Making moves: New hires, promos in the state’s CRE space

A quartet of firms operating in and adjacent to the commercial real estate space in the Garden State made personnel announcements this week, strengthening their human resource, financial and business development functions.

PS&S adds director of talent management

Stacy Lombardi joined PS&S as director of talent management, the full-service architecture, engineering, design and environmental firm announced June 7.

She comes to the role from MTF Biologics. Serving as HR business partner there, she was responsbile for more than 400 employees at the company’s Edison Operations Division. During her tenure at the company, PS&S said she created a supervisor training program to assist new leaders in being successful in their positions. Before that, Lombardi was director of human resources for Martin Insurance Group, from 2015 – 2019. While there, she helped the company rank as a “Best Places to Work in New Jersey” in 2017 and 2019.

She began her HR career with Village Office Supply & Newtech Recycling Inc. in Somerset, where over 19 years with the company she rose to the level of human resources director.

“I was attracted to PS&S by its family-oriented culture, which began 60 years ago and continues to this day,” she said in a statement. “It is gratifying to be joining a firm that is truly committed to people, especially during a growth period where my experience in human resources can help talented professionals at PS&S with new opportunities to advance their careers.”

According to PS&S President and CEO John Sartor, Lombardi’s addition comes as the company continues its ambitious growth plan, which aims to add more employees and geographic locations by 2025.

Lombardi is a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP) and holds Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.

Rockefeller Group promotes Strope

Brian Strope was elevated to vice president of finance and risk management, the Rockefeller Group announced June 7, reporting to the real estate developer, owner and operator’s chief risk officer and treasurer.

Strope

Based in the New York office, Strope previously served as an assistant vice president of treasury and risk management. In the new position, he is responsible for the company’s insurance programs and other aspects of debt finance in corporate activities associated with existing real estate assets, acquisitions and development of projects.

“Brian has long been a strong contributor to Rockefeller Group’s financing and risk functions, and this promotion recognizes his ability to assume a broader role in these critical areas,” said R. Stokes Moore, Rockefeller Group’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “As the company continues to pursue growth – in both project volume and geography – Brian’s experience will continue to be highly valued.”

Before joining the company in 2000, Strope held positions including management of national treasury for Ernst & Young, management of assets and liabilities for the CIT Group, actuarial administration for Prudential Insurance Co., and financial control at Merrill Lynch. A resident of Chesterfield, he is also a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, where he teaches Corporate Finance and Advanced Financial Management, Portfolio Theory, and Managerial Economic Analysis.

Avison Young taps Northeast finance leaders

Principal Alex Kwartler has been named to the newly created position of director of finance for the Northeast region, Avison Young New Jersey Principal and Managing Director Jeffery Heller announced June 7. The news came along with the addition of Sheryl Waldorf as operations manager for the firm’s Garden State offices, where she assumes the role Kwartler held for seven years.

Kwartler and Waldorf

Kwartler and Waldorf are both based in the firm’s Morristown office.

The former will oversee financial processes for Avison Young’s offices in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, ensuring the consistent application of best practices and service as the primary point of contact in the region for the firm’s corporate financial leadership. Kwartler’s work will also find him collaborating directly with local market leaders to provide their teams with financial strategy and analysis.

Kwartler joined the firm in 2014 through the acquisition of Kwartler Associates, and has played a key part in its growth through hires, acquisitions and office openings, including the addition of Cresa NJ-North/Central in March 2017. He was named a principal in March 2021.

Waldorf, meanwhile, will manage Avison Young’s office support teams throughout the state, working with senior management to develop and institute a regional strategy to organize, manage and coordinate key activities in finance, human resources, information technology, communications, facilities management, customer relationship management and licensing and compliance. She has more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, most recently serving as a data governance consultant for PGIM.

“Avison Young is continuing to grow its New Jersey team and expand its service offerings throughout the state,” said Heller. “As director of finance, Alex will ensure that our internal financial processing is streamlined and efficient across teams and markets. Adding Sheryl to our team as operations manager fills a pivotal role that effectively coordinates the many working parts of our operations across multiple offices, and has a direct impact on the bottom line of a successful commercial real estate organization.”

At the beginning of the month, Heller also announced the hiring of Chris Borgese and Paulo Santos as vice presidents in the Morristown office. Having worked together as a team for more than 10 years – most recently as vice presidents at JLL – they will focus on business development in their new positions with AY.

“Paulo and Chris have earned a stellar reputation for bringing commercial real estate solutions to the challenges confronting New Jersey’s leading employers, landlords and tenants,” Heller said in a statement when the additions were announced. “As Avison Young continues to grow and expand its capacity for serving new and existing clients, Chris and Paulo will fuel a steady pipeline of client needs for New Jersey’s occupier, investor and specialty teams.”

Lee & Associates New Jersey adds industry vet as partner

Geoffrey Schubert joined Lee & Associates New Jersey as partner, the firm announced June 7.

Schubert brings 54 years of experience in the industry, specializing in office buildings and development, and transactions in the Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Morris and Bergen county markets. Over the course of his career, Schubert’s clients have included AT&T, CBS, Merrill Lynch, Prudential Insurance Co., Transwestern Investment, the United States Postal Service, and others.

“Geoffrey is an extremely intelligent and talented commercial real estate professional joining our team with vast industry knowledge and experience,” said Jason Lynch, Principal at Lee & Associates New Jersey. “He will make an excellent leader [and] mentor and continue to provide superior service to his extensive client roster within the New Jersey market.”

Schubert previously served as senior vice president at CBRE, focused on agency and tenant representation, build-to-suit business and investment sales. There, Lee & Associates NJ said he was ranked in the top 10% of CBRE professionals nationally. Before CBRE, he served as senior vice president and managing director of Koll Management Services’. Other experience includes senior positions at Koll New Jersey, Bridgewood Properties Inc.  and Vantage Cos., where he liquidated a $450 million real estate portfolio of hi-tech, industrial, land and office.

He is a past president of the Industrial and Office Real Estate Brokers Association and was the recipient of the 2017 IOREBA Lifetime Achievement Award.