JFRE Legends & Leaders – Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

Join the Jewish Federation Real Estate Group (JFRE) for our 13th Annual Legends & Leaders signature event, an inspiring morning of networking with Philadelphia’s brightest in real estate and beyond.

The program will feature rotating breakout discussions, offering a unique opportunity to engage with multiple expert-led topics.

EVENT DETAILS

Date & Time:
Thursday, Nov. 13
7:30–10:30 a.m.

Location:
Crystal Tea Room
9th Floor, The Wanamaker Building
100 E. Penn Square #9B
Philadelphia, PA 19107

JFRE Members: Complimentary | Non-Members: $175
Register by Thursday, Nov. 6

If you want to become a JFRE member, please click here. For more information, email jfre@jewishphilly.org or call 215.832.0532.

HONORING THE 2025 hall of fame inductee

The JFRE Hall of Fame recognizes and honors outstanding leaders in the real estate industry who have made significant contributions to their profession and the community. Inductees are celebrated for their commitment to philanthropy, leadership, and impact, serving as role models within the JFRE and beyond.

Mitchell L. Morgan

Founder, Chairman & CEO
Morgan Properties

About Mitchell L. Morgan

Mitchell L. Morgan is founder, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Morgan Properties, a national leader in the investment and management of multifamily properties. As CEO, he is responsible for maintaining oversight over all business aspects at Morgan Properties, which he founded in 1985.

Under his leadership, Morgan Properties has grown to become one of the top three largest multifamily owners in the country, with a portfolio of more than 360 apartment communities, over 100,000 units in 22 states and over $20 billion in assets. Morgan Properties is currently the largest apartment owner in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York.

Through the Morgan Family Foundation, Morgan and his family are deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of others. The foundation has supported organizations, such as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia through their transformational $50 million gift toward the Morgan Center for Research and Innovation, Temple University — where Morgan is a lifetime supporter and serves as board chairman — Morgan Hall, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, the Barnes Foundation, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Norton Museum of Art, Wills Eye Hospital, MorseLife Foundation and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Presenting Sponsor

Thank you to Blank Rome, LLP, presenting sponsor for this year’s Legends and Leaders in honor of Mitch Morgan’s induction into the JFRE Hall of Fame.

Breakout sessions & speakers

The program will feature rotating breakout discussions, offering a unique opportunity to engage with multiple expert-led topics. Attendees can explore diverse perspectives and gain insights on key industry trends in an interactive, dynamic format.

Adaptive Reuse

Panelists: Dean Adler, Ron Caplan, Jake Elghanayan
Moderator: Spencer Yablon

About the Breakout: Explore the conversion of old or underutilized buildings into new, functional spaces. The discussion will cover the challenges, innovative strategies and economic benefits of transforming historic or obsolete properties for modern use.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Dean Adler

Dean Adler is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Lubert-Adler Partners, L.P., a real estate equity firm with over $7 billion in equity and $17 billion of assets under management. With over 35 years of real estate experience, Adler is head of the Investment Committee and is responsible for leading the firm’s strategic direction. Adler was an executive committee member and research sponsor for the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center of The Wharton School, where he also taught for three years. He represented the Lubert-Adler Funds on the board of directors of Albertsons, LLC and Safehold, Inc.

Adler has served on numerous community boards and has served on the City of Philadelphia’s Economic Development Summit. He graduated magna cum laude from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1979, earned his C.P.A. in 1980, and earned his J.D. degree with honors from University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1983.

Ron Caplan

A native of New England, Ron Caplan studied business management at Northeastern University before relocating to the Philadelphia area and launching his career in real estate development. In 1978, what started with the purchase of several single-family homes soon expanded into a collection of multi-unit housing ventures located throughout the city of Philadelphia. Ron founded PMC Property Group, formerly Philadelphia Management Company, in 1981 when the number and size of his properties had grown robust enough to require the services of a management company.

