UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Smeal College of Business has named Kurt Heister and Frank D. Recine as the newest members to the college’s Institute for Real Estate Studies Advisory Board Executive Committee.
“I am looking forward to having Kurt and Frank join the executive committee. Their experiences and insights into the real estate industry will be an invaluable asset to our program,” said Brent Ambrose, Smeal professor of real estate and director of the Institute for Real Estate Studies.
Heister is chief financial officer for real estate of Roch Capital, a privately owned firm that invests in hotels, multifamily and office buildings throughout the United States. Heister graduated from Penn State in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree. Prior to joining Roch Capital, he served as Equity Office Properties’ chief financial officer and chief operating officer overseeing responsibilities in finance, IT, human resources, legal, due diligence, and accounting functions. He was instrumental in the conversion of EOP to Blackstone’s commercial office investments operating platform.
Recine is executive managing director in the brokerage services division for Jones Lang LaSalle. His expertise includes transaction structures, lease negotiations, and real estate consulting services throughout the United States. Recine received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State. After graduating in 1997, he served as a case manager with the New York City law firm Weil, Gotshar & Manges, LLP. He managed a team of 10 paralegals in a two-year, multimillion-dollar arbitration. Recine then earned his juris doctor degree from Pace University Law School, with an emphasis on environmental law. He was admitted into the New York and New Jersey Bar. Following his passion for the real estate industry, Recine joined the commercial real estate brokerage firm CBRE, where he developed a reputation for his motivation and commitment to clients and gained an in-depth knowledge of the U.S. markets. He later joined Newmark Knight Frank where he became the youngest principal during his tenure with the firm.
The IRES Advisory Board is comprised of business, government, and education professionals who have an interest in promoting and financially supporting the real estate programs at Penn State. The board focuses on creating opportunities to enhance student educational experiences and support leading edge research on real estate issues.
The complete list of IRES Advisory Board membership can be found online.