Fordham REI names Freedman of Brown Harris Stevens to executive advisory council

New York, NY According to The Fordham Real Estate Institute (REI), Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, has been named to its executive advisory council (EAC) of real estate industry and business leaders. 

Freedman will collaborate with the EAC on growing enrollment, enhancing the student experience and increasing awareness of the expanding program offerings on REI’s campuses at Lincoln Center in Manhattan and West Harrison, N.Y. She joins council members from such firms as UBS, JLL, Simone Management Group and Related Cos. 

Freedman also will host a new series presented by REI titled “Titan Talks,” which will feature prominent real estate leaders sharing business strategies and practical advice for aspiring professionals. The hour-long programs, scheduled to begin in February 2023, will be offered in person at REI’s Lincoln Center campus and livestreamed for Fordham students and other industry professionals. 

“Bess is a dynamic industry leader, well-known in all circles for her commitment to the industry and for leading one of the most prominent brokerage firms in the nation,” said Ryan O’Connor, REI EAC chair and CEO of Clinton Management. “We are thrilled to have Bess join the EAC with her complement of marketing expertise and deep knowledge of the multifamily sector and macrotrends in the real estate market at large.”  

“Bess also makes an impact in affordable housing with her involvement with The Bridge, and is passionate about using the knowledge she has amassed over her career and paying it forward. What better and immediate way to pass along this knowledge than through this truly exciting ‘Titan Talks’ series with Fordham REI.” 

“It is an honor to join Fordham REI’s distinguished Executive Advisory Council, and I look forward to helping future generations nourish their passion for real estate. Titan Talks will be a compelling way to examine the industry through the lens of some of real estate’s most brilliant pioneers,” said Freedman. 

Freedman was named CEO of Brown Harris Stevens in 2018 and under her leadership the firm has grown into one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate companies in the U.S., with the highest average sales price per agent in the nation. Freedman is a member of the REBNY Board of Governors and the Board of The Bridge Inc., an organization focused on the needs of homeless and housing-insecure, and she is an advocate for Sanctuary for Families. An advocate for social change through her work with several organizations, she was the recipient of REBNY's Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award in 2021 for outstanding service to the community. Freedman also supports the mentorship program at YJP (Young Jewish Professionals), the Leadership Now Project, a corporate initiative to protect democracy, and the Kalief Browder Foundation. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Bess to our Executive Advisory Council,” said Dr. Anthony Davidson, dean, Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies. “Her expertise and knowledge of the real estate market will complement our council’s efforts of engaging and preparing students for success. We look forward to collaborating with Bess as we continue to develop exciting and meaningful programs that connect students to the real estate industry.”