Visionary Tri-State Leaders Convening to Discuss the Areas Driving City Growth - Investment, Placemaking, Development, Collaboration & Design

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Leadership Gatherings To Help Accelerate Investment – Collaboration + Build Awareness & Momentum

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ORGANIZATIONS THAT ATTENDED 1st Annual Summit ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2023

SUMMIT SPEAKERS

National Thought-Leaders, Innovators & Disruptors

Ras J. Baraka
Mayor
City of Newark

Angelo Genova, Esq.
Co-Founder & Chairman
Genova Burns LLC

Adenah Bayoh
Founder & Principal
Adenah Bayoh
& Companies

Teik C. Lim
President
NJIT

Linda Harrison
CEO & Director
The Newark Museum of Art

Marcus Randolph
CEO
Invest Newark

Bernel Hall
President & CEO
New Jersey Community Capital

David Dishy
Co-Founder & CEO
LMXD
L+M Development Partners

Ron Beit
Founder & CEO
RBH Group

Ashley Mays
Chief of Place & Real Estate
Newark Alliance

Jay Biggins
Executive Managing
Director
BLS & Co.

John Schreiber
President & CEO
NJPAC

Talia Young
President & CEO
Newark Symphony Hall

Wasseem Boraie
Managing Principal
Boraie Development

Jonathan Schultz
Co-Founder & Managing Principal
Onyx Equities

Samer Hanini
Founder & Managing Partner
Hanini Group

Jennifer Carillo-Perez
Partner
Connell Foley

Gabriel Lopez
Managing Principal
J&L Companies

Kerri Berson Levine
Principal
The Fidelco Realty Group

Matthew Kertz
Partner
Genova Burns LLC

Woody Bolton
Founder & Managing Principal
Bolton Development

Calvin Souder
Founding Partner
Souder Law Group

Julia Murphy
Partner
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill- SOM

Elnardo Webster
Partner
Connell Foley

Melanie Walter
Executive Director
New Jersey Housing and
Mortgage Finance Agency

Murat Mutlu
Founder & Principal
INOA Architecture

David Wolfe
Managing Partner
Skoloff & Wolfe

Leslie A. Anderson
President & CEO
New Jersey Redevelopment
Authority – NJRA

Steven Williams
President & CEO
WBGO

Vaughn Crowe
Managing Partner
Newark Venture Partners

ORGANIZATIONS THAT ATTENDED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2023

CLICK HERE FOR 2024 DETAILED AGENDA & SPEAKERS

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Role Purpose Goal

Meet Principals - Investors, Owners, Developers

Meet Innovative Advisors & Principal Consultants

Build Awareness + Momentum for Current & Future Projects

Accelerate Opportunity Making & Partnerships

Meet Institutional Capital & Funds

Amplify+Market the Success Message

Help Shape Work, Live, Learn, Play Case For NEWARK

Annual Platform To Meet Principal City Leadership

Gather Research & Sentiment for Expansion Efforts

Exchange Success Stories

Meet JV - Debt / Equity Partners

Foster Relationships w/ Business + Anchor Stakeholders

Survey Viewpoints & Build Advocacy for Initiatives

- BUILDING OFF THE SUCCESS OUR SISTER SUMMIT -

The 2nd Annual Summit
on Real Estate, Economic Development & Placemaking

FOR INQUIRIES REGARDING
ATTENDANCE & REGISTRATION

info@newarksummit.com

FOR SPEAKING NOMINATIONS - PARTNERSHIP & SPONSORSHIP ROLES

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Founder & Managing Principal
The Newark Summit
The Jersey City Summit
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sabouzied@roundtableadvisory.com
(201) 589-0892

Contact Us

Please email us for speaking, sponsor, partner or supporter inquiries. sherif@newarksummit.com

One Gateway Center (Suite 2600), Newark NJ 07102

ORGANIZATIONS THAT ATTENDED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, 2023

Newark Skyline

Ras J. Baraka is the 40th Mayor of the City of Newark.

A native of Newark, whose family has lived in the City for more than 80 years, Mayor Baraka’s progressive approach to governing has won him accolades from grassroots organizations to the White House. With a forward-thinking agenda that reduced crime to its lowest levels in six decades, addressed affordability while maintaining steady growth, lowered unemployment, returned local control of schools after more than two decades, and replaced all 23,000 known lead service lines in less than three years at no cost to residents, Baraka has defied expectations since taking office in 2014.

Mayor Baraka’s futurist agenda has included the implementation of a groundbreaking partnership called Hire. Buy. Live. Newark, a program that marks the first time that any US city has sought to transform its economy by combining employment, procurement, and residential strategies.

As part of his commitment to strengthen Newark’s position in the expanded technology space, the City launched LinkNWK (pronounced Link Newark). This communications network of sidewalk kiosks provides Newark residents and visitors with free, gigabit Wi-Fi, mobile device charging, phone calls to anywhere in the U.S., access to municipal services, maps and directions, and real-time local information on city streets at no cost to taxpayers or users. Additionally, broadband and Wi-Fi have been extended to city parks and recreation centers, and the City seeks to ensure that every resident has access to free or very low-cost broadband to bridge the digital divide.

Mayor Baraka is recognized nationally as a thought leader in the space of urban revitalization, and his commitment to reducing crime in Newark, reimagining public safety, tackling the city’s housing crisis, and developing innovative and community-driven approaches to eliminating income inequality has solidified his status as one of the country’s most progressive elected officials.

While serving as the Mayor of Newark, he also presides as the President of NJ Urban Mayors Association; Executive Board Member for NJ League of Municipalities; Co-Chair, National League of Cities Reimagining Public Safety Task Force; U.S. Conference of Mayors- Vice Chair for Ports, Transportation and Communications Committee; and Member, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Local Government Advisory Committee.

Mayor Baraka was educated in the Newark Public Schools. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and a Master’s Degree in Education Supervision from St. Peter’s University in Jersey City. His father, the late Amiri Baraka, was a legendary poet and playwright. His mother, Amina Baraka, is herself a renowned poet. Doting husband and father, Mayor Baraka is a published author who recently released the audible memoir “The Book of Baraka” and is well-regarded in the entertainment industry for his appearance on the Grammy-award winning album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in his authentic role as an educator, and for his EP “What We Want.”

Angelo J. Genova, Co-Founder,Chairman of the Firm, is a multi-faceted law professional with extensive experience in complex business and employment litigation, appellate advocacy, labor and employment law, government contracts, procurement, campaign finance, and political and election law. As a renowned trial lawyer, Mr. Genova appears regularly in front of courts of all types at the New Jersey, regional and federal levels, including numerous appearances before the New Jersey Supreme Court. For decades, he has provided precedent-setting legal representation that has reached all levels of the state and federal legal landscape.

Mr. Genova is no stranger to the media, both mainstream and within the legal industry. His media acknowledgements and accolades include:

PolitickerNJ has consistently named Mr. Genova to its annual Power List, calling him one of the “deadliest courtroom lawyers in the State.” He brings to the table the “most fearsome preparation of any other attorney” and, stating further, “Here’s a nightmare scenario, sitting on a witness stand with this guy coming around the corner of a table and bearing down on you with his first question.”
Insider NJ described Mr. Genova as “The attorney for New Jersey’s political stars….the Genova Burns heavyweight is the last guy you want to come face to face with across an imitation wood paneled docket on Judgment Day.”
New Jersey Super Lawyers has identified Mr. Genova in its peer-selected, statewide rankings as the Top Vote Getter (2008, 2010), the Second Highest Vote Getter (2015, 2016) and the Third Highest Vote Getter (2011, 2017). Mr. Genova has been ranked in the Top 10 and/or Top 100 “Super Lawyers®” listings every year since 2005.
Since 1987, Mr. Genova has been ranked as stellar by Best Lawyers in Business & Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment Law.
He holds the highest rating of AV® from Martindale-Hubbell.
Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers has named Mr. Genova as a leading lawyer for Business Litigation and Labor & Employment Law.
Human Resources Executive Magazine has named Mr. Genova as one of the country’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys.
Law Dragon® has ranked Mr. Genova in its Top 20 for Traditional Labor & Employment Law.
Law Dragon® has ranked Mr. Genova in its Top 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers.

