Boston Retail 2016

Friedman is the President and CEO of Carpenter and Company Inc., a hospitality and luxury residential real estate development firm based in Cambridge, MA. He is known for his creative approach to hotel developments, the reuse of historic structures, and transformative mixed-use projects. Friedman is the visionary behind the famed transformation of the former Charles Street Jail, a historic landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, into the beloved Liberty Hotel in Boston, MA; the Charles Square Mixed-Use development, a vibrant destination that includes The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, MA; and New England’s tallest residential building, Four Seasons Private Residences One Dalton Street, Boston, which The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat recently recognized as a best tall building worldwide. Carpenter also developed Iceland’s first five-star hotel, The Reykjavik EDITION, as well as St. Regis San Francisco, and various other Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Marriot hotels. As a former long-term member of the Board of Directors of Four Seasons, Friedman was actively involved in the company’s global expansion and design quality. His firm is currently developing Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Dallas, Turtle Creek. Friedman’s contributions to the public realm have been recognized with a variety of awards, including Man of the Year from Boston Preservation Alliance; the Icon Award from Boston University School of Hospitality; Developer of Year from Americas Lodging Investment Summit; and Man of the Year from Rogerson Communities. Beyond real estate, Friedman is known for his long-standing dedication to civic service, philanthropy, and education. During the Clinton Administration, he served as Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal government’s central planning agency for the National Capital Region. President Barack Obama appointed Friedman to the President’s Export Council, where he served as Vice Chairman of the sub-committee advising on U.S. travel and tourism policy and he is also the founder of the Interagency Security Task Force. Friedman’s board participation spans across various organizations and nonprofits, such as the Steppingstone Foundation, an organization that named him Man of the Year; Bridge Fund; John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum; PNC Bank – New England; Johnny Rockets, Inc.; GateHouse Media, Inc.; and the Dartmouth College Real Estate Committee. He is a recipient of a Certificate of Appreciation Award from Harvard Business School and has been recognized by the Boston Minuteman Council of the Boy Scouts of America with a Good Scout Award. Friedman is a graduate of Dartmouth College. He is an avid skier and served as the Harvard Ski Team Head Coach from 1965-1971.

Leslie Cohen is the COO and Head of Asset Management for Samuels & Associates. She is responsible for executing the strategic vision of the firm across numerous multi-billion dollar developments in Boston and the surrounding communities. Since joining Samuels & Associates in 2002, she has successfully overseen the rise of major projects like Pierce, a 30-story luxury residence in The Fenway and Continuum, a pioneering mixed-use development in the heart of North Allston, MA. Cohen served as the President of CREW Boston (formerly NEWiRE); she is currently on the NAIOP MA Board Management Committee, and is a member of ULI. Cohen serves on the Board of Trustees and the building committee at the West End House in Allston, on the Building and Grounds Committee at Tufts University, and volunteers at the Heath School. In 2013, Cohen was selected as a Boston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 honoree, and in 2014 she was chosen as a recipient of Bisnow’s 2014 Top 50 women in commercial real estate award.

Josh Levy is the co-founding Principal of Waterstone Properties Group, the 2nd largest retail developer in New England. Waterstone specializes in mixed use developments, retail, healthcare, office, and Logistic Centers. Josh is actively involved in all facets of the company for Waterstone’s nearly 70 commercial properties. In recent years, Josh has spearheaded Waterstone’s new mixed-use projects including the 2.4M sf flagship experiential development project ROCK ROW in Greater Portland, Maine. Josh is actively involved in fostering partnerships with civic organizations, government officials, brokers, and tenants all to serve the community through Waterstone’s projects, and he maintains relationships with retail tenants and brokers throughout the U.S. A graduate of Boston College, Josh has pursued continued real estate education through MIT, Boston University, ICSC and CCIM. He has been a guest lecturer at both Harvard University and Boston College, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, NH ICSC Next Generation Committee, Young President’s Organization, Boston College TREK and sits on the board at Newton Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts. Josh is actively involved with the Dakshana Foundation in India and other local Boston organizations.

Ted Chryssicas joined Newmark Knight Frank as an executive managing director in 2015, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge from nearly 30 years in the retail industry. Mr. Chryssicas has represented numerous national, regional and local tenants and landlords in the leasing, acquisition and disposition of retail space throughout eastern New England. He has completed more than 1,500 lease and sale assignments not only within the Boston metropolitan area but in 33 states across the country, for clients as small as Peet's Coffee and as large as IKEA. Additionally, Mr. Chryssicas has significant development experience that includes the permitting, design, construction and leasing of many lifestyle centers including Brookside Shops in Acton, Massachusetts, and Eaglewood Shops in North Andover, Massachusetts. Prior to joining Newmark Knight Frank, Mr. Chryssicas worked at Colliers International, where he headed the Retail Services team and became a shareholder in 2004. He previously was a retail specialist for CB Richard Ellis Group in Boston and a leasing manager for Bierbrier Realty Development in Lexington, Massachusetts. Mr. Chryssicas is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a certificate in commercial real estate from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.