Leading Voices in Real Estate

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin speaks with Jeremy Bromfman, CEO and founder of Lincoln Avenue Communities, one of the nation’s top affordable housing owners and developers. Founded in 2016, the company has quickly grown into a leading force addressing housing affordability across the country. The discussion focuses on how Jeremy thoughtfully built the organization from the ground up and his perspective on leadership in the affordable housing space. Matt begins by reflecting on how housing has evolved from a “back page” issue to a national conversation. For most of his career, public discussion centered on government-funded low-income programs such as HUD initiatives and the long-standing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, which remains a cornerstone of affordable housing finance. While current debates often focus on rent control, housing supply, and homelessness, Matt notes that these “alphabet soup” government programs continue to function effectively, even if they receive less public attention. Matt highlights two main takeaways from the conversation with Jeremy. First, Jeremy’s intentional approach and leadership have made Lincoln Avenue Communities a major player in less than a decade. Second, while many guests have built businesses from modest beginnings, Jeremy’s story stands out for how he has used his privileged background to chart his own course and make a difference through his company’s mission. Matt is joined by his colleague Sarah Dunn, who leads ZRG’s affordable housing search practice. As he moves toward semi-retirement, he reflects on mentoring colleagues like Sarah and invites listeners to explore more affordable housing episodes and connect with ZRG for talent and advisory needs.

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with Jeffrey Hoopes, President of the West Region for Suffolk Construction to explore how the general contracting business is evolving and what it means to lead, build, and eventually pass the baton in a rapidly changing industry. This episode marks a first: a deep dive with a senior executive from the general contracting world. Jeff shares hard-earned perspective from decades in the field, reflecting on the pace of technological adoption in construction and why meaningful change requires both context and skepticism, not just excitement for the latest shiny tool. He explains how the sector is modernizing while staying grounded in fundamentals: safety, craftsmanship, relationships, and the patient discipline required to build complex, lasting structures. The conversation also turns deeply personal and surprisingly candid as Matt and Jeff discuss leadership transitions, retirement vs. semi-retirement, and the emotional and strategic challenges leaders face when letting go. Jeffrey offers a thoughtful look at reinvention and purpose beyond the CEO chair. Matt shares his own experience approaching “semi-retirement,” and the two explore how leaders can prepare themselves and their organizations for succession with grace, clarity, and long-term vision. Whether you're in real estate, construction, or leadership at any stage of your career, this episode offers wisdom, laughter, and grounded insights from two industry veterans. Tune in to hear how the business of building—both structures and careers—is changing, and what it means to lead well across a lifetime.

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, we sit down with Bob Hart, Founder and CEO of TruAmerica Multifamily, for an inspiring and wide-ranging conversation on leadership, innovation, and the future of the multifamily housing market. Bob shares his remarkable journey from his early career at Kennedy Wilson, where he built a foundation in investment and asset management, to launching TruAmerica, now recognized as one of the largest apartment operators in the United States. His story is one of entrepreneurial vision, strategic partnerships, and a deep understanding of how to create long-term value in an evolving real estate landscape.

In this episode, Joe Muratore and Ryan Swehla reveal how they’re unlocking opportunities in secondary and tertiary real estate markets—areas often underestimated yet rich with potential. They push back against the misconception that only primary markets deliver results, showing how overlooked regions can provide strong, sustainable returns with the right strategy. The conversation also highlights the critical role of partnerships. Rather than chasing every deal, they carefully align with partners who share their vision and values. This intentional approach leverages diverse expertise while maintaining unity of purpose, allowing them to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities where others might hesitate. For investors ready to think differently, this episode is a roadmap to uncovering new frontiers.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Luke Petherbridge, CEO, and Nick Pell, President & Chief Investment Officer, of LINK Logistics, Blackstone's U.S. industrial platform. Discover their unique perspectives on the logistics industry, investment strategies, and the future of industrial platforms. Whether you're an industry insider or just curious about the logistics world, this episode offers valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions.

Join us as we dive into the career journey of Debra Cafaro, the Chairman and CEO of Ventas. From her humble beginnings in Pittsburgh to leading one of the largest REITs, Debbie shares her insights on leadership, innovation, and the strategic decisions that have propelled Ventas to the forefront of the real estate industry.

