What was your most notable project, deal, transaction or professional achievement in 2015? Launching National Standard Abstract, a full-service title insurance firm and minority-owned business enterprise in New York’s title insurance industry where few other such firms exist. Since establishing in March, our firm has closed more than $51 million in projects primarily in affordable housing and commercial real estate sectors in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan and Nassau County. What real estate project, transaction, market trend or product had a significant impact on your industry in 2015? Continued growth of the affordable housing sector and investment in neighborhoods around the boroughs outside of Manhattan. While the National Standard Abstract team has more than 100 years of combined experience in intricate real estate deals and worked with the most active real estate developers in New York, our sweet spot is affordable housing and neighborhoods where traditional real estate industry players have yet to invest. How will you be supercharging your productivity in 2016? By being a larger presence across New York’s real estate scene. As of today, National Standard Abstract has approximately $345 million of deals in the pipeline through 2016. Our fingerprints will be on more and more deals, our relationships will be fortified, our network of partners will continue to grow, and we will be a fixture at many industry events – either hosting them, participating in them or attending. What emerging trends will drive investment and development in 2016? The public sector’s renewed commitment of greater inclusion of minority and women-owned businesses, or M/WBE. As a minority-owned business – one of the very few in title insurance – the City’s plan to ensure increased participation for M/WBE’s will lead to more exposure and, as a result, more opportunities for National Standard Abstract and other M/WBEs with the public and private sectors. Tags: