Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal — Executive Women in Business — October 26 - November 8, 2012 — 11D
www.marejournal.com
Executive Women in Business
Carol Shelby, Vice President Meridian Capital Group, LLC Years with company/firm: 20 Years Years in field: 20 Years Years in real estate industry: 20 Years What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2012?
Nicoletta M. Pagnotta, Vice President Meridian Capital Group, LLC Years with company/firm: 7 Years Years in field: 9 Years Years in real estate industry: 9 Years What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2012? Given the current low interest rate environment we have been able to revisit many of our client’s existing portfolios and find accretive refinancing options for them. It has been a ter- rific year to be in this business as every client wants to know what is available in the market and how we can help them
This year I celebrated my 20th year with Meridian Capital Group, LLC. In today’s culture where many people are focused on the short-term I am very happy to be with a company where loyalty is part of the culture and is rewarded. Merid- ian has a very high employee retention rate because it’s a great environment to work in and many of the people that I started with are still my colleagues today. What was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2012? All of my deals are notable because every client and every transaction matters. That’s how I approach every day and it works. To that end, I have been involved in negotiating more than $600 million in financing transactions year-to-date so I would say 2012 has been a very notable year. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? I was the highest performing female originator at Meridian Capital Group, LLC in 2011, personally negotiating and closing transactions totaling more than $667 million and will likely achieve the same status this year. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? Don’t always take everything people tell you at face value, especially when it comes to being a female in the real estate world! Across the country, and especially in the greater NYC metro area, there are no limits to the success you can enjoy from hard work and a competitive spirit. How do you manage the work/life balance? The key is to stay organized and surround yourself with a dedicated and effective team, both in the office and at home. When you have great people supporting you, you can do more with less and enable yourself to strike a better balance. Addition- ally, being able to prioritize is key since one cannot be everywhere at once! Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? Our firm, Meridian Capital Group, has had the most influence on my career and helped me achieve so much professionally. Since I arrived at Meridian when the firm was still a “start-up” I enjoyed the benefit of growing as Meridian has grown. Merid- ian has been an integral part of the U.S. commercial real estate finance landscape since 1991 and Meridian has secured more than $137 billion in financing over this time. The firm’s organic growth and desire to continually improve and expand has provided significant inspiration and motivation for me over the years. ■
with their next deal. Year-to-date my team, which focuses on underlying cooperative and condominium financing, has successfully closed over 75 transactions totaling more than $250 million and we are actively working on closing 50 more deals that exceed $220 million. What was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2012? The refinance of a $31 million loan for a nine-building cooperative complex in the Bronx is the most notable deal I have worked on thus far in 2012. To accomplish this, we negotiated down the prepayment penalty and structured a new 10-year deal with a five-year extension option allowing our client to capitalize on the low interest rate environment and increase the size of their loan while significantly reducing their annual debt service. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? In 2011, I was responsible for the execution of over 100 transactions totaling more than $500 million and this year we are on track to exceed that. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? Don’t be discouraged by the misconception that real estate or banking is just a boys club. It’s a great industry for women who are focused, motivated and willing to get the best for their client. How do you manage the work/life balance? I think it’s very important to have a time to recharge, spend time with family and stay refreshed. Often the best ideas will come when you step outside of a situation and recharge your battery before diving back in. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? My parents are the strongest influence in all facets of my life. As Italian immi- grants who arrived in the U.S. in their late twenties, they had to work very hard in a country where English was their second language and taught themselves how to be successful in their respective trades. From an early age my parents instilled the value of a strong work ethic, which is an important virtue in any industry and has certainly helped me professionally. ■
Congratulations Carol Shelby
Congratulations Nicoletta Pagnotta
Meridian Capital Group, LLC proudly salutes Carol Shelby on being recognized in the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal’s 10th Annual Executive Women in Business
Meridian Capital Group, LLC proudly salutes Nicoletta Pagnotta on being recognized in the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal’s 10th Annual Executive Women in Business
1 Battery Park Plaza New York, NY 10004 | 212 972 3600 | www.meridiancapital.com
1 Battery Park Plaza New York, NY 10004 | 212 972 3600 | www.meridiancapital.com
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