2020 Women in RE: Nicoletta Pagnotta, Meridian Capital Group

Name: Nicoletta Pagnotta

Title: Senior Vice President 

Company Name: Meridian Capital Group

List up to three associations or organizations that you are presently a member of:

• CREW – currently the 2020 – 2021 CREW NY board treasurer

What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?
Just as the coronavirus pandemic was leading to a citywide shutdown, we were able to close on several pending refinance transactions in our pipeline that were scheduled to close at the end of March. Included in these was the refinance of an iconic architectural landmark on the Upper West Side, located along Central Park West and West 90^th St. This cooperative property refinanced their $40 million underlying mortgage, selecting a life insurance company as their refinance partner. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved in the deal, we closed 48 hours earlier than originally planned. All parties involved went above and beyond to make a remote closing possible during such an unpredictable time for New York City. 

What would you tell your daughter if she was interested in following in your footsteps?
This makes me laugh, as I do have a 3.5-year-old daughter whose personality resembles mine in many ways. This can be incredibly charming, yet also incredibly comical when I feel like I’m talking to a mini version of myself. She is smart, headstrong, and has already mastered the art of negotiation. If she wanted to follow in my footsteps, I would advise her to stay focused and use her creativity to find unique deals and inventive solutions. She would be a rockstar!

What is one characteristic that you believe every woman in business should possess?
Resilience. Not only in business, but in life. It’s important to be strong and to have the ability to pick yourself up when circumstances are challenging. There’s no need to “act tough,” but a woman should possess the internal strength to improvise, adapt, and overcome in difficult situations.