Winter Newsletter 2019
As 2019 begins to unfold, we at The Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center thank our Research Sponsors and Primary Sustaining Members whose generous contributions have made the incredible events of 2018 possible. Much has happened in 2018:
Department News + Research · Faculty & Staffing Changes · Members Meetings 2018 · Expansion of Global Programming · Research Sponsor Events · Student Activities · Other Events in 2018 · Upcoming Events · Current Members
Department News & Research
Below are some highlights from Wharton Real Estate faculty members’ recent speaking engagements, media reports and publications.
Gilles Duranton
Dean’s Chair in Real Estate Professor, Chair, Real Estate Department
- Professor Duranton co-wrote a paper about mobility and congestion in urban India.
- Professor Duranton co-wrote a paper about delineating urban areas using building density.
- Professor Duranton was featured in a number of publications including The Economist and The Hindustan Times regarding traffic and city congestion.
- Professor Duranton acted as keynote speaker at conferences in Tokyo, Shanghai and Chile.
Joe Gyourko
Martin Bucksbaum Professor, Professor of Real Estate, Professor of Finance, Professor of Business Economics & Public Policy, Nancy A. Nasher and David Haemisegger Director of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center
- Professor Gyourko was named a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China for a 3- year term.
- Professor Gyourko gave the keynote address at the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association International Conference in Guangzhou, China.
- Professor Gyourko was quoted in a Forbes article covering housing regulations in Florida.
Jessie Handbury
Assistant Professor of Real Estate
- Professor Handbury co-wrote a paper discussing income growth and the distributional effects of urban spatial sorting.
Marja Hoek-Smit
Adjunct Professor of Real Estate, Director/Founder, International Housing Finance Program, Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center
- Professor Hoek-Smit traveled to Cape Town, Egypt, India, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan in 2018 to teach courses about international housing finance.
- Professor Hoek-Smit advised the governments of Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Argentina; where mortgage markets came under pressure because of macro-economic volatility.
- Professor Hoek-Smit gave a keynote address, which covered the challenges in the housing finance value chain, at the Inter-American Development Bank Conference in Washington D.C.
Benjamin Keys
Assistant Professor of Real Estate
- Professor Keys discussed the possibility of the disappearance of the 30-year mortgage with Marketplace.
Maisy Wong
James T. Riady Associate Professor, Associate Professor of Real Estate, Assistant Director, Grayken International Real Estate Program at the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center
- Professor Wong wrote a paper on inter-generational mobility in slums.
- Professor Wong wrote a paper comparing the hedonic and discrete choice frameworks.
- Professor Wong was interviewed for Marketplace.
- Professor Wong co-organized the annual Urban Economic Association Meetings in New York.
View a full list of Wharton Real Estate faculty working papers.
Faculty & Staffing Changes
The Center has had some staffing changes in 2018.
- Maisy Wong was appointed Assistant Director of the Grayken Program in International Real Estate at the Center to assist with the on-going development of our Grayken Program in International Real Estate. Maisy was also appointed as the James T. Riady Associate Professor by the Dean.
- Todd Sinai was appointed as the David B. Ford Professor by the Dean.
- Fernando Ferreira was appointed as the C.F. Koo Associate Professor by the Dean.
Members’ Meetings in 2018
Twice a year, Zell/Lurie hosts Members’ Meetings where our members and their guests come to enjoy talks by industry leaders and network. Highlights from our Members’ Meetings can be found below.
Spring Members’ Meeting
April 26, 2018
Fall Members’ Meeting
November 2, 2018
Expansion of Global Programming
In May 2018, Zell/Lurie held its fifth annual Grayken Program in International Real Estate at the Royal Automobile Club in London. The program focused on the differences between investing and operating in the public versus private real estate markets, as well as the future of the office sector.
In October 2018, Zell/Lurie held its first Grayken Program in International Real Estate at The China Club in Hong Kong. The program focused on real estate investment opportunities and risks across Asia.
Golf Outing
Being a Research Sponsor of Zell/Lurie has many benefits, including access to private networking events.
Student Activities
Zell/Lurie funds and assists with five University of Pennsylvania Real Estate Clubs. In 2018, the Real Estate Clubs have produced some wonderful programming.
