2019 Women in Real Estate: Neda Levy, Rhodes Associates

Name: Neda Levy

Title: Senior Principal

Company Name: Rhodes Associates 

Association/Organization Affiliations (REAL ESTATE ONLY): CREW, ULI, Women in Affordable Housing Finance

How do you hold your own in a negotiation?
Be prepared and listen carefully to the other side’s perspective to spot areas of mutual benefit. 

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from?
“Work hard, be persistent, be kind, be respectful.” From my parents. 

What was one of your biggest accomplishments in the last 12 months?
Joining Steven Littman, Jane Lyons, George Yulis and the rest of the Rhodes Associates team earlier this year as I successfully translate my real estate industry experience and knowledge into executive search and organizational consulting. I have been fortunate to work on business development initiatives, including adding a general counsel search vertical to Rhodes’ already robust search and consulting practice that focuses on the global real estate industry. 

What is your favorite motivational quote?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretsky

What books, blogs, podcasts, resources or influencers would you recommend to women?
“How I Built This” podcast; Harvard Business Review (podcast and magazine), TED Radio.

Who inspired you to join the CRE Industry?
I joined the CRE industry as a result of a series of opportunities. I started my legal career after the dot com bubble and “fell” into real estate as a first-year associate when the real estate department was bursting at the seams with work. I was deciding between corporate/M&A and real estate departments. Let’s just say several CMBS closings later, I was hooked on the exciting and dynamic nature of real estate work. I left the firm to be fully immersed in all facets of real estate and business operations as vice president and general counsel of a development company. 

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?
Rhodes Associates was retained in early spring 2019 to analyze the organizational structure of an NYC based owner-developer with presence in both East Coast and West Coast markets. With the organization’s business and growth objectives in mind, we started seven C-Suite/Senior leadership searches simultaneously for roles across the various offices. Being one of the five Rhodes team members assigned to this engagement and closing four of the seven searches thus far has been a great achievement for our team.