CREC Connects in California

This summer, the Cornell Program in Real Estate (PRE) and the Cornell Real Estate Council (CREC) hosted three regional outreach events in California.  The events brought together CREC members, Cornell alumni, local ULI members, and guests for timely, topical panel discussions and networking opportunities. 

The California regional events accomplished CREC’s primary goals of education and outreach.  “These events allow Council members and friends to share their bond with Cornell and interest in real estate,” said H. Pike Oliver, Senior Lecturer and Outreach Director for Cornell’s PRE. “The speakers provided timely information and insight and attendees renewed relationships and made new connections.”   

At the June 16, 2009 Orange County event, entitled “California Real Estate Realities: Where We Are and Where We are Going,” a panel spoke about the difficult economic environment in California.  Panel members included Richard Sharga of Realty Trac, W. Gregory Geiger of Westport Capital Partners, and Douglas Neff of IHP Capital Partners.  Carl F. Neuss of Pacific Cascade Group moderated.  On June 17, 2009, the CREC held its Los Angeles event entitled “Nurturing Vision Through Tough Times.”  William A. Witte of Related California led this discussion and chronicled various projects tackled by his firm. 

At the June 18, 2009 San Francisco event, Amy J. Neches of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency provided an overview of the various redevelopment projects occurring in San Francisco, including the Hunters Point projects.  The panel also included a capital markets update, featuring comments from Andre Jobst of H.G. Capital and Joshua Myerberg of Morgan Stanley Merchant Banking. 

Planning has already begun for similar events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County for the summer of 2010.  These events will likely include a Los Angeles panel discussion on entrepreneurial real estate start-ups.  Richard Stearns is leading the organizational effort.  The San Francisco event, which will be hosted by the Presidio Trust and led by Jeffrey Deis, is set at the historic Presidio of San Francisco and includes a tour. 

These events are sponsored, in part, through a generous gift from Tom (’56) and Eileen Parks.  To find out more about the Cornell Real Estate Council, please go to:  http://realestate.cornell.edu/council/