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usanne Newmark and Nancy Glick
Newmark Associates CRE – Cedar Knolls, NJ
Founded in 1987, Newmark Associates CRE is a private commercial real‑estate firm offering leasing, sales, tenant/owner representation, brokerage across retail, land, industrial, office and health‑care sectors, lease renegotiation, and advisory/valuation services. It is the largest woman‑owned CRE firm in New Jersey.
Newmark has represented Fortune 500 clients such as Microsoft and Citibank, as well as startups and regional investors. COO Nancy Glick joined in 2005, spearheading technology and management systems that nearly doubled the firm to over 25 agents. Recent high‑value deals include a 150,000‑sq‑ft office building in West Orange and a 30,000‑sq‑ft property in Florham Park sold to a nonprofit.
Chris Paladino
New Brunswick Development Corp. – President (since 1994)
Under Paladino’s leadership, the nonprofit has delivered 8.3 million sq‑ft of residential, commercial and academic projects worth $3.5 billion, often through public‑private partnerships with Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the NJ Economic Development Authority. Key developments: Stockton University’s Atlantic City campus, South Jersey Gas HQ, Rutgers‑New Brunswick campus redevelopment, former Rutgers Law School renovation, and the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
In spring, DEVCO opened the $900 million Rutgers Cancer Institute – Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. The firm is also advancing HELIX NJ, a three‑building life‑science hub slated to host Rutgers School of Medicine, Princeton, Nokia Bell Labs, Middlesex County and the NJ Innovation Hub.
Joseph Panepinto Jr.
Panepinto Global Partners – President; Panepinto Properties – Principal
Based in Jersey City, Panepinto Global Partners focuses on international real‑estate development and investment. Panepinto Properties, founded in the late 1970s, has shaped Jersey City’s skyline with projects like The Gotham luxury rental tower and the Harborside/Exchange Place waterfront revitalization.
Upcoming: 505 Summit, a $388 million, 54‑story building in Journal Square, featuring 605 residential units, retail, a plaza, parking and bike storage.
Michael Pennisi
Coldwell Banker – Regional Vice President (North & Central NJ)
Pennisi leads 700+ agents and $1.5 billion in annual sales, consistently driving the region’s top growth. A national speaker and coach, he covers real‑estate strategy, negotiation, brokerage growth and leadership.
Founder of Innspired Hospitality, he manages a portfolio of boutique lodging, B&Bs, luxury rentals, flips and a working farm across the Jersey Shore and Adirondacks. He hosts Growth Mastermind, a live event series for real‑estate professionals.
Accolades: REALTOR® of the Year 2025 (North Central Jersey Association of Realtors) and former National Association of Realtors 30 Under 30 honoree.
Steven Pozycki
SJP Properties – Founder & CEO
SJP, 44 years old, is a leading CRE developer with a portfolio of landmark office parks, corporate HQs and luxury residential sites. The firm employs 90+ staff in Parsippany and NYC, with $5 billion equity invested and $1.3 billion in development.
Signature projects: Prudential’s 750,000‑sq‑ft Newark tower, Panasonic USA’s 337,000‑sq‑ft Brick City building, Hoboken’s 1.5 million‑sq‑ft Waterfront Corporate Center (Walmart, Hain Celestial, Unilever). In Morristown, Valley Bank’s Speedwell Avenue redevelopment and Deloitte’s M Station East, Sanofi’s M Station West.
Summer 2024: Groundbreaking for a 370,000‑sq‑ft office/life‑sciences tower in New Brunswick, destined to house Nokia Bell Labs as part of HELIX NJ.
William “Billy” Procida
Procida Funding & Advisors – Founder (Englewood Cliffs, 1995)
With $3 billion financed, fixed, and built across the region, Procida remains active in lending and advisory. Recent highlights: a $140 million refinancing for a 507‑unit active‑adult community in Cherry Hill, and a $40 million court judgment against a prior developer for breach of guaranty.
The 100 Mile Fund, an open‑ended local RE investment vehicle, has originated $1.2 billion in loans, delivering a 12.1% annualized return over 15 years. Procida lectures at Yale, Columbia, NYU, appears on CNBC and Fox Business, and sponsors Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and Keep Rockland Beautiful.