Dave Reiss, Co-Founder & CEO Wunder Capital, explores the profound impact of the energy transition on the commercial real estate sector and the global shifts towards sustainable energy solutions with commercial properties being at the forefront of this transformation.

Pete Gaynor, former FEMA Administrator and President of Bright Harbor, discusses the preparedness, systems and infrastructure our country and our industry needs to effectively respond to disasters. In our previous episode with Lew Horne and David Waite, we talked about our industry's response to the January Los Angeles fire disaster and, more generally, the real estate industry’s role in preparedness, immediate response, and rebuilding in these disasters.

Lew Horne, President for Advisory Services for CBRE in Greater Los Angeles, and David Waite, Partner at Cox, Castle, & Nicholson LLP discuss Project Recovery, Rebuilding Los Angeles after the January 2025 Wildfires. This report was created by the real estate industry as a roadmap for disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts.

In this revisit of our conversation from 2023, Brett White, the outgoing Executive Chair of Cushman & Wakefield and prior CEO of CBRE, tells the story of the growth and evolution of these now giant global real estate service firms. In this rebroadcast episode, Brett discusses the evolution of today’s giant global real estate service platforms from essentially brokerage shops to the full-service firms that they are today.

Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel, a multifamily prop tech company, discusses how Funnel fundamentally changes the owner-renter relationship and how that facilitates change in the operating platform in the apartment business, opening the door to greater centralization, the use of AI, and a changed workforce. This conversation follows up on our prior LVRE episode with David Stanford and Chris Shaida of RealFoundations, where we established the importance and meaning of “operating platform” in the real estate business.

David Stanford and Chris Shaida, Co-CEOs of RealFoundations, give a masterclass on how information technology and AI are impacting the real estate industry. This episode is Part 1 of our two-part series on the influence of information technology and artificial intelligence on the real estate business.

At the firm's 60th anniversary, the next generation co-CEOs of Lincoln Property Company, Clay Duvall and David Binswanger, discuss the company’s new business model, succession, leadership, legacy, and approach to the challenges and opportunities of today's business. As Lincoln celebrates its 60th anniversary, this conversation takes place at their newly delivered headquarters office in Dallas.

Ben Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of Fundrise, talks with Matt about Fundrise and his vision for disrupting the real estate industry with his online, direct-to-consumer, low-fee real estate (and now also venture capital) investment funds. Recorded live at Ben’s office on Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. on April 23, this conversation is a fascinating exploration of what it means to pioneer a new thesis and challenge the orthodoxy around traditional thinking in the real estate business.

Brad Korman and Lea Anne Welsh of Korman Communities share the meaning and tradition that drive their high-touch, fifth-generation family apartment business to success. This conversation with Brad and Lea Anne took place live at an AVE by Korman property in King of Prussia, PA.

Michael Levy, CEO of Crow Holdings, discusses the history of the Trammell Crow real estate businesses and how that legacy guides the business of Crow Holdings today. This conversation with Michael was recorded on March 28th at the Crow Holdings headquarters office in Dallas at the Old Parkland Hospital campus.

Shannon Loew, Amazon’s Vice President of Global Workforce Solutions, elaborates on his global role and the company’s return to office policy. Recorded on March 12 at Amazon’s South Lake Union campus in Seattle, this conversation with Shannon is only the second Leading Voices episode with a corporate real estate leader.

Owen Thomas, Chairman and CEO of Boston Properties, discusses the state of back-to-office and outlines the threats and opportunities arising in the current market. This is my second conversation on Leading Voices in Real Estate with Owen Thomas, Chairman and CEO of Boston Properties, the largest office REIT in the business.

Don Kuemmeler, Co-Founder and Senior Managing Partner, and Bryan Thornton, Managing Partner, of PCCP, discuss the market, their business, and the values and partnerships within the real estate industry that have fueled their success. PCCP LLC, Pacific Coast Capital Partners, is a commercial real estate investment management company that now has about $25 billion in AUM.

Jeff Giller, Partner and Head of StepStone Real Estate, and Margaret McKnight, Partner and Head of Portfolio Solutions, talk about guiding real estate strategies for institutional investors, providing capital to fund managers and their broad view of where, how and when to invest in the real estate market. Recorded on January 16 at the StepStone offices in Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, this episode with Jeff and Margaret is a goldmine of insight as they share how they think about the real estate universe.