Category Archives: Capital Markets

Cyber-Security and #CRE

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wopr

Like you, I’ve seen a lot in the press recently about cyber-attacks and computer hacking. It all sounds like a 1980’s movie. I didn’t really think I had much to worry about in the world of commercial real estate. I don’t cover the blinking lights – that’s the CTO’s role along with his or her team of consultants. Plus, aren’t the cyber bad guys after military and high-value civilian facilities such as nukes? Two things happened recently to change my mind. Allow me to share two vignettes that happened only a couple of days apart from each other. "Shall We Play A [...]

A Face For Radio

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It was an honor and an all around neat experience to participate in Michael Bull’s Commercial Real Estate Radio show last week (link is at the bottom of this post). Michael assembled a panel of David Tennery, principal of Regent Partners, John Davidson, principal of   Parmenter Realty Partners, and yours truly. Ryan Severino, senior economist for REIS, dialed in by phone from New York. While my fellow panelists are all knowledgeable real estate thought-leaders, the clear consensus was that the entire panel had faces built for radio. The mechanics of radio broadcasting are fascinating. I’ve never been in a [...]

CFOs and Billy Joel

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steel

In the early 80’s, I remember first hearing the haunting anthem to America’s manufacturing challenges in the song "Allentown" by Billy Joel.  In the ditty, Joel chronicles the demise of Bethlehem Steel (it went bankrupt in 2001 and is now a casino) and its impact on families in the Eastern Pennsylvania area around  Allentown.   The song represented the concern many Americans had over manufacturing’s demise in our country. Good men and women, through no fault of their own, were thrown out of work based on apparent labor savings in foreign cities they had never heard of. For nearly three decades, [...]

What Would Warren Do?

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warren-buffett

As reported in this recent WSJ article, even Warren Buffet is buying back his own company's stock. The Journal reports that Berkshire Hathaway has a stunning amount of cash totaling nearly $50 billion dollars on hand. In the first 6 months of this year, the company generated $9.7   billion in cash or nearly $54 million per day. Mr. Buffet is in good company. According to Deallogic, $347. 5 billion has been squirreled away by corporate America, which is the most since 2008. We read similar stories about Apple, GE, and many life insurance companies, among others. In early October, the Journal [...]

Ranch Dressing

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ranch-dressing

Ah, the economic malaise continues. This New York Times article (Fed Divisions Led to a Compromise on Interest Rates) starts with a pulse quickening statement: "No one knows what to do to fix the economy." With the certainty of uncertainty continuing to be a daily   media subject, interest rates are trending near all time lows. Yes, one day, Ethel, it will be ok. The cycle will turn and joblessness will no longer be the headline de jour. But with all the fun in the economy,  there's an unintended consequence of this "condition" we are in: bad real estate deals still have life [...]

Back to School! – Top Eleven Things to put in your CRE backpack

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back-to-school-supplies

So my wife made the annual Pilgrimage to check off the supply list and make sure we have our own personal office supply store at home (God bless her). The children had a great time with the whole process. I can remember the time as a kid myself; the combination of excitement and trepidation as you faced the   new school year. You miss the long lazy summers, but there is something fun about a challenge and meeting new friends. I don’t think I realized it then, but every kid, just like every executive feels the same emotions at the [...]

Everywhere a Sign

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signs-floer-poer

It was a different time. In the early 1970’s the hippy movement was in full swing, and an unemployed 25 year old singer in a rock band in Ottawa, Canada sat down one day, mad at the world. The results of his youthful anger – the song “Signs” –   would become a powerful anthem for those who were changing our culture from a strict para-military rules following people to a new generation of free expression. The song debuted as the “B” side of  an unsuccessful single record in 1970, but without warning, Signs became a huge hit for The Five Man [...]

Git-R-Done; Time To Move Those Deals Forward

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cars

Disney's acclaimed Pixar unit recently released Cars 2 with “co-stars” race-car Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and tow-truck Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy). In the movie, the characters head to Europe and Japan to compete in the World Grand Prix, but of course get side tracked with all manner of problems, including international espionage. While the new movie is a hit, we like the original Cars movie better as it's seemingly innocent humor is classic and truly funny. Our favorite character, Mater, resembles an International Harvester mining "boom-truck" from the 1950’s. The vehicle that is the inspiration for his [...]

Shiny Happy People

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By Ken Ashley ATLANTA (May 7th, 2011) In a rousing opening session to the CoreNet Global Summit in Chicago’s Navy Pier, CEO Angela Cain and Chairman Lee Utke (Global Real Estate Head for Whirlpool) played the theme from the ‘80s sitcom The Jeffersons entitled “Movin on Up.” The ditty signaled real estate’s increasingly important role in Corporate America. And it certainly makes sense given the many millions in savings that real estate directors have delivered over the past several years. The Summit is held twice annually in the United States and is considered the confab for corporate real estate service providers, economic [...]

Shiny Happy People

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img_2620

By Ken Ashley ATLANTA (May 7th, 2011) In a rousing opening session to the CoreNet Global Summit in Chicago's Navy   Pier, CEO Angela Cain and Chairman Lee Utke (Global Real Estate Head for Whirlpool) played the theme from the ‘80s sitcom The Jeffersons entitled “Movin on Up.” The ditty signaled real estate’s increasingly important role in Corporate America. And it certainly makes sense given the many millions in savings that real estate directors have delivered over the past several years. The Summit is held twice annually in the United States and is considered the confab for corporate real estate service providers, [...]