As a litigator, Mr. Genova subscribes to the basic legal tenet that lawyers must know their case inside and out. In his mind, there is no substitute for preparation, attention to detail, and an uncompromising commitment to advancing the client’s interests. He sees his role as a “counselor” and problem solver, embracing the lawyer’s responsibility to educate clients about their legal rights, responsibilities and vulnerabilities, while assisting them in developing a clear path towards defined legal outcomes. Mr. Genova considers his principal skill as “effective advocacy,” defining it as the ability to marshal facts quickly, distill them to their core elements, and apply legal principles and strategies to achieve optimal outcomes for clients.

Countless business disputes, civil litigation matters, and complex commercial controversies involving family members, partners, shareholders, vendors, contractors and executives have benefitted form Mr. Genova’s expertise. He has served as lead or co-counsel at every stage of litigation from the pleading phase, discovery, and depositions, through motion practice, trial and appeal.

Mr. Genova’s experience in election and political law spans more than 30 years. He has represented candidates for every level of government, including those running for city council, county executive, mayor, state legislature, Governor, member of the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate, and President of the United States. He has also advised a large number of local, state and national political parties. He has also successfully represented clients in matters involving all aspects of election law and campaign finance, including ballot questions, vote-by-mail disputes, voter eligibility, election recounts, rechecks and post-election challenges. This includes matters falling under the Voting Rights Act, Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), and New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJELEC).

It is said that if it happens in the workplace, Angelo Genova has the experience to address the employer’s issue across an array of industries. He has 30 years of experience in collective bargaining, traditional labor law, employment litigation, EEO, Title VII, OSHA, FLSA (wage & hour), prevailing wage laws, project labor agreement negotiation, and the defense of individual and class action claims. Mr. Genova has negotiated precedent-setting collective bargaining agreements with public workers in New Jersey, including those involving difficult issues like employee contributions for healthcare costs.

Mr. Genova has also served as General Counsel to the New Jersey Democratic Party for 25 years. He is a former Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (2003 – 2007), former Chairman of the New Jersey Urban Development Corporation (1991 – 1992), and served as General Counsel to the Transition Team for former New Jersey Governor James J. Florio in 1989.

Adenah Bayoh
Founder & CEO
Adenah Bayoh and Companies

Adenah Bayoh embodies the American dream. At age 13, she escaped the civil war in her native country of Liberia, immigrated to the United States and is now one of the most successful entrepreneurs in her home state of New Jersey. Adenah is the founder and CEO of Adenah Bayoh and Companies, which is the parent corporation that owns IHOP franchises in Paterson and Irvington, New Jersey and a real estate development portfolio with over $225 million dollars in urban redevelopment projects. Because of the success of her flagship IHOP in Irvington, she is the second largest employer in the Township. Next year, Adenah will launch Cornbread, her signature line of fast casual, farm-to-table, soul food restaurants.

Adenah began her career as an entrepreneur at an early age. After attending a public high school in Newark, New Jersey and putting herself through college, she secured a job in banking and began purchasing multifamily homes as investments. Following the financial success of these investments, she left her banking position to concentrate on building her own businesses focused on transforming and empowering disadvantaged communities.

Inspired by her grandmother, who owned a restaurant in Liberia, Adenah decided to use the profits generated from her real estate investments to open an IHOP in Irvington, New Jersey. After overcoming financial challenges and a learning curve, she cut the ribbon on her first location in 2008 at age 27, making her one of the youngest IHOP franchisees in the country. In 2010, her location was the fastest-growing in the Northeast, and it remains one of the top grossing in the region. Adenah continues to build on her success; in January 2015, she was appointed to the prestigious Federal Reserve Bank of New York Advisory Council on Small Business and Agriculture. In December 2015, she was named to Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 list alongside such luminaries as U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Robin Washington, the CFO of pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences; and Oscar winning actress Viola Davis.

On June 22, 2015, she proudly cut the ribbon on her second IHOP in Paterson, New Jersey. Located in the Center City Mall, IHOP Paterson will generate 120 jobs.

