Women from YM/WREA discuss their careers: Leslie Himmel

Name: Leslie Wohlman Himmel Title: Partner Company/firm: Himmel + Meringoff Properties Years with company/firm: 25 Years in field: 30 Years in real estate industry: 30 Address: 30 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10010 Telephone: 212-888-1811 Email: [email protected] URL: www.himmelmeringoff.com Responsibilities include: As owner/landlord of several million s/f of properties, I am responsible for acquisitions, financing and sales. Real estate organizations / affiliations: Real Estate Board of New York Executive Committee (assistant treasurer), Board of Governors, and Economic Development Committee (co-chair); Owners and Builders Division Committee, Sales Broker Committee, Wharton Zell-Lurie Real Estate Center; Young Mens/Womens Real Estate Association of New York. Professionally, where were you ten years ago and where are you now? What a difference 10 years makes! In 2000, Himmel + Meringoff Properties, in business for 15 years, had an ownership portfolio of approximately 1 million s/f of office buildings and was best known for opportunistic purchases in emerging neighborhoods of properties averaging 100,000 s/f. Many of our transactions were done via net leases and structured financing.In 2010 the company is celebrating 25 years of success with an ownership portfolio that has grown to several million s/f with significant avenue properties of over 200,000 s/f. Most of our transactions are now all cash fee purchases. What award or recognition has been the most meaningful to you and why? My long-term goal was to be a leader at REBNY and sit on the annual banquet dais, following in the footsteps of my mentors Harry Helmsley, Bernie Mendik, etc. I founded the Economic Development Committee (1992) and continue to co-chair it. I was recognized for my hard work and leadership as a significant owner of office buildings by becoming an elected member of both the REBNY Board of Governors (2001) and Executive Committee (2004). This recognition has been most meaningful in my career because I am fully devoted to REBNY and its efforts to further promote the economic vitality of New York City.