JOSEPH HOWELL, 38
EVP & Managing Director
NAI Global
Castle Pines, CO
Howell co-heads NAI Global’s corporate solutions group in North America, working directly
with corporate America and with NAI Global
members to manage corporate real estate portfolios for clients. He has been involved in
developing approximately five million square feet of build-to-suit
projects and leases for Fortune 500 retailers during the past five
years with more than $550 million in aggregate deal volume.
Howell and his counterpart, Brett Spitzer, have helped to transform NAI Global’s corporate solutions group into a multi-million-dollar new line of business. Since taking over leadership of the
group, deal value has increased by 50% in the past 24 months and
revenues have grown by 25% annually. For the past five years,
Howell has been named an NAI Global Silver Elite producer, which
is part of an NAI annual incentives and recognition program.
NICHOLAS ITO, 33
Director
MetLife Real Estate Investors
Los Angeles
Ito recently was promoted to director of mort-
gage originations in the Los Angeles regional
office of MetLife, where he is responsible for
the performance of the $5-billion Los Angeles
office debt portfolio. His depth of relationship
building is evidenced by his recognizable borrower-client roster and
track record of repeat business. As the leader of a team of produc-
ers and analysts, his group is tasked to efficiently screen, analyze
and present attractive real estate opportunities to the investment
committee. Ito was a top producer for MetLife in 2012, 2013 and
2014, and has produced more than $1.8 billion in new mortgages
during the past three years for an array of major industry names. Ito
is active with USC Dollinger Masters of Real Estate Development
program and the MetLife Investments mentorship program.
STEVE KASSIN, 30
Managing Partner
Infinity Group
New York City
Kassin is the founder and managing partner of
Infinity Real Estate, which he started when he
was 20 years old. Kassin developed his first
ground-up building in Manhattan at the age of
22, when Infinity broke ground on the 22-story,
$90-million development of the Fashion 26 Hotel, now the Hilton
Fashion District. Kassin has amassed more than 2. 5 million square
feet in less than 10 years and led or joint ventured in the acquisition or development of more than $1.25 billion in direct investment transactions. Under Kassin’s leadership, Infinity successfully
closed on the $450-million acquisition of the revolutionary Times
Square Gateway Center in 2012, to later divest its interest at a confounding valuation of $1.2 billion. Infinity participates in “1% for
the Planet,” pledging 1% of Infinity’s global revenues to environmental preservation and nonprofit social causes. “It’s more about
people than buildings. Tenants, lenders, investors, attorneys, consumers; buildings wouldn’t exist without each of them.”