After expanding her real estate holdings with the acquisition of larger sites, she decided to take the bold step of transitioning from buying, selling and renting properties to full-scale real estate development. In 2012, she partnered with two other developers to purchase the former Irvington General Hospital site, which had been vacant for nearly a decade, and transform it into an unprecedented $200 million dollar residential and retail community. Additionally, she is in pre-development on the construction of another urban renewal project that will provide 40 residential units in Irvington.

Adenah is also philanthropically involved in the communities where she does business. At IHOP Irvington, she runs a free breakfast program for children under 12, and she hosts dinners for needy families during the holidays. In addition, she allows local nonprofit organizations to hold charitable events at both IHOP locations. Adenah’s accomplishments have not gone unrecognized. She is a sought-after speaker by business, professional, and community organizations; universities; and women’s associations. Moreover, in March 2014, she was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in Business by the publication NJBIZ and was the cover story in its March 24th issue.

Adenah is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University where she earned a degree in Business Management. Despite her numerous successes, her proudest achievement is being a mother to her two young children.

Bernel Hall

President & Chief Executive Officer

Over the past 25 years, Bernel Hall has executed over $5 billion in real estate investment, lending, and disposition transactions for multifamily, retail, office, and hotel properties in 36 states throughout the US. A former investment banker, public housing executive, and real estate finance professor, Mr. Hall is an expert in large, multi-faceted public-private real estate transactions, small business transactions and executive leadership.

As New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) President and CEO, Mr. Hall leads the largest Community Development Financial Institution in New Jersey with four business lines–Lending, Real Estate Development, Investment Ventures and Strategic Community Consulting–with approximately $700 million in assets under management. Loans and investments leveraged over $2.5 billion in capital to more than 120,000 business owners and residents in underserved and low-income communities in New Jersey, New York, and Florida. Additionally, Mr. Hall leads Community Asset Preservation Corporation (CAPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NJCC, and the largest affordable housing development company in New Jersey with more than 600 units of housing and 500,000 square feet of commercial assets. CAPC’s capabilities include real estate development, property management, asset management, mortgage acquisition, and mortgage modification services in New Jersey, New York, and Florida.

As President and CEO of Invest Newark, he established a proven track record of transformative leadership that resulted in wealth creation for underserved communities throughout New Jersey’s largest City. In partnership with his Board of Directors and Staff, Mr. Hall transformed Invest Newark into New Jersey’s premier economic development vehicle featuring the state’s only land bank, a municipally sponsored fiber optic company, an employee-owned industrial company, and an infrastructure investment fund.

As CEO of Halltown Real Estate Advisors, Mr. Hall served as real estate investment advisor to some of the largest housing authorities in the country. As part of his tenure with the Atlanta Housing Authority (“AHA”), Mr. Hall established an $100 million co-investment vehicle between AHA, HUD, and the Atlanta Economic Development Authority (“Invest Atlanta”). During his tenure with the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), and oversaw the execution of over $1.5 billion in real estate disposition, development, and joint venture transactions. Previously, Mr. Hall worked in Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group where he was responsible for sourcing and evaluating urban-based multifamily, retail, and mixed-use real estate private equity investments. Prior to his work at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Hall executed $785 million in real estate acquisitions, loans, and joint ventures transactions for UBS Investment Bank. Mr. Hall began his career with Bank of America in the firm’s Construction Lending and Real Estate Investment Banking Groups.

Mr. Hall is a licensed Uniform Investment Advisor (Series 7, 65) and possesses a Bachelor of Science from North Carolina State University and a M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. He sits on the community development and new market tax credit advisory boards of PNC Financial and Goldman Sachs, respectively. He also holds a certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Ron Beit

Founding partner & CEO

RBH Group

Ron Beit is the founding partner and CEO of RBH Group, LLC, president of RBH Management, LLC, asset and property management companies; as well as managing member of RBH-TRB Newark Holdings, LLC. Ron has acquired, developed, rehabilitated, and/or operated over 1 million square feet of existing commercial and residential real estate in numerous projects throughout the U.S. as well as over 6 million additional developable square feet in institutional-grade sites throughout downtown, Newark, NJ.

