Karen Rodgers, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.

Name : Karen Rodgers Title : Senior Attorney Company/firm : Garfunkel Wild, P.C. Years with company/firm : 8 years Years in field : 12 years Years in real estate industry : 12 years Address : 111 Great Neck Road, Great Neck, NY 11021 Telephone : 516 393-2200 Email : [email protected] URL : www.garfunkelwild.com Real estate organizations/affiliations : checking re this What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2010? My greatest professional accomplishment was guiding one of the oldest hospital systems in New York through the sale of multiple real property assets in connection with a bankruptcy dissolution. This client, with whom I have worked for over half of my career, required tremendous assistance in maximizing the value of its real property assets. What was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2010? My most notable transaction of 2010 was the sale of over $100 million worth of real property and business assets of a major New York hospital system which faced an unfortunate bankruptcy as the result of a suffering financial market and increasing constraints on health care operations. These assets included subdivisions of a hospital campus, the sale of a $60 million residential property in the heart of Manhattan which housed hospital residents and the sale of a Westchester, N.Y. facility which involved complicated zoning and development issues. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? Through an understanding of real estate development and market trends, coupled with an understanding of our health care clients and their concerns. This unusual combination enables me to effectively represent all facets of health care-hospitals, entities, and individuals-from basic leasing, acquisition and disposition needs to HIPAA concerns and STARK/anti-kickback compliance safeguards. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? My best advice to women starting out in the industry would be to devote significant attention to reading and understanding real estate trends, concepts and the business concerns that accompany real estate projects. As a woman, I think it's important to identify and formulate relationships on a substantive knowledge of the field and common business interests. How do you manage the work/life balance? My work/life balance is heavily predicated on the use of my Blackberry. I currently spend one day per week working from home which allows me to also be there for my four-year-old son. My ability to correspond and devote attention to matters remotely permits me to facilitate transactions, while spending quality time with my family. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? My mother has been my greatest career influence. She is a highly respected residential real estate broker and her influence initially peaked my interest into real estate matters. She was a working mother and to this day, we bicker real estate sales points from the competing perspectives of lawyer vs. broker. What impact has social networking had on your business? Social networking indeed has had an impact on business. I expect the ability to market services through social sites will continue to grow, along with the ability to reconnect with individuals who have had or may have real estate needs (such as refinance questions to home sales to leasing matters).