Name: Brandl Frey Title: Director Company/firm: Newmark Knight Frank Years with company/firm: 2 Years in field: 8 Years in real estate industry: 8 Address: 125 Park Avenue Telephone: (212) 372-2446 Email: [email protected] URL: www.newmarkkf.com Responsibilities include: Landlord and tenant representation Real estate organizations / affiliations: YM/WREA - membership chairman; CoreNet - member; REBNY - member, NAIOP - co-chair of the NYC Developing Leaders Group; Chashama - supporter Professionally, where were you ten years ago and where are you now? Ten years ago I was still in college at NYU finishing up my undergraduate degree in Philosophy! I have been in my current position with Newmark Knight Frank for a little over two years now where I primarily focus on landlord representation work. What single event professional or personal has most significantly impacted your career? When I graduated from NYU I got a job working for a boutique hedge fund. Not having had a formal financial background or education I realized that my learning curve was not going to be as quick as I would like. A good friend of mine from NYU, who is now an attorney with Akin Gump, had landed a job through a family friend with Cushman & Wakefield's research department and convinced me to apply for a position as they were expanding at the time. That is where I fell in love with the business and haven't looked back since! What was the best decision that you made in the last year? My Grandfather passed away a little over a month ago and the best decision I made in the last year was to visit him in Atlanta every possible moment I could. What award or recognition has been the most meaningful to you and why? I ran the NYC Marathon in 2006, my Certificate of Achievement from the race means a great deal to me as I put a lot of time into training and fundraised for the Team in Training which raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. How do you stay ahead of the curve? I try and only involve myself with those people and organizations that I am truly passionate about which helps me both stay ahead of the curve and best manage my time. I also do a lot of sharing of market information with friends in the business - knowledge is everything. Who has been the strongest influence on your career and why? Sloane Rhulen, first vice president of CB Richard Ellis, has been the strongest influence on my career to date. We met through our involvement in the YM/WREA where she encouraged me to first join the Board of Governors. Ever since she has been there for me as a champion and sounding board for all major decisions I've made in my career. What impact has social networking had on your success? I'm a naturally very social person however I've never been drawn to overt "networking" groups or events. I'm more into meeting people and forging relationships organically which by having the fortune of living in New York City happens most every day. How has the need to create a more sustainable environment influenced the way you do business? I try and work with and educate clients on sustainable options in their installations, cleaning products and best practices. I am in the process of studying for the LEED exam and do my own small part by emailing/scanning in lieu of printing/copying. I also walk to work most days or take public transportation and eat a predominately vegetarian diet. What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today? Working in an antiquated industry as a young woman is not easy. It has taken persistence, hard work and probably a small bit of insanity of my part to have made it to where I am today. What advice would you give to a woman just starting a career in your field? I would advice anyone, man or woman, just starting a career in commercial real estate to find someone to serve as a mentor to them. Ideally you would want this person to be the individual you directly report to- but unfortunately that's rarely the case. I would also encourage them to join industry organizations of interest to them as they are great ways to build lasting relationships that will help down the road both in making deals as well as when and if they decide to make a career move. Community involvement is also key, find not for profits supporting causes you feel strongly about to get involved in. Lastly I would implore them to review and leverage what existing relationships they have - all of us have so many existing connections that with an email or phone call can be converted into business.