Boston, MA The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA) has named their board of directors for 2017. Paul Nasser, CFO and COO of Intercontinental Real Estate Corp., will serve as the 2017 REFA president, alongside 2017 president-elect Paul Ayoub, partner, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP.

Nasser is responsible for managing the firm’s resources across investment and operating disciplines. As CFO and COO of Intercontinental, he is a member of the executive committee, investment committee, valuation committee, and oversees performance reporting, investor relations, accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, technology and administration.

Prior to joining Intercontinental in 2000, Nasser was senior vice president and team leader in Fleet’s Real Estate Finance Group handling a real estate portfolio of over $1 billion. In this capacity, Nasser managed construction and acquisition loans, private placements, mezzanine debt, retail real estate, REITs and residential real estate development. Before joining Fleet in 1991, he held various senior management positions in the banking industry.

REFA has also named ten new members who will join the board of directors: • Steven Bonelli, vice president of finance and acquisitions, Samuels & Associates;

On December 8, REFA held a panel discussion on “What is Growing in the Life Science and Lab Real Estate Sector?” Shown (from left) are the panelists: Moderator Curtis Cole of CBRE/NE; Bill Kane of BioMed Realty; Stephen Lynch of King Street Properties; and Ed Dondero of Biogen.

• Peter Brockelman, senior vice president, TD Bank; • Israel Lopez, managing director of development, The Gutierrez Co.; • Naomi Mayeux, assistant project manager, National Development; • Claudia Piper, senior vice president, Webster Bank; • Sean Randall, senior vice president, Citizens Bank; • John Roach, relationship manager, PNC Bank; • Ross Sabasteanski, relationship manager, Wells Fargo Bank; • Jonathan Schneider, senior vice president – capital markets, JLL; and • Mike Zabowsky, partner, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP.

The following will continue to serve on the board for 2017: • Paul Ayoub, Nutter McClennen & Fish; • Paul Bauer, Bowditch & Dewey LLP; • Robert Brown, Brookline Bank; • Nilesh Bubna, Longpoint Realty Partners; • Cristen Conkling, AEW Capital Management; • John Conley, Equity Office Properties; • Sam Crossan, CBRE | New England; • Travis D’Amato, JLL; • Tom Goodwin, DebtX; • Bill Flynn, Net Lease Capital Advisors; • Michael Hussey, US Bank; • Paul Jakubowski, WilmerHale; • Sarah Lagosh, Eastdil Secured; • Billy McArdle, Capital One Bank; •Doug Novitch, Wells Fargo Bank; • Lauren O’Neil, HFF; • John O’Neill, Holland & Knight ; • Andrew Rosen, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; • Max Ricciuti, Spaulding & Slye Investments; and • Hayley Suminski, KeyBank.

Join REFA in 2017 for some quality networking and educational programs, starting with their annual members only forecasting luncheon on January 17. This signature REFA luncheon will be held at WilmerHale, featuring industry leaders, including moderator John Fowler, executive managing director, HFF and speakers Brian Kavoogian, president, Charles River Realty Investors; Bill McPadden, senior managing director, Manulife/John Hancock Financial Services; Margaret Mulcahy, senior vice president, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Doug Poutasse, executive vice president, head of strategy and research, Bentall Kennedy.

REFA Mission: The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA), a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), is a commercial real estate business association providing members with high quality networking and educational opportunities. REFA strives to maintain its reputation for excellence by promoting the exchange of information between professionals in the real estate finance community, and fostering a platform for growth and development for its Emerging Leader membership.

What We Do: Real estate professionals from a variety of institutions join REFA to network and exchange ideas through educational programs, networking events and committee participation. From forums featuring senior level executives to the Annual Gala, REFA programs are well attended with leaders from the industry and provide excellent opportunities for industry updates and networking.  Formed in 1988, REFA currently has over 600 members, 80 corporate sponsors, and hosts over 30 educational and networking events per year. REFA has built a strong Emerging Leaders program with a membership of over 250 members.