Class Notes
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| Class of 2005 | Class of 1999 | Class of 1990 |
| Class of 2002 | Class of 1998 | Class of 1989 |
| Class of 2001 | Class of 1997 | Class of 1987 |
| Class of 2000 | Class of 1992 | Class of 1986 |
Latest Sightings
David Marvin '89 Awarded Hilton Award
Wins Multi-Brand Developer of the Year
As noted in the Atlanta Business Journal's October 31 issue, the Hilton Hotels Corporation recently named David Marvin the Hilton Multi-Brand Developer of the Year. Honored as the developer behind the 242-room Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park, as well as the Doubletree Hotel Atlanta Northlake in Tucker, Marvin is President and CEO of Legacy Property Group. (posted November 18, 2008).
Class of 2005
Four '05 Headlines
Marriage, fatherhood, relocation, motherhood -- all in one short paragraph!
(Posted on behalf of Margaret Wagner) All the news from our class.... Lea and Ryan are now Mr. & Mrs., Greg Gitcho is the proud father of his second boy, Miren is the mother of a little girl, Bob Delaney is moving to Arizona this fall, and I am the proud mama of a one-year-old named Jack! (posted July 18, 2007)
Greg Gitcho '05
It's a boy! - Nicholas George Gitcho born
(Posted on behalf of Valerie Kwong) Dear Class, our very own Greg Gitcho is now a daddy! Nicholas George Gitcho was born about an hour and a half ago (4:30pm) in Englewood, NJ on December 30, 2005. He’s 8 pounds 5 ounces. Mom and Nick are tired but doing well. Congratulations Brandi and Greg!!! (posted January 3, 2006)
Bob DeLaney '05
Bob shows up in the New York Times
Bob DeLaney '05 appeared in the New York Times on November 6, 2005 in an article about changing careers. Visit the Times' website and read "One Good Career Deserves Another" (posted November 11, 2005)
Class of 2002
Larry Garner '02
New son!
Larry and Debbie Garner are happy to announce the birth of their 2nd child, Avishai Meir, on April 24, 2006. He joins big brother Eitan. All are happy and healthy. (posted April 26, 2006)
Christopher Perri '02
Chris named Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Partners, Charlotte, August 17, 2005
Beacon Partners, one of the Charlotte area’s leading developers of office and industrial space, recently hired Christopher Perri to join its team as Chief Operating Officer. His responsibilities will include managing Beacon’s service business and leading asset management and investment related functions.
Class of 2001
Byron Gumbs '01
New daughter!
Byron Gumbs has a new daughter, Nina Bryn Gumbs! See her at Nina1 and Nina2. (posted January 19, 2006)
Class of 2000
Dave Paladino '00
Business expands even in down market
Dave Paladino '00 sees only growth in his future. Featured in the Midlands Business Journal, his Omaha-based Landmark Management Group focuses on single family housing; his Dino's Storage is an expanding network of self-storage facilities. The two are growing synergistically in the current downturn market. "The self-storage business is insulated from the economy in general," Dave said. "If people aren't moving into bigger houses, they have to put [their possessions] into storage. Nobody wants to throw anything away." Read article (pdf, 530K) (Posted July 16, 2008)
Colin Riley '00
Colin featured in Caribbean News
On June 4th, Colin Riley '00 teamed up with the University Centre in Montserrat to offer a public lecture highlighting real estate opportunities for small investors. The lecture gave special attention to the value that real estate development could bring to Montserrat in a post-disaster context. Download article (pdf, 13K) or read online at CaribbeanNetNews.com. (posted June 13, 2008)
Dave Paladino '00
Dave's midwestern self-storage chain keeps expanding
Dave Paladino '00 started Dino's Storage in 1998, and since then he has opened eight self-storage facilities in Nebraska, Iowa, and Winnipeg, Canada. His latest expansion in La Vista, Nebraska was celebrated at a June 7th ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was attended by Doug Kindig, current mayor of La Vista, and Harry Anderson, mayor during the project's rezoning phase. With an average growth of nearly one facility per year, Dave's business was profiled in the June 2, 2006 issue of the Midlands Business Journal. (posted April 4, 2007)
Leo Sen '00
Leo moving to Beijing with new son
Happy new year! After 5.5 years in New York, I'm packing my bags and heading off to Beijing next week. Joining Ernst & Young China to work with US private equity firms that invest in Chinese companies and properties. Really glad and excited to return to Asia at this opportune time, especially in China. I had postponed my departure for several months to be in New York for the birth of my first child, David Henry. Becoming a father is truly a wonderful, life-changing experience. Cheers to good health and bountiful opportunities in 2006. —Leo Sen
PS. My work email address will change to leo.sen"at"cn.ey.com starting Jan. 12. Permanent email address is leosen"at"alum.mit.edu. (posted January 9, 2006)
Takayuki Kiura '00
Takayuki quoted in New York Times (1/26/05) and Wall Street Journal (2/22/05)
"Takayuki Kiura, the managing director of a new Tokyo office that Heitman, a Chicago-based company that manages capital on behalf of pension funds and other investors, opened just this month, estimates that two thirds of the $4.6 billion is invested in United States REIT's, with the rest in REIT's in other countries." New York Times, 1/26/2005
David Paladino '00
Dave featured in Midlands Business Journal, June 2005
David Paladino has developed eight self-storage facilities called "Dino's Storage" in Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Nebraska; and Winnepeg, Manitoba. He continues to operate his management company as well. In the article he mentions MIT/CRE and cites the usefulness of the thesis process. Thanks for the plug!
