• Fall Members' Meeting
  A complete, illustrated summary of our Fall Members' Meeting, October 19, including a report on the speakers, panel sessions, and Farash Distinguished Lecture. Note to our Members: Audio of the meeting is now available on-line. Please contact Ron Smith for more information.
  
  Attendees: If you have not done so already, kindly complete an online evaluation of the meeting.
  
  
• Student Resume Book
  We invite you to visit our on-line interactive Resume Book, representing students seeking positions in the real estate industry.
  
  
• Real Estate Career Fair
  The seventh annual Real Estate Career Fair will be Friday, January 18, 2008. The fair creates an opportunity for company representatives to meet the University of Pennsylvania's best and brightest, who are seriously interested in exploring the challenges and opportunities to be found in the real estate profession. A company does not need to have an active search in progress to attend. Contact Janice Leberman, 215-898-3824, to sign up or learn more.
  
  
• Research Focus
  Lessons from New Daleville by Witold Rybczynski [587K PDF]
  Learn more about Professor Rybczynski's recently published book on New Daleville.
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.

• In Memoriam—Sheldon Seevak
  
  Sheldon Seevak

  It is with great sadness that we note the passing of a dear friend and supporter of our program, Sheldon Seevak. He died suddenly on August 18, 2007, while vacationing in the Berkshires. Shelly was a past Chair of the Center's Advisory Board and Executive Committee, and his on-going influence on our real estate program can best be seen through two of his many contributions. One was his tireless efforts in recruiting many rising stars in the industry to help develop Wharton's real estate program. Our current Advisory Board Chair, Mike Fascitelli-one of his many protégés at Goldman Sachs & Company-is just one example of Shelly's successful outreach on our behalf. The second can be seen in the Seevak Research Competition-now in its 20th year-which Shelly correctly thought would help play a major role in stimulating student interest in real estate research. It has been my honor to teach this class for the past seven years.

  While we are especially proud of Shelly's long association with Wharton's real estate program, his contributions to education go well beyond our program. Not only has he been a benefactor of other leading real estate programs, he has been a long-time supporter of a very innovative Facing History program at his alma mater, the Boston Latin school. In addition, his philanthropy extended well beyond the field of education to science and other causes.

  Born and bred in the Boston area, Shelly received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his law degree from Harvard University. An innovator throughout his life, Shelly ultimately joined Goldman Sachs & Company, helping establish its real estate department, which is where we first met him. It is not a stretch to say that Sheldon Seevak helped invent what we now know as real estate investment banking. We already miss his wise counsel, even as we continue to benefit from the permanence of so many of his contributions to our program. We join his many friends throughout the real estate industry and the business community in mourning his loss and send our sincere condolences to his family.

  Sincerely,
  
  Joe Gyourko
  Director, Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at Wharton
  
  
• Fall Members' Meeting
  The new dean of the Wharton School, Thomas S. Robertson, will deliver the Farash Distinguished Lecture at our Fall Members' Meeting on Friday, October 19, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. If you would like to attend the Fall Meeting and are not yet a member of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center, please visit our Members' page.
  
  
• Career Mentor Program
  Zell/Lurie Members are invited to mentor a Wharton student. If you have not done so, please complete the form.
  
  
• Real Estate Alumni Web Page
  We have launched our new alumni page. View and add your profile to the alumni directory—many alums already have.
  
  
• Research Focus
  "State Executive/Legislative and Judicial Activities and the Strength of Local Regulation of Residential Housing" by David D. Foster and Anita A. Summers [148K PDF]
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.

• Fall Members' Meeting
  Our Fall Members' Meeting, Friday, October 19, 2007, will be on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. View the complete agenda here. If you would like to attend the Fall Meeting and are not yet a member of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center, please visit our Members' page.
  
  
• Career Mentor Program
  Zell/Lurie Members are invited to mentor a Wharton student. If you have not done so, please complete the form.
  
  
• Real Estate Alumni Web Page
  We have launched our new alumni page. View and add your profile to the alumni directory—many alums already have.
  
  
• On-line Resume Book
  We invite you to visit our recently revised on-line Resume Book representing a selective list of students seeking summer and full-time positions in the real estate industry.
  
  
• Research Sponsors Dinner at Le Cirque
  Research Sponsors enjoyed dinner in Manhattan at Le Cirque on June 1 with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase in June. If you would like to become a Research Sponsor and attend this event, please contact Janice Leberman (lebermaj@wharton.upenn.edu).
  