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The Ballard Executive Speaker Program
Zell/Lurie’s Ballard Executive Speaker program is extremely popular among our students. In 2018, sixteen Research Sponsors visited campus as Ballard Executives. These informal lunches are of tremendous value to our students, as indicated by their attendance and active participation. The Ballard Executive Speakers of 2018 were:
January 24, 2018 Bradley J. Korman Korman Communities January 30, 2018 Andrew Jonas Goldman Sachs February 6, 2018 Jed Walentas Two Trees Management February 15, 2018 Andrew Isikoff The Silverfern Group February 22, 2018 Ronald Kravit Cerberus Capital Management, LP March 14, 2018 Denise Olsen Gem Realty Capital, Inc. March 20, 2018 Robert Lieber C-III Capital Partners March 27, 2018 Steven Montague JSRE LLC September 27, 2018 Matt Lustig Lazard October 3, 2018 Saul Goldstein ActivumSG Capital Management October 9, 2018 Ronald Kravit Cerberus Capital Management October 11, 2018 Roy March Eastdil Secured November 15, 2018 Edward Siskind Cale Street Partners, llp November 27, 2018 Edward W Cook III McCarthy Cook & Co. November 29, 2018 Alfonso Munk PGIM Real Estate December 3, 2018 Andrew Jonas Goldman Sachs and Co.
ARGUS Training
Zell/Lurie funded ARGUS training sessions for the second time on October 27 & 28, 2018. This year’s expansion to a two-day training was based on both student and member feedback on the importance of ARGUS experience for students entering the real estate industry. Participating students also received a 30-day license to ARGUS Enterprise/OnDemand.
Mentor and Mentee Program 2018
This year, Zell/Lurie matched 133 students to 97 volunteer career mentors. Many have had the chance to meet in person.
Highlights from the MBA Real Estate Club
Students of the Wharton MBA Real Estate Club have also trekked to Detroit, California, New York City and plan to venture to Asia in March.
Highlights from the Undergraduate Real Estate Club
While practicing for the Cornell International Real Estate Case Competition, Wharton Undergraduates organized and hosted many events this year. Wharton Undergraduates held a number of special speaker events, including a visit from David Adelman, CEO, Campus Apartments.
Highlights from the School of Design Real Estate Club
Students of the School of Design Real Estate Club have kept a bust schedule. Students toured a variety of local real estate developments in Philadelphia. They had the pleasure of touring The Fillmore, 1600 Callowhill Apartments, Lincoln Square and the exciting new Philadelphia Rail Park, which is three miles of unused rail lines redesigned into a beautiful public park for all.
Highlights from the Penn Student Women in Real Estate
As a newly funded club, Penn Student Women in Real Estate (PSWiRE) have started out strong. Students hosted a Farallon Capital Management Info Session where information was provided regarding scholarships and internship opportunities for women who want to work in real estate.
Other Events
The Eric and Beth Schlager Lecture on Entrepreneurship Series
Spencer B. Haber, CEO of H/2 Capital Partners, spoke with students on campus on March 28, 2018.
Annual Alumni Breakfast 2019
On January 18, 2019 alumni gathered to network and eat breakfast prior to the Career Fair.
Our Annual Career Fair
This year, 66 companies attended Zell/Lurie’s 18th Annual Career Fair held on January 18, 2019. The career fair was well attended by Penn students looking for opportunities in real estate.
Upcoming Events in 2019
- Annual Eric and Beth Schlager Lecture on Entrepreneurship
with Matt Lustig
February 27, 2019 - Research Sponsor Dinner
Le Bernardin · March 12, 2019 - Spring Members’ Meeting
The Rittenhouse Hotel · May 1-2, 2019 - 6th Annual Grayken Program Meeting
The Royal Automobile Club, London · May 22, 2019
Current Members
Below are the lists of Research Sponsors, Primary Sustaining Members, Associate Members and New Members of 2018.
- Research Sponsors
- Primary Sustaining Members & Associate Members
- Zell/Lurie welcomed 28 New Members in 2018.
Previous Winter Newsletters
Click here to see the Winter 2018 Newsletter. Click here to see the Winter 2017 Newsletter.
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Interested in becoming a member? Take a look at our Membership Page for more information.