Jason Pucci
The Kislak Co. Inc. – CEO (since 2022)
Kislak, founded 1906, is one of New Jersey’s oldest independent brokerage firms. Pucci, an attorney and executive, joined as COO in 2006, closing 2,400+ transactions worth $9 billion; he personally handled 100+ deals over $1 billion.
Under his leadership, Kislak has closed multifamily and land sales totaling $20 million in the past year, including properties in East Orange, Garwood, West Long Branch, Vineland, and Monticello, NY. Recent sales: two Livingston investment properties for $6.5 million. The firm focuses on value‑add and development‑ready assets.
Deidre Reynolds
Exchange Place Alliance – Executive Director (since 2024)
Reynolds oversees the special improvement district in Jersey City, enhancing public spaces, streetscapes and community infrastructure. She expanded the district to include the Powerhouse Arts District, enabling broader landscaping, lighting, maintenance and public amenities.
Her cultural initiatives include a public‑art program that commissioned six new sculptures and a window display in the Powerhouse Arts District, celebrating local artists and enriching urban life.
Samantha DeAlmedia Roman
Associated Builders & Contractors NJ – President (since 2021)
At 31, Roman became the youngest ABC chapter president nationwide, leading the largest chapter with 1,300+ members. She champions diversity, inclusion, and a U.S. Department of Labor‑registered apprenticeship program, creating pathways for youth into construction.
Roman also supports community programs such as Boy Scouts’ Scouting for Food and ROC Solid, providing playsets to children with cancer.
William Rosato
Alpine Residential – Managing Partner
Alpine develops residential and mixed‑use projects across NJ, delivering 2,630 units in recent completions like The Hazel Phases I & II, Starling, Atlas, Solaris Lofts, and The Hazel Stamford (CT). Current construction includes 689 units in Jersey City and Hicksville, NY.
Upcoming: SciTech Scity, a partnership with Jersey City, Hudson County and Liberty Science Center, featuring 500 units in two 12‑story towers plus retail and innovation spaces, slated for mid‑2026. Alpine emphasizes amenity‑rich communities and a robust development pipeline.
Ed Russo
Russo Development – CEO (since 1998)
Russo transformed a 1969 family business into a leading NJ developer, expanding from industrial to mixed‑use, retail, multifamily and data‑center projects. The firm has completed 2 million sq‑ft of mission‑critical space for JP Morgan Chase, NYSE Euronext, Credit Suisse and Bloomberg.
Current pipeline: 3 million sq‑ft of commercial and data‑center projects, 3,600 multifamily units under construction, and 2,500 units planned over three years (Vermella brand). Recent highlights: a $162 million loan for The Raye (543‑unit luxury) in New Brunswick and the 75%‑leased Rev by Vermella in Belleville.
Ryan Sanzari
Alfred Sanzari Enterprises – President
Since 1945, the family‑owned firm has amassed 6 million sq‑ft across multifamily, industrial, office, medical, retail and hospitality. Notable assets: Court Plaza (Hackensack), Alfred N. Sanzari Medical Arts Building (Hackensack), Zephyr Ridge apartments (Cedar Grove), and three hotel brands at Glenpointe (Marriott, Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites).
Sanzari joined in 2011, rising to president in 2019. The 80th anniversary in 2025 celebrated the firm’s legacy and future growth.
John Saraceno & Jon Schultz
Onyx Equities LLC – Managing Principals (20+ years)
Onyx has acquired $4 billion in assets across NJ, NY, PA, and repositioned $1 billion in properties, including Newark’s Gateway and Ridgewood’s luxury boutique communities. Saraceno directs investment strategy; Schultz leads capital raising, fund management (Phalanx Funds), and technology development.
Matt Schlindwein
Greek Real Estate Partners – Managing Partner
With 20+ years in CRE, Schlindwein oversees development and design‑build divisions, delivering Class A warehouses and renovations across NJ. He leads a team of engineers and construction specialists, optimizing land use and environmental compliance.
Appointed NAIOP NJ President, he launched a Four‑Year Strategic Plan focusing on advocacy, member engagement, education and workforce development, promoting innovation and sustainability.
