On Thursday, March 25, Berkadia and Baker Botts L.L.P. proudly hosted ESG in the Built Environment: Its Fundamental Importance to the Real Estate Industry, a live webinar. Experts from Hines, Freddie Mac and JP Morgan Asset Management joined us to discuss the growing impact of environmental, social and governance matters on commercial real estate.
To view a recording, click here.
Feaured Speakers:
Paul Landen – Partner – Baker Botts L.L.P.: For over 35 years, Paul Landen‘s practice has covered a wide-range of transactional experience, ranging from commercial real estate to domestic and international joint ventures across a variety of industries, downstream energy, petrochemical and other industrial project development and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. The breadth of his experience has helped Mr. Landen develop to be a seasoned, business-oriented, pragmatic commercial lawyer.
Mr. Landen’s practice currently focuses primarily on all aspects of commercial real estate, with deep experience in real estate joint ventures, development and financings.
David Steinbach – Global Chief Investment Officer – Hines: Mr. Steinbach serves as Global Chief Investment Officer and Co-Head of Investment Management. Hines is one of the largest real estate firms in the world with $144.1B assets under management and 63.2 million square feet under development. In addition to our one-off investment programs, Hines Investment Management provides investors with real estate debt and equity funds to meet their investment needs. Mr. Steinbach is also a member of the firm’s executive committee in addition to the global Investment Committee.
Mr. Steinbach most recently served as the Chief Investment Officer for the Hines Global REIT and the Hines Global Income Trust, both non-traded public REIT’s investing in real estate globally. Since joining Hines in 1999, Mr. Steinbach has been involved in billions of dollars of acquisitions and asset management in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Mr. Steinbach received both his BBA and MBA from Texas A&M University.
Cory Jurasits – Production Manager – Freddie Mac: Cory Jurasits is a Production Manager for Freddie Mac Multifamily’s Western Region. Cory joined Freddie Mac in 2012 and during his tenure has covered both production and credit in the conventional business line, having most recently been instrumental in establishing the region’s satellite office in Denver. He currently heads up the firm’s Denver office, and manages production staff located in Irvine, Seattle and Denver.
Prior to Freddie Mac, Cory spent 3 years working for a multifamily development firm in Arlington, VA. During this time, he gained extensive experience in development, acquisitions, asset management and management.
Cory is an alumnus of Virginia Tech and earned his Masters of Real Estate Development Johns Hopkins University.
Dianna Russo – Executive Director – JP Morgan Asset Management: Dianna Russo, Executive Director, is responsible for the ESG initiatives for J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s U.S. Real Estate group and is a member of the Debt Capital Market group. An employee since 1996, Dianna has held several positions within the Real Estate Group. Prior to her current role, Dianna was an asset manager working on assets in various submarkets for 19 years covering asset classes such as office, industrial, retail and multifamily. Earlier in her career she was an associate in the Client Services Group and an analyst in the Real Estate Research Group. Before joining the firm, she was an analyst in the Real Estate Research Group at Lehman Brothers. Dianna holds a B.A. in finance from Pace University and an M.S. in Real Estate from New York University.
Tucker Knight – Senior Managing Director – Berkadia: Tucker Knight is a Senior Managing Director in the Mortgage Banking division of Berkadia with responsibilities in loan origination, equity placement and management of the Texas offices. Under Tucker’s leadership the Houston office ranks at the top of Berkadia’s national network in production annually.
Mr. Knight joined Berkadia in May of 2015 and has more than $23 billion in commercial real estate transactions throughout his career. He specializes in office, industrial and multifamily properties and has extensive experience in arranging and structuring joint venture opportunities with life insurance companies, pension funds and advisors as well as originating debt for commercial real estate throughout the United States. Prior to joining Berkadia, Mr. Knight was a Senior Managing Director for Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P., where he was the top producer nationally for several years. Before that, he was a Mortgage Banker with Allied Mortgage Capital Corporation.
Tucker, a native Houstonian, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and is a certified commercial investment member (CCIM). He serves on the National Advisory Committee for Freddie Mac and is a Vice Chair of the IOPC Black committee of the Urban Land Institute. Tucker is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, Texas Real Estate Commission, International Council of Shopping Centers, and Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals. Mr. Knight serves as Chairman of the Board for the Institute of Stem Cell Research and Education and is a Board Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Committee, providing college scholarships for the youth of Texas and surrounding states. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Culinary Institute Lenotre, Mutual of Omaha Bank, the Texas Wildlife Association, Trinity Oaks, and rides with the Tejas Vaqueros.