Weekend Interview: Alliance Consolidated Group Of Cos. CEO Ben Reinberg

This series gets into the heads of the decision-makers of CRE, the people shaping the industry by setting investment strategy, workplace design, diversity initiatives and more.

Ben Reinberg is the founder and CEO of Alliance Consolidated Group of Cos., a real estate investment firm that specializes in net-leased healthcare and also owns some retail, industrial and office properties across the U.S. Its deals range from $1M to $25M — and all told it has a 39-asset portfolio totaling $350M.

Reinberg sees the role of CEO adapting to more heavily emphasize delegation and communications. For the former, he is handing more tasks off to other executives than he used to. And though he said he started focusing on his communication skills a little too late in his career, he has been taking classes on reading body language, which he said can help executives obtain information from people, in-person or virtual, that can be an advantage to their business.

The following has been lightly edited for style and clarity.

Bisnow: Tell us about your leadership philosophy and what experiences, words of advice or mentors shaped it along the way.

Reinberg: The more you evolve and see the universe, the more you develop into a leader. Also, it’s important to love the past and be present — one shouldn’t live in the future but instead, be excited about the future and the challenges that lie ahead.

Bisnow: How has the role of CEO/business leader changed over time — especially when considering the early days of your career to now? 

Reinberg: Executives’ roles have evolved as the business environment has changed. In the past, all employees were in the office together and there was a lot more face-to-face contact. Most executives in this environment felt they had to personally manage their employees on a daily basis. I now find myself handing off duties that I used to perform to our leadership team — and this transformation occurred well before the pandemic.

Bisnow: What will the role of CEO look like in 10 years?

Reinberg: I believe tomorrow’s CEOs — the successful ones, at least — will be experts in communication and delegation. As part of my own self-improvement, I’ve been taking classes that teach you how to read body language. There’s so much more information you can obtain from someone beyond what they are saying to you, whether that interaction is in-person or virtual. These superior personal interaction skills can provide real advantages to one’s business. 

Bisnow: Was leading a company always a goal for you? If so, why?

Reinberg: Yes. I’ve always wanted to control how I earn a living. Owning my own company gives me control over my lifestyle — both in the office and away from it — and it also provides me greater ability to help others coming up in the industry.

Bisnow: What has been your biggest mistake as a leader?

Reinberg: I wish I had started improving my communication skills earlier in my career.

Bisnow: Has your thinking changed about the workplace between 2019 and today? How? What will your office strategy be moving forward?

Reinberg: The workplace has had to evolve because so many more people are working remotely. Rather than have a top-down relationship where executives micromanage their employees, the focus should be on job functions and performance. Executives don’t need to check in with their employees every hour and the rigid 9-to-5 schedule is a thing of the past. Executives who can hire and retain top talent can then trust those individuals to put in the work.

Bisnow: There is a massive conversation underway regarding advancing more people of color and women into the C-suite. What are you doing to address those voices and that movement within your own organization?

Reinberg: We hire the best people for the right position and at Alliance, we have women and people of color in high-level positions.

Bisnow: What do you think about the recent focus on sustainability and climate change? Is it overblown? Insufficient? Is your company tackling climate change in any way or taking it under consideration in your planning? 

Reinberg: Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with occupant wellness, and I think there will be more awareness around this in the years ahead. It’s certainly a chief concern for our healthcare tenants, which is why many of them have taken measures to improve the physical and mental well-being of their employees and patients. 

Bisnow: What is something CRE gets wrong in your eyes?

Reinberg: The way we teach our youth in the business. I feel that the industry doesn’t have enough leadership teaching real estate fundamentals to our younger generation.

Bisnow: What asset class or location will perform best over the next five years? Why?

Reinberg: Medical properties that are off-campus. There is ever-growing demand for healthcare services and patients would rather receive that care in convenient locations closer to their homes.

Bisnow: What book, article or TedTalk meant the most to you? Why?

Reinberg: For books, I’d have to say Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff. He explains how the human mind works as it pertains to pitching a prospect and how to be successful in the business. I’m also partial to Janine Driver’s Ted Talks where she teaches communication skills. Both Pitch Anything and Janine’s Ted Talks explain how to communicate with people in your personal life and business.

Bisnow: What is your all-time favorite TV show? Why?

Reinberg: Modern Family because it’s a great representation of different types of family dynamics in our society.

Bisnow: How do you spend your Saturdays?

Reinberg: Working out is a central part of my life and I rely on my trainer to keep me on track with my fitness. I’m also passionate about wine, and I love connecting with family and friends as we explore the complex and interesting flavors locked up in each bottle.