Since that time, Ron has assembled a general-contracting division within PMC Property Group, making the company a full-service developer focused on adaptive-reuse and ground-up new construction projects. Under his strategic direction and detailed, personal approach, the company has become the largest owner/operator of rental units in the city of Philadelphia and holds a strong presence in urban centers spanning 13 cities across 8 states along the East Coast.

Jake Elghanayan

Jake Elghanayan is a principal at TF Cornerstone, one of New York City’s most active developers of residential and commercial properties. He sits on the board of Chelsea Piers Fitness and serves as the chair of Portico, a property management software company that was incubated at TF Cornerstone.

Previously, Elghanayan was an associate at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. He serves as the chair of the South Bronx Classical Charter Schools and is a trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission and NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. Elghanayan received his B.A. from Brown University and a joint M.A. / J.D. from Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Study and New York University School of Law.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Spencer Yablon

Spencer Yablon is a senior vice president with the Multifamily Capital Markets team in Philadelphia, which specializes in the sale of multifamily properties on behalf of institutions, pension fund advisers, REITs, private equity firms, developers and lenders. He has handled over $9 billion in transactions, including some of the largest individual asset and portfolio transactions in the region.

Yablon has 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, specializing in the sale of investment properties for developers, private and institutional clients. Previously, he served as regional manager of the Philadelphia office for Marcus and Millichap. Prior to entering the real estate business, Yablon worked as a wealth management consultant for Oppenheimer & Co., formerly CIBC Oppenheimer in New York City.

Affordable Housing

Panelists: Tim Henkel, Milton Pratt
Moderator: Phil Balderston

About the Breakout: Experts will discuss strategies for developing and preserving housing that is accessible to low- and middle-income residents. The conversation will focus on overcoming financial, policy, and community challenges to create more equitable and sustainable housing solutions.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Tim Henkel

Timothy I. Henkel is the chief executive officer (CEO) and principal of Pennrose. As CEO, he provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for nearly 520 Pennrose employees who support development and management activities in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Henkel began his career at Pennrose in 1999, became a principal in 2008, and was named president in 2022.

Henkel currently serves on the boards of the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association and New Jersey Apartment Association. He is an alumni board member of the William E. Simon School of Business and serves on the board of Citizens Housing Planning Council in New York City. He previously served on the boards of Penn Reach and Triple C Housing, two nonprofits dedicated to helping people with special needs find homes and services. He holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Bucknell University and a M.B.A from William E. Simon School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.

Milton Pratt

Milton R. Pratt, Jr. serves as executive vice president of development for The Michaels Organization. In this role, he focuses on pipeline growth and asset performance through relationships with various governmental and industry groups, and works closely with Michaels’ regional development teams to generate opportunities. Prior to joining the Michaels Organization in 2005, Pratt served as the Region Ill regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Pratt currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association, the Board of Directors for Philabundence, and he is a past officer of The National Association of Housing and Rehabilitation Officials. He has served on the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Association of Home Builders, Neighborhoods Now, and the Board of Trustees for West Chester University Foundation. Pratt earned his B.A. in public administration with a concentration in urban planning from West Chester University. He also received his Public Housing Managers Certification from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Phil Balderston

Philip Balderston is the founder and chief executive officer of Odin Properties, a diversified, regional real estate investment and management firm. Before founding Odin, Balderston was the director of acquisitions and finance at Philadelphia-based Tower Investments Inc., where he was responsible for financing various development projects and asset management. Before joining Tower, he was an acquisition and development analyst at The KOR Group in Los Angeles. He also held an analyst and asset management position at Amerimar Enterprises in Philadelphia.

Balderston has a profound understanding of real estate finance and economics, economic cycles and community development, having completed over $600 million of real estate transactions as a principal in his 20-plus-year career. Balderston is a graduate of the William Penn Charter School in East Falls and holds a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a degree in real estate finance and urban studies from the Wharton School.