  
• Research Focus
  "Commitment, Risk and Consumption: Do Birds of a Feather Have Bigger Nests?" by Stephen H. Shore and Todd Sinai [479K PDF]
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.

• Spring Members' Meeting
  A complete, illustrated summary of our Spring Members' Meeting, April 19 and 20, 2007, including a report on the speakers and panel sessions: if you have not done so, kindly complete an online evaluation of the meeting. To listen to a webcast of the meeting, please contact Ron Smith (215-746-4709).
  
  
• Real Estate Alumni Web Page
  We have launched our new alumni page. View and add your profile to the alumni directory—many alums already have.
  
  
• On-line Resume Book
  We invite you to visit our recently revised on-line Resume Book representing a selective list of students seeking summer and full-time positions in the real estate industry.
  
  
• Research Sponsors Program Meeting
  Research Sponsors are invited to dinner in Manhattan at Le Cirque with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase in June. If you would like to become a Research Sponsor and attend this event, please contact Janice Leberman (lebermaj@wharton.upenn.edu).
  
  
• The International Housing and Finance Program
  The IHFP's annual executive education program, "Improving Housing Finance Systems" will be held June 4-14, 2007. The "Workshop on Securitization" will be June 16-17, 2007. For a detailed program and application forms go to the IHFP website.
  
  
• Research Focus
  "Housing Dynamics" by Edward L. Glaeser and Joseph Gyourko [588K PDF]
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.

B. Franklin Kahn

The Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center regrets to note the death of our friend and supporter, real estate developer B. Franklin Kahn. Mr. Kahn was among the first in the nation to establish a real estate investment trust. Shortly after the REIT legislation was signed into law in 1960, Mr. Kahn created the Washington Real Estate Investment Trust; he was president and chairman of the board until retiring in the mid-1990s. He told the Washington Post in 1986 that he had a simple rule for investing in properties: "Buy the best, and make them better." The family will have a memorial/celebration of Kahn's life in July.

• Spring Members' Meeting—Agenda and Registration
  View the latest agenda and a final opportunity to register online. Please let us know about any changes in your plans by contacting Janice Leberman lebermaj@wharton.upenn.edu, 215-898-3824.
  
  
• New Alumni Web Page
  We have launched our new alumni page. View and add your profile to the alumni directory—many alums already have.
  
  
• Student Resume Book
  We invite you to visit our on-line interactive Resume Book, representing students full-time and summer positions in the real estate industry.
  
  
• The International Housing and Finance Program's
  annual executive education program, "Improving Housing Finance Systems" will be held June 4-14, 2007. The "Workshop on Securitization" will be June 16-17, 2007. To register, go to the IHFP website.
  
  
• Research Focus
  "Immigration and Real Estate Markets" by Albert Saiz. [89K PDF]
  
  
• Student News
  A Women in Real Estate panel and success in a new competition
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.

• Spring Members' Meeting—Agenda and Registration
  View the latest agenda and register online. For information about membership in the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center, contact Janice Leberman at 215-898-3824 or lebermaj@wharton.upenn.edu.
  
  
• Eric & Beth Schlager Endowment for Real Estate Entrepreneurship
  The Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center is proud to announce a new endowment gift from Eric and Beth Schlager to support our educational efforts in real estate entrepreneurship. The Schlager Endowment will support an annual lecture to the entire university community, provided by an outstanding entrepreneur. The funds will also support curriculum and classroom education in this vital area. The Schlagers are both Penn alumni, graduating in 1986. Eric Schlager is the CEO of the Bulfinch Companies, Inc. in Needham, Mass. Beth C. Schlager serves on numerous non-profit boards in the Boston area, including Jewish Family and Children’s Service.
  
  
• New Alumni Web Page
  We are pleased to announce the launch of a new alumni page. View and add your profile to the alumni directory.
  
  
• Student Resume Book
  We invite you to visit our on-line interactive Resume Book, representing students seeking positions in the real estate industry.
  
  
• Real Estate Career Fair
  Seventy companies and more than three hundred students attended the sixth annual real estate career fair.
  
  
• Research Focus
  "Aggressive Lending and Real Estate Markets" by Andrey Pavlov and Susan Wachter. [137K PDF]
  
  
• Wharton News
  Wharton real estate professors' speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
  
  
• New Members
  A list of new members who have joined with us in our pursuit of excellence.