{"id":31807,"date":"2019-02-12T15:14:05","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T20:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/?p=31807"},"modified":"2019-02-19T11:51:00","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T16:51:00","slug":"fiu-business-attracts-prominent-business-leaders-to-advise-its-real-estate-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/2019\/02\/fiu-business-attracts-prominent-business-leaders-to-advise-its-real-estate-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"FIU Business attracts prominent business leaders to advise its real estate programs."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Inaugural<\/p>\n

FIU\u2019s College of Business has established two advisory boards for its specialized real estate programs, bringing together an impressive roster of individuals representing different sectors of the real estate marketplace.<\/p>\n

The Hollo Real Estate Advisory Board<\/a> and the Bain Real Estate Council<\/a> will promote collaborations between the business community and students as well as increase awareness of FIU Business\u2019 undergraduate real estate program and the Master of Science in International Real Estate (MSIRE). The two boards met for the first time on January 25, 2019 to share ideas and set goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiami is real estate and FIU is Miami,\u201d said Eli Beracha, associate professor and director of the Hollo School of Real Estate. \u201cThe Hollo School bridges FIU, Miami and real estate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The board and council members will share guidance and insights on issues of importance in the industry and will work with the program faculty to ensure that students are prepared for the job market. Each board has three subcommittees \u2013 engagement, student success and development.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents need to have a broad base of knowledge and strong ability to work across multiple facets of the business,\u201d said Rod Castan (BBA Finance \u201985), president, Leasing and Management Services at the Courtelis Company, a retail, multifamily development and retail property leasing firm and a member of the Hollo board. \u201cDevelopments today are larger and more complex.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dean<\/p>\n

The board members will provide professional support for students \u2013 mentoring, internships, and, ultimately, jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you get out of college, you don\u2019t know how the world works,\u201d said Hollo Board member Diego Procel, principal and co-founder of Global City Development, which focuses on projects with a social impact in Florida, Texas and Washington, D.C. \u201cYou can design a plan and put it on paper, but how do you get it done? What does it take? How do you finance a project?\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed to due diligence and project financing as two important skills that students must master. \u201cThat\u2019s where mentors and internships come in, to give you a good understanding of what it takes,\u201d said Procel. \u201cWe will be happy to create as many internships as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the Hollo Real Estate Advisory Board and the Bain Real Estate Council members describe Miami as a \u201clab for real estate projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expanding on the concept, several of those at the inaugural meeting suggested a project for students: a challenge where they present themselves and make an elevator pitch before the advisory boards.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to put ourselves out there and engage with the students, and help them create those connections from the moment they enter the school,\u201d said Castan, chair of the Hollo board\u2019s student success committee.<\/p>\n

Michelle Gonzalez (BBA \u201901, MSIRE \u201916), past president of the FIU chapter of the Real Estate Alumni Affinity Council<\/a> (REACC), will co-chair the the Bain Real Estate Council\u2019s engagement subcommittee.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs mentors, we will give students real opportunities to learn, to meet with their peers and those who may be their bosses,\u201d said Gonzalez, broker at Coral Gables-based Floridian First Realty. \u201cThe board is really a complement to what students are learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollo Real Estate Advisory Board<\/strong>:<\/p>\n