Ron’s professional passion is in Newark, where he has been an active participant in helping the city become New Jersey’s business and entertainment capital and a downtown 24 hour, 7-day-a-week attraction. RBH Group boasts over 79 parcels that were acquired through 30 separate transactions in Newark’s downtown core. e company’s e orts there to date have been in land assemblage and land entitlement in order to create a large-scale platform for institutional-grade development. RBH is currently developing the groundbreaking Teachers Village project and the Four Corners Millennium project in the historic core of the city, as well as Makers Village in the Ironbound.

Ron is on the New Jersey Committee of the Regional Plan Association and is co-chairman of the board of the New Jersey chapter of Teach for America. He is also a board member of the Newark Alliance, St. Benedict’s Preparatory, Integrity House and the and the Greater Newark Convention and Visitor Bureau. Ron is also an active participant and contributor to several other charities.

Ron and his real estate work in Newark have been featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, as well as in the Stoler Report and Sundance Channel’s Brick City television programs. Ron was named in New Jersey Biz’s 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Power 50 in Real Estate and was featured on the “New Jersey Capitol Report” in August 2012. Ron was also awarded the “Partners in Progress Award” at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (Barnabas Health) in April 2012, and the Newark Regional Business Partnership’s Kevin J. McKenna Leadership Award for 2014. He received the Medal of St. Benedict’s Award for 2015, Chamber Award 2015, AFL-CIO Award.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, his Juris Doctorate at New York Law School, and has been admitted to both the New York and New Jersey Bar Associations.

Kerri B. Levine

Kerri Berson Levine is a Vice President at The Fidelco Realty Group and a dedicated

philanthropist. Kerri devotes her professional efforts to improving and restoring a wide-range of

properties in urban areas throughout the tri-state area, including her family’s birthplace and the

center of her civic and philanthropic endeavors, Newark, N.J. She has contributed to Fidelco’s

success, developing distinct locations in overlooked inner-city neighborhoods and spearheading

the business’s commercial leasing, restaurant, marketing, and media initiatives. Kerri has helped

secure many noteworthy tenants, including Melba’s, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hudson Union

and Essex County, Chipotle, Krauszers, FastSigns, Redd’s Beirgarten, PureBarre, Leadership

Newark to name a few.

Most recently, Kerri has been focused on the renovation of the historic, Fidelco-owned 550

Broad Street building in Newark. Charged with identifying young, tech-industry tenants and

tenants representing the diverse community, Kerri is helping Fidelco bring a new vibe to the

North End. Kerri also forged a relationship with Melba Wilson, the world-famous restauranteur,

who will be opening a new restaurant – Melba’s 550 – in the 550 Broad location. 550 Broad

Street will soon be a business hub and restaurant destination for the neighborhood.

Additionally, Kerri is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

& Zoological Society of New Jersey, where she is committed to enriching the zoo’s recreational

experience and fostering excellence in wildlife education and wildlife conservation. Kerri

partnered with Essex County to develop the zoo’s first Annual Miniature Golf Classic. She also

serves as a trustee and treasurer of Opportunity Project Inc., a not-for-profit organization helping

to rehabilitate and empower individuals living with brain injuries.

Kerri is co-founder of GIRLTALK #takeover, a daylong event for inner-city females ages 8-16

that focuses on beauty, community exposure, and female health and wellness. She also sits on the

NJPAC Women’s Board; is a trustee emeritus of Newark Downtown Development District; and

serves on the advisory board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hudson and Essex. Kerri’s passion

for her work at Fidelco is matched by her support of some of New Jersey’s key institutions,

including Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center,

GlassRoots, and Newark Yoga Movement.

Kerri received her degree from New York University in Manhattan, where she currently serves

on the CAS Dean’s Advisory Council.

CALVIN W. SOUDER

Calvin Souder is an attorney whose practice entails commercial/residential real estate, tax, general complex litigation, toxic torts, product liability, fraud and commercial matters, corporate governance and compliance, and insurance.