Life Sciences and Healthcare

Panelists: Dominique Casimir-German, Donald Moore, Joe Traynor
Moderator: Bill Glazer

About the Breakout: Learn about the nuances of developing advanced research, healthcare, and laboratory facilities. This session will explore the unique challenges of creating state-of-the-art spaces with specialized infrastructure needs in order to support advanced research and to serve a community’s healthcare needs.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Dominique Casimir-German

Dominique Casimir-German currently serves as the senior vice president of Enterprise Asset Management, overseeing the real estate, planning, design, construction, and facilities for Jefferson and Lehigh Valley Health, Thomas Jefferson University, and Jefferson Health Plans. Previously, she was chief of staff on the executive team.

She formerly held the position of vice president of real estate for Thomas Jefferson University & Health System. Casimir-German was also responsible for negotiations over new sites and was awarded “Deal of the Year for 2021” by The Philadelphia Business Journal. She also held the position of deputy commissioner of real estate management division. During her first year, she brought significant savings, allowing a surplus for the City of Philadelphia for the first time in over a decade.

Casimir-German has received numerous awards, such as the Most Influential African Americans of 2023 and 2024 in Philadelphia, the Power Woman Award, the Woman of Impact Award and many more. She received her M.B.A. from Villanova University and B.A. from Temple University.

Joe Traynor

Joe Traynor leads the Philadelphia office for Breakthrough Properties where he oversees programming, predevelopment and overall asset strategy for projects in other markets from Boulder, CO to the east coast. A native of Greater Philadelphia, Traynor has nearly 15 years of experience leading over $2.5 million square feet of commercial real estate projects through various stages, from acquisition and predevelopment through construction and lease-up. Traynor’s experience includes various product types, ranging from redevelopment and large-scale renovations to ground-up development.

He holds an M.B.A from Villanova School of Business with specializations in real estate and finance, as well as a B.A. in architectural design from Yale University.

Donald Moore

Donald Moore serves as a senior vice president at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), overseeing real estate, facilities development, master planning and facilities operations. He serves as the steward of CHOP’s built environment, overseeing its real estate portfolio and ensuring alignment with enterprise strategic priorities and initiatives.

Moore has over four decades of experience in real estate and facilities development. He has planned and delivered buildings and campuses that span the realm of public and private, and include residential, energy, commercial, education, research and healthcare. He is a member of many associations and serves on numerous boards that serve the Philadelphia region, most notably Habitat for Humanity of Philadelphia, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Bill Glazer

Bill Glazer, chief executive officer, founded Keystone Properties in 1991. In the three decades since, the company has grown across exigencies, markets, product types, and capital strategies, evolving from an entrepreneurial real estate services provider into a fully integrated development and investment company.

Glazer has invested in and developed over 12 million square feet of real estate and billions of dollars of transactions using multiple investment structures. Glazer’s professional affiliations include the Young President’s Organization and Wharton School’s Zell Lurie Real Estate Center. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Chamber of Commerce Award for Excellence, the Philadelphia Business Journal’s CEO of the Year Award, and the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Industrial

Panelists: Benjamin Cohen, Jeremy Grey, Matt Handel
Moderator: Andrew Yaffe

About the Breakout: Discuss the current trends and future outlook for industrial properties, including warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities. The conversation will cover key drivers such as e-commerce growth, supply chain dynamics, brownfield development, and new construction, as well as the challenges and opportunities for investors and developers.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Benjamin Cohen

Benjamin Cohen co-founded Endurance Real Estate Group, LLC in 2002, based in Radnor, PA. Cohen has worked in investment real estate since 1997. At Endurance, he focuses on sourcing new acquisition opportunities and cultivating relationships with the firm’s institutional equity partners and lenders. He also plays a key role in asset management, providing leasing, financial and marketing oversight for the company’s portfolio.

Prior to co-founding Endurance, Cohen worked at RFR Holdings, a privately-owned development firm based in New York, and at Fortis Advisors, a provider of institutional equity to real estate operators. He began his career as an auditor with Ernst & Young and Deloitte & Touche. Cohen holds a M.S. in real estate development from New York University and a B.S in accounting from Tulane University. He is also a certified public accountant.

