REBNY names new chair

Real Estate Weekly, Sept 3, 2003

John E. Zuccotti, chairman of Brookfield Financial Properties and senior counsel in the real estate department of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, has been named as the new chairman of REBNY.

Burton P. Resnick, current chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York and chairman and chief executive officer of Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc., announced that Zuccotti will succeed him when he steps down in December. Zuccotti's two-year term will begin in January 2004.

Resnick, an accomplished real estate executive, stepped in as chairman following the death of Bernard Mendik in 2001.

Resnick also served a term as REBNY chairman for three years prior to Mendik's appointment in 1992.

"John Zuccotti has an or- dinary background and long history working in our industry and in this city," said Resnick. "His distinguished career and the experience he brings will serve the board well."

"I'm deeply honored to have been asked to head the Real Estate Board. This industry has played a pivotal role in making New York City the world capital and world class city that it is," said Zuccotti. "I look forward to working with all the members of the board."

"John is well known as a business and civic leader and one of the champions of the lower Manhattan renewal effort," said Steven Spinola, president of REBNY. "We are looking forward to the direction and guidance he can provide for the real estate community. He has a diverse tapestry of experience that will serve as a valuable resource."

Prior to joining Brookfield Financial Properties, Zuccotti served as president and chief executive officer of Olympia & York Companies. From 1986 to 1990, he was a partner in the law firm of Brown & Wood, and from 1978 tn 1986 he was a partner in the law firm of Tufo & Zuccotti.

Zuccotti spent a significant period of his career in government, serving as the First Deputy Mayor of the City of New York under Abraham D. Beame from 1975 through 1977. He began his tenure in municipal government under Mayor John V. Lindsay, who appointed him to the New York City Planning Commission in 1971.

Mayor Lindsay made him the chairman of the Commission in 1973, a position he held until 1975.

Zuccotti also served as chairman of Mayor Edward I. Koch's advisory committee on police management and personnel policy, as a member of Mayor Koch's advisory task force on the homeless, and as chairman of Governor Hugh L. Carey's task force on the World Trade Center.

Prior to his work with the New York City government, Zuccotti spent time in Washington, as assistant to Robert C. Wood, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

He was also a member of HUD's task force on improving operations of federal housing programs and a consultant tn the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

During his career, Zuccotti has specialized in planning, housing, real estate and municipal law. He has played a leading role in the development of major residential and commercial projects in the New York metropolitan area. He has also helped develop planned communities in such diverse places as Reston, VA and a Navajo reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico.

Zucotti is currently serving as director of Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Applied Graphics Technologies, Inc., and on eight of the Dreyfus funds of the Dreyfus Investment Corporation.