Corporate Real Estate Executive

Craig Zund

**** **** ******

Santa Monica, CA ***03

Tel: 310-***-**** *****@******.***

PROFILE

Driven corporate real estate executive with 18 years of team leadership experience covering real estate strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, asset management, design, construction, project management, operations and procurement. Represented over 10 million square feet of real property including retail, office, mixed use and industrial projects. Effectively managed real estate portfolios to create alignment with corporate objectives and maximize return on investment capital by controlling the complete real estate life cycle. Managed and sourced key service providers for brokerage, design, construction, information technology, furniture, fixtures and related equipment. An energetic relationship builder that creates shareholder value by using consistent communication as a means to advise stakeholders while making data driven recommendations.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Corporate Realty Group, LLC

Principal (December 2008 - Present)

Provide full service commercial real estate solutions to corporate end users.

• Perform site selection services, demographic research, identification of trade barriers and site feasibility

• Utilize advanced lease negotiations to restructure leases and ensure that client’s core objectives are achieved

• Prepare detailed financial analyses and create custom proformas tailored to fit client’s financial metrics

• Negotiate sale lease back transactions to address capital needs

• Advise clients and execute project plans to reduce cost structure and create flexibility across portfolios

• Oversee project management team to provide turn key facilities to clients and coordinating all service providers

• Provide tools and process to integrate seamless real estate solutions for corporate end users

• Interface directly with client’s cross functional teams including IS, Legal, Branding, HR and Real Estate

• Roll out national capital projects, standardization and value engineer solutions to promote scalable asset mgmt.

• Source all service providers to support the complete real estate life cycle and negotiate associated contracts

• Evaluate all contracts for construction and facilities management by performing bid leveling and analysis

Emser Tile, LLC

Director of Real Estate (January 2008 – December 2008)

Provided leadership for the management of a national real estate portfolio comprised of high end retail showrooms, corporate office, warehouse and distribution facilities covering approx. 60 locations and 2 million sq. ft. of space.

• Executed national real estate strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, design, construction, facilities management, lease administration, procurement and internal travel program

• Managed staff, developed metrics, responsible for hiring and performance of overall team

• Successfully negotiated lease transactions to open 3 new branch showrooms in 2008

• Restructured 50% of existing leases to lower occupancy costs by over 25%

• Leveraged national relationships for sourcing brokers, architects, contractors and other service providers

• Reduced company expenses by 15% via streamlining procurement and maximizing company indirect spend

• Oversaw facilities management by utilizing online ticketing system to track and respond to facility requests, create metrics and improve performance by reducing cycle time

• Rolled out national HVAC preventative maintenance and facility maintenance standards

• Prepared financial analyses and regular reporting / metrics directly to ownership for performance management

HD Supply / White Cap (Former Division of The Home Depot)

Director of Real Estate (April 2006 – January 2008)

Greenfield growth leader, driving the company’s growth strategy by opening 12 new branches to maximize return on investment capital (“ROIC”).

• Managed staff of 20 full time employees covering leasing, construction, facilities management and merchandising for approx. 200 branches, 2 sales support centers and distribution totaling 2.5 million sq. ft.

• Responsible for hiring staff, development, succession planning and creating performance metrics for individuals

• Negotiated leases, contracts and procurement to support branch expansion, exceeding corporate plan by 20%

• Supported a robust acquisition and integration strategy (1 acquisition per month), adding over 50 new branches

• Relocated and consolidated corporate headquarters with over 300 employees, utilized workplace strategy to brand corporate HQ as well as creating a flexible work environment to boost productivity

• Prepared in-depth proformas and real estate analyses to ensure that all transactions cleared required hurdle rates

• Assembled Six Sigma Greenbelt Team and led projects to reduce cycle time for real estate projects

• Developed comprehensive construction specification manual and prototype for build to suit transactions

• Established a national network of service providers for legal, architectural, construction and leasing

• Initiated the roll out of lease management system for tracking portfolio performance and critical dates

KAPLAN, INC. (THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY)

Senior Director of Real Estate (2000 – 2006)

2005 Employee of the Year in recognition of team leadership, diligent work ethic and the successful management / negotiation of real estate transactions and development worth over $60 million. Transactions include office, big box retail, industrial and educational facilities on an international basis.

• Oversaw international real estate team, covering 6 million sq. ft. and 500 locations in the US, Europe and Mexico

• Engaged in site selection, asset management, lease negotiation and sourcing brokers / service providers

• Led a regional design and construction team for build out of new facilities and renovations

• Managed full time staff, created best practices / work flow efficiency and developed relevant metrics

• Served as single point of contact for multiple lines of business while reporting directly to “C Suite”

• Produced detailed market analysis and presented recommendations for best suited expansion opportunities

• Directed real estate managers and project managers to seek and analyze lease versus buy transactions

• Disposed of vacant or underutilized real estate assets to generate third party revenue

• Responsible for hiring and managing performance of staff

• Utilized IT solutions for real time communication, lease management and facilities reporting

• Developed national programs for facilities maintenance including HVAC, janitorial and general repairs

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

Senior Real Estate Manager (1998 – 2000)

Directed leasing, management, acquisition, disposition and construction for over 3.5 million sq. ft. of property.

• Negotiated complex lease structures, licenses, easements, entry permits, right of ways and deeds

• Orchestrated lease buyouts to vacate 1 Columbus Circle for redevelopment by AOL-Time Warner

• Created financial analysis and forecast annual occupancy / capital budgets for MTA Board

• Disposed / repositioned environmentally challenged assets to reduce NY State liability by $75 million

• Led project team for extensive “Class A” office building redevelopment totaling 1.6 million sq. ft. in lower Manhattan (2 Broadway)

• Worked with union contractors for the completion of public works and capital projects

• Managed construction budgets in excess of $500 million covering office, retail and industrial properties

• Facilitated large-scale civil projects, sourced service providers and managed full time employees

KENNETH ZUND REALTY ASSOCIATES

Director of Leasing and Management (1990-1998)

Successfully negotiated over 100 commercial leases in Manhattan and managed assets of 250k square feet.

• Solicited and procured landlord and tenant agency contracts for lease transactions and asset management

• Represented a diverse clientele including entertainment, educational, textile, travel, legal and accounting

• Produced detailed analytics for occupancy expenses, capital projects, lease takeovers and buyouts

• Developed and enforced building rules, regulations, operations, policies and procedures

• Recommended and implemented major capital improvement projects for building infrastructures

• Directed engineers, building managers and staff for commercial and residential properties

• Rolled out first version of Microsoft Windows and word processing to replace rolodexes and typewriters

EDUCATION / PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

B.S. Business, State University of New York, New Paltz

2010 Master of Corporate Real Estate “MCR” Candidate, CoreNet Global

CoreNet Global Board of Directors – Vice President of Mentorship

The Home Depot, Six Sigma / DMAIC Greenbelt Training Program

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, California, Lic# 01472732

Proficient with all Microsoft Office products (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Project, Visio, Outlook)

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