Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus

Adelphi University

Southampton High School

Director - East Region at STRS Ohio

New York, New York, United States

Oversee acquisitions, asset management, and dispositions for the east region portfolio.

STRS Ohio

Director - East Region

Hired to open the New York office and to increased investment activity.  Responsible for all acquisitions (direct transactions, development, joint ventures, and programmatic investments), and dispositions in the Northeast.  Developed and implemented investment strategies based on developing market trends and forecasts.  Negotiated all transaction and financing documents.  Also, an active participant in investment committee.STRS Ohio’s real estate portfolio is valued at approximately $7 billion and one of the only US pension fund that invests directly in real estate instead of through advisors.

Acquisitions Director

Primarily focused on originating value add and opportunistic acquisitions (indirect equity and mezzanine investments) in US and Canada.  Responsibilities included negotiating and structuring tax efficient joint ventures (Sharia and non-Sharia “traditional” structures), underwriting, and overseeing due diligence.  Purchased numerous product types: office, industrial, retail, multifamily rental (stabilized & developed), developed for sale residential condominiums, and horizontal land deals.

Wafra Investment Group, Inc.

Associate

Identified and analyzed macro and micro economic opportunities facing REIT’s and created LBO and MBO models and reports to alert senior management of strategic opportunities.  Underwrote and worked on complex real estate investments including detailed financial analysis, investment reports, and due diligence.Responsible for creating some of the most sophisticated Excel-based financial models (included extensive VBA code) for both the Investment and Merchant Banking Departments.Instructed and coached six week associate/analyst banker training program, including valuation casework, seminars and Excel-based modeling techniques.

Jason Baker