REFA to honor Koop of Boston Properties at Gala in October with the Robert S. Swain Jr. Distinguished Service Award

According to The Real Estate Finance Association (REFA), Bryan Koop, senior vice president and regional manager at Boston Properties, will be the recipient of the Robert S. Swain Jr. Distinguished Service Award at the 27th Annual REFA Gala, to be held Thursday October 8 at Westin Copley Place. Koop will join an elite list in the real estate community of past recipients; most recently Pam Herbst of AEW Capital Management in 2014, mayor Thomas Menino in 2013, Joe Fallon of the Fallon Company in 2012, Thomas Hynes of Colliers International in 2011, and Thomas DeSimone of WS Development in 2010. REFA has also recognized three families over the course of the award's history. The distinguished service award is named in honor of the late Robert S. Swain, Jr. Swain gained respect and admiration of his colleagues within the real estate finance industry during his 33-year career in the profession. He was a valued member of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board for over 25 years and was an active member and leader of the mortgage finance committee, which eventually developed into the present Real Estate Finance Association. The REFA Gala, which perennially attracts over 550 real estate professionals, has long been a celebration of the organizations accomplishments, as well as recognizing an individual who has made significant contributions to the real estate industry as well as the community. For more information about the Annual REFA Gala, please visit our website at www.refa.org. On Thursday, May 21 REFA will host a program on Finding Yield Beyond Boston: Exploring Opportunities in Other New England Commerce Centers. Douglas MacLean, senior vice president, First Niagara Bank, will moderate a panel discussion on the opportunities outside of Boston in markets such as Providence, Worcester and Southern New Hampshire. Panelists include: Thomas Farrelly, executive director, brokerage, Cushman & Wakefield; Joseph Paolino, Jr. president, Paolino Properties; Ed Marsteiner, partner, director of acquisitions, National Development; and Tim Murray, president and CEO, Worcester Chamber of Commerce. The program will be held at Holland & Knight LLP, 10 St. James Ave. from 7:45 - 9:15 a.m. On, Thursday, June 4 as part the Industry Leaders Series, Mark Howard-Johnson, managing director global head of real estate securities, BlackRock will be joining REFA for a breakfast program. REFA's Industry Leaders Series is held twice a year and features a prominent industry leader with a national perspective. Past speakers include: David Neithercut, president and CEO, Equity Residential; Anthony Frammartino, principal, the Townsend Group; Pam Herbst, managing director, head of direct investment group, AEW Capital Management; and Mike LaBelle, senior vice president and CFO, Boston Properties. For more information about REFA, including upcoming events for 2015, please visit our website at www.REFA.org. Follow REFA on Twitter @REFABoston.