosting their podcasts and their experiences interviewing leaders in commercial real estate. You’ll also learn more about their journeys as they swap questions in this joint interview.…

Bill Bayless | CEO of American Campus Communities, the Only Publicly Traded Student Housing Company

Apr 22, 2019 • 62 min

Bill Bayless is the co-founder and CEO of the only publicly traded student housing company, American Campus Communities (ACC). Bill co-founded the company in 1993. One of the true pioneers in the student housing business, Bill initially conceived of ideas…

Ed Walter | From Running a $19B REIT at Host Hotels to Leading a Non-Profit at ULI

Apr 8, 2019 • 66 min

Ed Walter was named Global CEO for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in June of 2018, after 35-years prior of experience in the industry. Most notably, Ed was CEO of Host Hotels and Resorts, the $19 billion hospitality REIT. Ed articulates lessons learned…

Gilda Perez-Alvarado | Leading the Hospitality Division of JLL

Mar 25, 2019 • 51 min

Gilda Perez-Alvarado is the CEO of JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality Group, Americas. Gilda shares her career journey, the opportunities, challenges, and evolution of the market in the hospitality sector. From Costa Rica to Cornell and further, Gilda has…

Cedric Bobo | Engaging Inner City Kids in Development via Real Deals

Mar 11, 2019 • 69 min

Cedric Bobo is the Co-Founder of Project Destined, a 501c3 that educates both inner city kids and military veterans in financial literacy and community development by their investing, shark tank style, in real estate deals in their communities. This…

NMHC Panel | Industry Leaders Discuss Challenges of Recruiting Talent

Feb 25, 2019 • 46 min

In this special edition, panel discussion from the 2019 National Multifamily Housing Council Meeting, we explore the centerpiece topic of recruiting and managing talent in today’s industry with four leaders in the apartment business: Bill Bayless, CEO of…

Lucy Billingsley | A Natural-Born Real Estate Leader

Feb 11, 2019 • 52 min

You might say that innovation, passion, and real estate are in Lucy Billingsley’s blood. As the only daughter of real estate legend Trammell Crow, Lucy wanted to make her own name for herself and co-founded the Billingsley Company with her husband. The…

Tackling the Supply and Demand Challenges in the Multifamily Market

Feb 4, 2019 • 35 min

Coming off the heels of the successful National Multifamily Housing Council Annual Meeting, we focus this special edition of Leading Voices on a discussion of current trends in the apartment market 2led by a panel of experts. We hear from Co-head of JLL’s…

Bill Stein | The Growth of Cloud Computing Hits the REIT World

Jan 28, 2019 • 56 min

Listen to this podcast interview with the CEO of Digital Realty Trust, Bill Stein. He discusses his career and the growth of Digital Realty Trust from its IPO in 2004 to becoming one of the best-performing and fastest-growing REITs. Digital Realty is now…

Daryl Carter | Balancing Returns and Impact in Avanath’s $1.5B Investments in Affordable & Workforce Housing

Jan 14, 2019 • 86 min

Daryl Carter is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Avanath Capital Management, LLC, a real estate investment firm that acquires, renovates, and operates affordable and workforce housing communities across the US. His dual focus on both investment returns…

John Stewart | Finding Opportunity, From Aerospace to Affordable Housing

Dec 31, 2018 • 64 min

John Stewart, Founder and Chair of the San Francisco based John Stewart Company, has shaped the affordable housing industry both in California and on a national scale in tremendous ways. Discover why tackling homelessness and innovative thinking are key…

Sam Zell | Building an Empire With Fearlessness and Drive (Rebroadcast)

Dec 17, 2018 • 54 min

Sam Zell has always had an entrepreneurial mindset, attributing his real estate success to it. After getting his start managing student apartments as a law school student, he grew his businesses and helped transform what we know as the modern REIT. This…

Colin Wiel | Pioneering the Single-Family Rental Space With Tech Innovation

Dec 3, 2018 • 68 min

As a co-founder of Waypoint Homes, Colin Wiel wanted to strike out on his own again after the company went public as Starwood Waypoint. So he founded Mynd, a tech-enabled property management company focused on the single-family home industry that allows…