Mr. Souder represents corporations and government entities on a wide variety of complex corporate transactions and legal matters. In his practice, Mr. Souder helps developers and multi family property owners navigate municipalities in drafting and negotiating redevelopment agreements, Long Term Tax Exemptions (PILOTS), and tax appeals. Mr. Souder also advises clients on identifying and pursuing potential funding sources. He also provides clients with invaluable aid in landlord/tenant and municipal courts. He assists clients in developing strategies to defend themselves from claims while effectively managing potential statutory and regulatory pitfalls brought about by litigation and complex transactions. Mr. Souder also aids clients in developing comprehensive strategic plans and consultation regarding the potential impact of policy and regulatory changes. In addition, Mr. Souder provides clients with access to both federal and state legislators who fashion legislation affecting a variety of industries including real estate,

education, health care, energy, the environment, and insurance.

Mr. Souder’s community roots also run deep. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Essex County College, New Jersey’s largest community college servicing approximately 15,000 full-time students and an additional 10,000 part-time students. In addition, Mr. Souder formerly served as the Vice-Chairman of Newark Now, founded by Senator Cory Booker. Newark Now has been nationally recognized for its Financial Empowerment and Father’s Now programs. Also, as a former trustee of the Mental Health Association of New Jersey, Mr. Souder has taken on the challenge to bring mental health awareness to bear in minority communities. Once a year, Mr. Souder travels to Abetifi-Kwahu in Ghana as a Board member of Adopt-one-Village to secure life sustaining provisions such as water, electricity, food, and education for the village’s youth. In 2011, Mr. Souder participated in Leadership New Jersey after being identified as one of the State’s future leaders. On multiple occasions, Mr. Souder has been called upon by the Governor and various State Legislators to provide leadership to State-run institutions such as during the merger of UMDNJ and Rutgers, and the initial investigation into the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. In 2013, Mr. Souder completed the Masters of Distinguished Leaders program, geared toward identifying and educating the next generation of Civil Rights Leaders, in Washington, DC. In his latest leadership venture, Mr. Souder joined the Corporate Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of New Jersey—he serves as its Vice-Chairman. In his spare time, he serves as a member of the Newark Public Library’s Foundation Board.

Mr. Souder was formerly an associate of one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious law firms prior to founding Souder, Shabazz & Woolridge. Before that, he clerked for U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in the District of New Jersey from 2008-2009 and New Jersey Superior Court Judge John A. O’Shaughnessy of Hudson County Superior Court, Civil Division, from 2007-2008. In his role as a law clerk, he reviewed dispositive motions, social security appeals, and discovery disputes; he also drafted written opinions on a variety of civil and criminal law matters.

CALVIN W. SOUDER

Mr. Souder graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2007, with honors. While in law school he served as Vice-President of the Black Law Student Association, Corporate Relations Director for the Northeast Black Law Student Association, and was a member of the moot court team. Mr. Souder also received the ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership award for the class of 2007 and was recognized as the Best Oral Advocate in Appellate Advocacy. While at the College of the Holy Cross, Mr. Souder was a member of the school’s varsity football team and Vice

President of the Black Student Union.

David Wolfe focuses his practice on representing taxpayers in significant real estate tax matters. He also represents corporate and individual clients in complex civil litigation. He has extensive experience in all types of property tax appeals, including hotel, multi-family, retail, office, industrial properties, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. He frequently counsels clients regarding property tax exemption matters, abatements, and PILOTs. David also routinely performs property tax due diligence and tax projections for institutional clients.

David is proud to have assisted clients in the development and stabilization of several of the transformational projects in New Jersey’s largest two cities, Jersey City and Newark. He represents taxpayers in every county in New Jersey, throughout the North East and significant matters nationally through the firm’s relationship with the National Association of Property Tax Attorneys (NAPTA).