Class of 1999
Mark Moriarty '99 and PJ Yeatman '99
Mark and PJ published in Real Estate Economics, March 2005
In the March 2005 issue of Real Estate Economics, classmates Mark Moriarty and PJ Yeatman published an article entitled, "Privately Versus Publicly Held Asset Investment Performance." The article is co-authored with former MIT professor Timothy Riddiough. A copy of the article is available through MITREX.
Class of 1998
Darin DePasquale '98
Darin's baby announcement: Duke Makani DePasquale
A Big Aloha from Shiloh, Darin, Sequoia, and Baby Duke! Dear Friends, just had a baby boy and wanted to share this with a group of people who have made my life so special. The love and beauty emanating from this child reminds me how wonderful this world is. Listening to him coo and move his eyes in bliss makes me smile to no end, hoping i am always there for him...lots of love to all and hoping to catch up on some great friendships...your friend always, darin (posted March 22, 2006)
Class of 1997
Gonzalo Cortabarria '97
Gonzalo named Hines project manager
Gonzalo Cortabarria '97 has been named the project manager for Hines' 2525 Ponce de Leon Project in Coral Gables, FL. His duties will include marketing and leasing the property, financial analysis and supervising development for the new 250,000-square-foot, Class-A office building currently under construction. (from Hines Press Release 10/03)
Kristi Prigmore '97
Kristi helps lay groundwork for Manhattan Mall/Herald Square deal
Kristi Prigmore sent the Center the following news clip about a project on which she was involved: "British real estate developer Howard Ronson is making a splashy return to U.S. investing by advising a prominent German fund in bidding on the Manhattan Mall. HausInvest Global Fund, run by Commerz Grundbesitz Investmentgeselleschaft (CGI), signed a contract to buy out Lehman Brothers in the one million square-foot Manhattan Mall in a deal that effectively prices the Herald Square property at $400 million.... Larry Jay Wyman, Kristi Prigmore, and Tom Nye did the groundwork for the deal on behalf of the HausInvest Global and Ronson's HRO company, which is also actively developing in Europe." (NYPost Online 3/26/2004)
Class of 1992
Oliver Carr '92 and Clint Fisch '92
Oliver T. Carr, III, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors
Clinton D. Fisch, Senior Vice President and Director of Acquisition, Columbia Equity Trust
"23 August 2005: Columbia Equity Trust, Inc. (NYSE:COE) announced today that it acquired 14700 Lee Road, an approximate 85,000 square foot office building in Chantilly, Virginia for a purchase price of $23.95 million.... The acquisition was funded 100% with proceeds raised through the Company's initial public offering which closed on July 5, 2005. 14700 Lee Road is expected to generate a first-year return of approximately 7.2% on the purchase price on a cash basis." Read press release (pdf, 80K).
Class of 1990
Pietro Doran '90
Writing to the Center in August 2005, Pietro notes that his company, Doran Capital Partners (DCP) now has a team of 15 professionals in Europe, Australia, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. The company is "pursuing Korean investment and property development opportunities to include a Mezzanine Fund, a major downtown Seoul retail/commercial property development and a strategic partnership for logistics infrastructure investments with one of the most respected US logistics development companies.... [In addition, DCP is] contributing to the launching and stabilization of one of the world's largest privately funded real estate projects – New Songdo City located in Incheon City, Korea. As the Sponsors' advisor to the project, DCP has raised $1.85 billion for this national priority project."
Class of 1989
Randy Nichols '89
Randy wins Spaulding Award
Randy Nichols '89 won the 2004 Spaulding Award for his project Clayton Lane at Cherry Creek North in Denver, CO. A complex mixed-use development, the project features a J.W. Marriott hotel, 1,600 parking spaces, 180,000 square feet of existing retail space, and 490,000 square feet of new retail, residential, and office construction. Download presentation (pdf, 2.3M).
The Spaulding Award honors MIT/CRE founder Hank Spaulding, and is given to a graduate whose work in industry has enriched the profession and/or who has demonstrated involvement in the community through service or leadership.
Class of 1987
Dean Sperantsas '87
Dean earns prestigious CFA
Boca Raton, Florida, October 14, 2004 – Dean Sperantsas, an Investment Analyst and a Securities Arbitrator with the National Association of Securities Dealers has earned the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation. (reported by the CFA Institute)
Class of 1986
Andrew Gutowski '86
Andrew appears in Washington Post
Andrew Gutowski '86 appeared in the Washington Post on March 18, 2006 in an article on home offices. Read the Post article "Welcome to Your Home Sweet Office." (posted April 19, 2006)
