Real Estate Finance Association names 2019 annual gala honoree: Davis of The Davis Cos.

Boston, MA The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA) has named Jonathan Davis, founder and CEO of The Davis Companies, as the 2019 annual REFA gala honoree. As the 31st recipient of the Swain Award, Davis joins a list of award honorees, all of whom have made outstanding contributions to the Greater Boston community, both through their professional careers and charitable work. This year’s REFA Gala will be held on Thursday, October 17th from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Westin Copley Place. For more information, please visit the REFA site.

The gala is the largest gathering of the Real Estate Finance Association and brings together over 500 members of the real estate finance community to network with colleagues, reflect on the year, as well as recognize their peers with the Swain Award, named in honor of the late Robert S. Swain, Jr. 

Over the past couple of months, REFA members and colleagues attended and participated in several national real estate industry conferences.  Their panel of industry leaders shared their take-aways and outlook from the conferences as well as what highlights and trends they are seeing from a national level. Claudia Piper, SVP, Webster Bank and 2019 REFA president-elect moderated the discussion with panelists Michael Coyne, managing director, Walker & Dunlop; Evan Eisenhardt, vice president, leasing, Linear Retail; Jonathan Schneider, EVP, JLL and Alan Suzuki, senior director, HFF. The program took place at WilmerHale from 8 – 9:15 a.m. 

REFA will be holding its first Women’s Roundtable program of the year on Wednesday, May 1st. Elizabeth Lowrey, principal with Elkus Manfredi Architects will join REFA for a roundtable discussion on “Activity Based Working (ABW)” with a group of 30 attendees. Formed in 2015, REFA’s Women’s Roundtable programs are a chance for members within the real estate finance industry to hear from prominent female leaders in a smaller, informal setting to discuss topics within the industry and current trends. The program will take place from 7:30 – 9:15 a.m. at the Elkus Manfredi Architects office in the Seaport district. 

Hosted by the Emerging Leaders, REFA will be holding an Executive Insights Series program on Wednesday, May 8th, featuring Dave Greaney, president of Synergy Investments. REFA’s Executive Insights Series provides the Emerging Leader membership with an opportunity to hear from senior-level industry leaders in a smaller, informal setting on everything from how they started their career to their outlook on the market and advice they have for those in the room. 

Please save the date for REFA’s Annual Charitable Golf & Tennis Tournament, taking place on Monday, July 22nd at the Dedham Country & Polo Club. This year’s tournament beneficiaries are Rosie’s Place and FamilyAid Boston, two organizations within Boston whose missions are to help fight homelessness.