David Simon
NAI DiLeo‑Bram & Co. – COO & Business Manager
Simon manages operations and fiscal performance for the Woodbridge‑based brokerage, driving transactions across industrial, office, multifamily and retail in northern and central NJ. Recent deals: Evergreen Village (98‑unit multifamily), V&H Logistic industrial lease (42,000 sq‑ft), Bayada Home Health Care office lease (21,000 sq‑ft).
Recognized by GlobeSt.com/Real Estate Forum Magazine as a 2025 Best Boss in commercial real estate.
Debra Tantleff
TANTUM Real Estate – Founder & Principal
TANTUM is a women‑owned boutique development and advisory firm focused on vibrant multifamily and mixed‑use communities. With 20+ years of experience, Tantleff leads projects addressing NJ’s housing needs.
Re‑elected chair of the New Jersey Builders Association, she advances legislative reforms (plan review, contractor licensing) and advocates for affordable housing and sustainable development.
Jessica Vasil
Lee & Associates – President & CEO
Lee & Associates is the largest women‑owned CRE brokerage in the NY metropolitan area. Vasil guided the firm to that designation in 2024 and earned NJBIZ recognition as a leading women‑owned business.
Her career began in 2009 as assistant VP of operations; she rose to EVP in 2016 and president in 2023. Under her leadership, the firm expanded from five agents to 50 professionals across three offices, strengthening its financial position and reputation.
Jeff Venezia, Vincent Myers & Rich Alderiso
DIGroup Architecture – Founders & Principals
DIGroup, formed in 2006 from four firms, is the largest majority Black‑owned architecture, interior and graphic design firm in NJ. Headquartered in New Brunswick, it delivers award‑winning projects for academic, civic, health‑care and senior living clients.
Key projects: Union County Improvement Authority hub, Hackensack Meridian Health’s Jersey Shore University Medical Center observation unit, JFK University Medical Center interior fit‑out, Louis Kahn bath house restoration, and 20,000 sq‑ft senior living redesign at Lester Senior Living. The firm continues work with the NJ Schools Development Authority.
Ed Walters Jr. & Joe Del Duca
Walters Group – Founder & Partner
Walters Group specializes in sustainable residential communities, operating through Walters Homes, Walters Architecture LLC and Walters Apartments. Recent flagship projects: Cornerstone at Chatham and Cornerstone at Montvale, both LEED‑certified income‑restricted communities, earning Community of the Year at the Shore Builders Association FAME Awards.
Eric Witmondt
Woodmont Properties – CEO
Founded 1963, Woodmont is a vertically integrated developer with a portfolio of industrial space and luxury apartments. Under Eric, the company has expanded to 7 million sq‑ft of industrial space and 6,500 luxury apartments, with assets over $1.5 billion across NJ, NY, PA, GA, FL and CO.
Pipeline: 6 million sq‑ft industrial, 2,000 apartments, 1,000 senior living units. The firm ranked among NJBIZ Best Places to Work 2025, emphasizing employee growth and a people‑first culture.
Jason Wolf
Wolf Commercial Real Estate – Founder & Managing Principal
Wolf Commercial Real Estate, founded 2012 in Marlton, offers brokerage, property management and advisory services across office, retail, medical, industrial and investment properties in NJ, PA and NY. The firm manages 7 million sq‑ft under exclusive agreements and has expanded into NY via CORFAC International.
Through the WCRE Foundation, Wolf has raised nearly $1 million for local nonprofits. His quarterly market report highlights resilience, normalized leasing volumes, investor focus on well‑positioned assets and limited new construction as markets head into 2026.
Ralph Zucker
Inspired by Somerset Development – CEO & Founder
Zucker’s flagship project, Bell Works Holmdel, transformed a 2 million‑sq‑ft former Bell Labs site into a vibrant mixed‑use destination with 98% occupancy. The property now hosts a pickleball venue, dining, a library and theater, and served as the setting for Apple TV+ “Severance.”
He replicated the model in Chicago (Bell Works Chicagoland) and is developing Bell Works Fort Monmouth (former Commvault HQ). Upcoming residential projects: LIDO Asbury Park (112 condos) and The Inkwell Lofts in Long Branch (22 units and retail).
