Perspectives Lecture Raises The Bar
More than 350 students, alumni and industry professionals attended Schulich’s 2015 Real Estate and Infrastructure Perspectives Lecture at the stunning Shangri-La hotel on October 27. The sold out event was celebrating its 10th year and had a record breaking turnout.
The event was billed as “The Related Story”, focusing on the 43-year career and milestone achievements of Stephen Ross, the founder and Chairman of Related Companies, a leading global real estate company and developer of the Hudson Yards project in New York. Ross was led through the telling by his friend, another industry heavyweight, Gerald Sheff, Co-Founder of Gluskin Sheff + Associates. They took a trip down memory lane discussing how they got into the industry, bumps along their journey and keys to success. The conversation culminated with the backstory to Hudson Yards, a 28-acre re-development along the Hudson River in Manhattan. The project, which is the largest private real estate development in North America, broke ground in December 2012 and when complete, will consist of 16 skyscrapers with new office, residential and retail space. Related’s partner in the project is Oxford Properties, a subsidiary of the OMERS pension fund and one of Canada’s leading commercial real estate owner/ managers.
Nicole Vicano, MBA ’11 and chairperson of the alumni organizing committee, kicked off the night with a warm welcome and highlighted Schulich’s Real Estate and Infrastructure program success in providing students with hands-on learning opportunities through co-curricular activities. From her experience those opportunities have enriched the student experience and built crucial connections to the industry. “It was the real life experiences that I was fortunate to experience that were invaluable to me in making the transition into the working world,” Vicano said.
Adjunct Professor and Executive Director of the Real Estate and Infrastructure program Andre Kuzmicki, finished off the evening thanking guests, audience, and sponsors for their respective contributions to the evening. The event raised $25,000 for the Real Estate and Infrastructure Student Experience Fund, which goes to help students participate in case competitions, study tours, networking and specialized training events around the world.
“The Perspectives Lecture reflects the unique character of our Program,” Kuzmicki said. “The strength of our program is in the vital network of relationships that we nurture amongst students, faculty, alumni and industry players. The event would not have been possible without this network.”
The 2015 Schulich Real Estate and Infrastructure Perspectives Lecture was generously sponsored by: Altus Group and Oxford Properties Group (Penthouse Sponsors); Canadian Apartment Properties REIT, CBRE Limited, CIBC, EllisDon and KPMG (Mezzanine Sponsors); and Clifton Blake Asset Management, Hullmark, Jones Lang LaSalle, KingSett Capital, McMillan LLP and RioCan REIT (Concourse Sponsors).