Todd Korren Joins Massey Knakal as Managing Director of Manhattan
By Al Barbarino February 7, 2013 7:15 am
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Todd Korren joined Massey Knakal Realty Services yesterday, stepping out from the transaction-based roles that made him one of the city’s elite brokers and into a managerial role as Managing Director of Manhattan.
Mr. Korren, who spoke exclusively with The Commercial Observer about his new role, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the firm’s Manhattan sales force and retail leasing division.
“This is going to be an exciting growth opportunity for me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to helping a very well-established company take things to the next level.”
Mr. Korren takes on a strong mentoring and recruiting role, coaching the sales and leasing teams and taking new brokers under his wing, in addition to pitching business and being one of the new faces of the company at industry events.
“I love mentoring and working with people, and there’s a phenomenal opportunity here to work with 100-plus people and help them grow personally and financially,” he said.
During his nearly three decades of experience in the industry, Mr. Korren negotiated over 1,000 leases representing 6.7 million square feet, participated in over 25 acquisitions and dispositions valued at over $1.5 billion, and supervised over 400 construction projects.
Most recently, he was principal and director of leasing at private equity and asset management firm Savanna Real Estate Fund, responsible for leasing, tenant relations and promoting the Savanna portfolio. He also participated in budgeting, tenant space design and lease administration.
“I only have the greatest things to say about my former firm and I wasn’t really looking to go – it wasn’t really a decision to leave as much as it was a decision to join,” he said.
Regarding stepping away from roles where he handled his own set of transactions, he added, “I don’t think I’m going to miss it because I’m going to be participating in the parts of the transactions which I really love, which is strategic and involves finding creative solutions for customers and pitching business.”
Mr. Korren’s experience spans the office and retail leasing, construction, asset and property management, acquisitions, property redevelopment and repositioning, site assemblage and development spaces.
Previously, Mr. Korren held positions with Swig Equities, The Witkoff Group, CB Richard Ellis and StructureTone. He received a B.S. in Management and an M.B.A in Management and Organizational Behavior from New York University.
A frequent guest speaker at real estate events, he is an active member of numerous organizations including the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association of New York, Real Estate Board of New York, Long Island City Business Development Corporation, and the Architectural Review Board of Roslyn Estates. In 2009, he was named REBNY’s “Young Real Estate Man of the Year.”
Among others, Mr. Korren looks forward to working with Benjamin Fox, “one of the best know people in retail,” as well as company founders Robert Knakal and Paul Massey Jr., calling them “super bright, super disciplined individuals.”
“The culture of the company starts from the top, but this company is not just about Bob and Paul, it’s got a great group of very talented people,” he added.
Mr. Massey called Mr. Korren a “great addition to the Massey Knakal team.”
“His primary role of recruiting and coaching our sales force in our investment sales, retail leasing and mortgage brokerage divisions will be a natural fit for such a respected and well-liked industry professional,” he said.
The news comes on the heels of several key hires over the last year, including Robert DiBiase, the firm’s managing director of Brooklyn and Queens, and Neil Heilberg, who joined in May.