Art Gensler and Riki Nishimura | The World’s Largest Design Firm Reimagines Design and Company Culture

Nov 19, 2018 • 56 min

Art Gensler founded the posthumously-named design firm in 1965, which has grown to become the largest architecture firm in the world. He and Riki Nishimura, the firm’s Director of Urban Development, discuss the evolution of the firm over the last 50 years…

Liz Holland | Analytics: The Secret to Survival in Today’s Retail Space

Nov 5, 2018 • 68 min

As the third generation to run Abbell Associates, the family-owned real estate company, Liz Holland has recognized the importance of changing with the times. As a large owner of retail space, Liz has ushered in the practice of deeply analyzing data to…

Lisa Picard | Creating a Vision for the Modern Workplace

Oct 22, 2018 • 91 min

Lisa Picard is President, CEO of EQ Office, the company formerly known as Equity Office Properties (EOP), one of the largest owners of office property in the United States, owned by Blackstone. She offers a timely perspective on the fast-evolving office…

Jon Geanakos | President, Americas of JLL Capital Markets Shares Why Tough Jobs Pay Off

Oct 8, 2018 • 71 min

As he entered the real estate market, Jon Geanakos felt outnumbered amongst his Ivy League colleagues and peers. With hard work and selfless leadership, he overcame his doubts and built a storied career from tough jobs. Today, he is the President,…

Ron Terwilliger (Part 2) | From Leadership in Market Rate Housing to Affordable Housing

Sep 24, 2018 • 48 min

In today’s episode, Ron Terwilliger, a great influencer in the apartment sector and dedicated philanthropist, shares part two of his story: his philanthropic and policy-driven role in affordable housing and education. This episode is made possible by our…

Ron Terwilliger (Part 1) | Risk, Intensity, and His Journey Leading Trammell Crow Residential

Sep 17, 2018 • 67 min

In today’s episode, Ron Terwilliger, a great influencer in the apartment sector and dedicated philanthropist, shares part one of his story: his leadership at Trammell Crow Residential and how he literally spawned the next generation of the apartment…

Chip Conley (Rebroadcast)

Sep 3, 2018 • 58 min

Chip Conley started one of the country’s first boutique hotel chains, Joie de Vivre, when he was just 26 years old. After selling the company, he joined the startup Airbnb at age 52, despite the fact that the young founders were primed to disrupt his…

Clara Brenner | Venture Capitalist Making City-Living Easier

Aug 20, 2018 • 58 min

Clara Brenner is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of the Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm that provides seed capital and regulatory support to the tech startups addressing the challenges facing urban dwellers. Clara and I had a…

Karl Polen | From a Music Career to Managing a $40 Billion Fund

Aug 6, 2018 • 64 min

As a successful musician, playing with Johnny Cash and others in Nashville, Karl Pollen could not have predicted the future of his career path. Today he is the Chief Investment Officer for the Arizona State Retirement System (AZASRS), where he manages…

Matt Slepin | Discovering True Leaders

Jul 30, 2018 • 37 min

In this episode, you will actually hear me being interviewed, rather than me doing the interview. Jeff Large is the editor of Season 2 of Leading Voices. He interviewed me on his podcast, The Jeff Large Podcast, where he talks about tech, podcasting, and…

Lyric | The Innovative Newcomer in the Rental Space

Jul 23, 2018 • 54 min

Andrew Kitchell and Joe Fraiman saw an opportunity in new developments that had vacant apartments or unsold condominium units. By master-leasing a portion of these units and subletting them to users on a short-term basis, they could fill a need for both…

Ken Woolley | Turning Self Storage into an Integral Part of the Real Estate Industry

Jul 9, 2018 • 54 min

Ken Woolley is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Extra Space Storage, the country’s second largest self-storage company. In this episode, Woolley shares his experience as a serial entrepreneur and how his background in the airline, mining, technology,…

Jane Graf | Alleviating Poverty Through Affordable Housing

Jun 25, 2018 • 71 min

Jane Graf has been a leader in the affordable housing industry for over 35 years and is now the President and CEO of Mercy Housing, one of the country’s largest nonprofit developers dedicated to revitalizing lives and neighborhoods. In this episode, we…