News
LAST NIGHT’S RELA BASH
January 8, 2009
| We couldn’t believe our eyes when we dropped by Club 101 on Park Avenue last night—the lending community was alive! Okay, maybe they weren’t handing out loans, but over 200 Real Estate Lenders Association members were in a celebratory mood at the 17th annual New Year’s networking party, which was co-hosted by Cushman & Wakefield and held in memory of RELA co-founder Gregory Spevok. |
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| LandAmerica’s Mark Halloran, with Velocity Consulting’s Laura DiGiovanni and Douglas Unger, said he’s hoping for a happier and healthier market in ’09. Laura’s already thinking ahead, trying to figure out which bubble will burst next. When you do, let us know. |
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| JPMorgan’s Frank Notaro and Michael Scalia, whose badges had identity issues (what’s WaMu?) Michael hopes that the new administration will bring stability to the market and credit will begin to move again. So far, he’s thinking positively. |
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| Integra Realty Resources comedians Joe Pasquarella, Pat Kerr and Ray Cirz are also thinking positively. “We’re positive that real estate is going down,” Pat jokes. Ba-dum-ching. |
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| Introducing the contestants of the hit show’s newest installment,Survivor: Real Estate: Aries Capital’s Nick Barone, A.F. Lama Realty’s Tony Lama, and Ridgewood Savings Bank’s Anthony Simeone. They say that 2009 will be about trying to keep your head above water. |
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| Deutsche Bank’s Philip Ribolow and CB Richard Ellis’ Dan Lesser are heading off to San Diego at the end of the month for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, which they anticipate will be well-attended despite the slow market. And they don’t have to wear ties, which apparently are optional on the left coast. Philip’s then flying to New Zealand for vacation. |
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| TD Bank’s Glenn Stylides and People’s United Bank’s David Lewis and Jeanneen Griffin. Jeanneen and David have travel on their minds; she’d like to head west to ski (favorite: Big Sky), and he just wants a place with no BlackBerries. Glenn’s staying local, fixing up his new house in Point Pleasant, NJ. |
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| RELA member Robert Corrigan with HSBC’s Ryan Campanelli and Gillian Murray. Robert’s busy seeking new job opportunities, while Ryan is planning his September nuptials. Congrats! |
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| Hillmann Group’s Matthew Kamin and Kristin Worell with Citigroup’s James Bozza and Benchmark Title’s Melissa Colavito. Melissa has a full plate: in addition to prepping for an impending refi boom, she’s also mother to a nine-month-old. |