David has obtained billions of dollars of assessment reductions on behalf of his clients, including the following assessment reductions on behalf of his clients:

Reduced hotel assessment from $421 million to $259 million;
Reduced office assessment from $372 million to $264 million;
Reduced hotel assessment from $188 million to $131 million;
Reduced multifamily assessment from $116 million to $67 million;
Reduced nursing home assessment from $36 million to $10.1 million;
Reduced super-regional mall assessment from $21 million to $8 million;
Reduced power center assessment from $21 million to $13 million*
* All assessments rounded to nearest million

David serves on the NAPTA Board and as the Co-Chair of the Real Property Tax Practice Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA). Chair of the NJSBA Taxation Section, Mr. Wolfe has been featured or quoted in a wide variety of local and national publications, including Forbes.com, GlobeSt.com, Marketwatch.com, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Law.com, Law360.com, The New York Law Journal, and Commerce Magazine.

He began his career as an associate at the law firm of Davis Polk and Wardwell in New York. While at Davis Polk, he focused his practice on regulatory investigations, securities litigation and banking disputes.

David served as Co-Chair of the ABA’s Diversity & Inclusion 360 Presidential Commission and as a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates for several years. As a young lawyer, Mr. Wolfe served as the Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, the ABA’s largest entity with more than 130,000 members.

David received his J.D. from New York University School of Law and graduated from Cornell University with distinction in all subjects.

LESLIE A. ANDERSON

Leslie A. Anderson is the President and CEO of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority (NJRA), a multi-million dollar independent financing authority created by the state of New Jersey to transform urban communities through direct investment and technical support. Leslie is the only Black woman in the nation to helm an independent redevelopment financing authority, and thanks to her effectiveness she has been reappointed to this position by four consecutive governors.

Under her bold leadership, NJRA has used its financial resources to leverage nearly $4 billion in new investments, helping to redevelop some of New Jersey’s most economically challenged neighborhoods. Moreover, the authority committed nearly half a billion dollars in direct investments to the 66 legislatively designated communities that it serves. This has led to the creation of over 15,000 new housing units and over 10 million square feet of commercial and retail space.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NJRA created the Small Business Lease-Emergency Assistance Grant Program to provide commercial rent-relief grants up to $10,000 to the small businesses that have been hardest hit by the health and economic crisis. The highly successful program, funded by the CARES Act, was fully subscribed in under 30 minutes. Not only were 90% of the applicants minority business owners, but nearly 70% had not received any other form of relief, including CARES Act funding.

In 2006, Leslie created the NJRA Redevelopment Training Institute (RTI) to provide learning opportunities centered on the complexities of redevelopment and best practices for community revitalization. Since inception, RTI has trained over 2,000 attorneys, elected officials, developers, and community based organizations. It has also received certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners, the Northeastern Economic Developers Association, and Continuing Legal Education through the NJ Supreme Court.

Prior to joining the staff of NJRA, Leslie served as a Policy Advisor to former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. In this capacity, she was responsible for working on economic, commerce, and urban policy. She played an integral role in the creation of Governor Whitman’s urban economic strategy, which was enacted into law in July 1996 through the passage of the New Jersey Urban Redevelopment Act. Leslie began her career in her hometown of Plainfield, New Jersey where she spent nearly a decade working in the city’s economic development office. She began her tenure as a planner and was ultimately selected by the mayor to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development.

Leslie remains heavily involved in the Plainfield community. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which is a public service organization that strives to confront the problems facing disadvantaged African Americans. Leslie has served in various leadership positions in the organization including as the president of the Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter.

Leslie is a Leadership NJ Fellow, and holds active memberships in the Penn State Alumni Association and the Council of Finance Development Agencies. Leslie also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Heart of NJ Girl Scout Council and the Free Global Foundation.

Leslie’s commitment to service has earned her numerous awards and recognitions. She has the distinction of being named to ROI-NJ’s Influencers Real Estate: Power Players list as well as the ROI Influencers: People of Color list. She has also been recognized as one of NJBIZ’s Best 50 Women in Business, and she was recognized by the Black Alumni of Penn State University for her outstanding work in public service. Leslie has also been the recipient of the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award; the Chris Kjeldsen Community Service Award; the Garden State Bar Association’s Roger M. Yancey Award (one of three non-lawyers to receive this prestigious award); the Girl Scouts of Delaware Raritan Woman of Distinction Award; and she is also an inductee in the Plainfield High School Hall of Fame.

Leslie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Pennsylvania State University.