Jeremy Grey

Jeremy Grey joined HRP Group in May 2018. In his role as executive vice president, he is a leader in the organization and manages real estate investments and redevelopment projects across HRP’s national platform from acquisition to stabilization. Grey has 25 years of industry experience with infrastructure projects, brownfield redevelopment, large-scale industrial park development, complex acquisitions and industrial leasing.

Prior to joining HRP, Grey worked at CenterPoint Properties, where he served as vice president of development. Grey serves on the Select Greater Philadelphia Advisory Board and on the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) Board of Directors as the economic development director. He is a member of NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association and its Chicago Chapter. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Illinois and received a B.S. in civil engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Matt Handel

Matt Handel is the Philadelphia market lead at Alliance HP. As the market lead, Handel oversees acquisitions, dispositions and leasing in Greater Philadelphia.

In July 2025, Alliance HP formed a programmatic JV with a leading private investment firm to focus on value-add industrial investments in South Florida and Greater Philadelphia.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Andrew Yaffe

Andrew Yaffe is the founder and chief executive officer of Unified Companies, a Philadelphia-based real estate investment and development firm with a focus on the industrial sector. Under his leadership, Unified has grown to own and operate nearly two million square feet of property, serving tenants that range from global companies to local “mom and pop” businesses.

Yaffe is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization. He has served on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and is currently part of the JFRE Executive Committee. He also contributes his time to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Young Leadership Alliance and helps to lead The Friends of Rittenhouse Square.

Event Details

This event is intended for real estate professionals, JFRE members, and community leaders interested in networking, learning, and supporting the Jewish community through impactful philanthropic investments.
Breakfast will be provided by Finley Catering.
For security purposes, advance registration is required.
Government IDs are subject to verification and bags are subject to search.
For more information about this event, please email events@jewishphilly.org or call 215.832.0533.
By attending this event, you agree to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Terms and Conditions.

JFRE Executive committee

Dan Berger, Chair
President, Berger Communities

Jessica Morgan, Vice Chair
Managing Principal, Annalett Capital

Jonathan Morgan, Chair Emeritus
President and Founder, Morgan Properties JV

Philip Balderston
Founder and CEO, Odin Properties LLC

Jeremy B. Fogel
Principal, Ironwood Property Group

Max Frankel
Principal, Frankel Enterprises

Bill Glazer
President and CEO, Keystone Property Group

Adam Goodman
President, Goodman Properties

Bradley A. Krouse
Managing Partner, Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP

Michael Markman
President, BET Investments

Malina Robbins
Senior Vice President, Commercial Real Estate WSFS Bank

David Waxman
Founder and Managing Partner, MMPartners

Spencer Yablon
Senior Vice President, CBRE | Capital Markets

Andrew Yaffe
Founder and CEO, Unified Companies

Robert A. Zuritsky
President, Parkway Corporation

JFRE Subcommittees

Allocations Committee
Malina Robbins

Sponsorship Committee
Andrew Yaffe

Membership Committee
David Waxman

Events Committee
Spencer Yablon

Young JFRE Committee
Samantha Kupersmith

Jewish federation leadership

Board Co-Chairs
Mark Fishman and Michele Levin

President and CEO
Michael Balaban

Chief Development Officer
Sarah B. Solomon

Chief Marketing Officer
Rebecca Etter

Chief of Jewish Community Relations Council
Jason Holtzman

Chief Strategy and Impact Officer
Dr. Kelly Romirowsky

Senior Chief of External Affairs
Jeffrey Lasday

Senior Chief of Finances and Operations
Livi DiCaro

Chief Planned Giving Officer
Jennifer M. Brier, Esq.

JFRE Director
Alan Lepore

THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS

Are you interested in learning more about an annual JFRE sponsorship or becoming a JFRE member? Contact JFRE Director Alan Lepore at alepore@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0532.

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