Episodes

Matt Slepin sits down with Tadd Miller, CEO of Milhaus, to discuss his leadership journey and the evolution of Milhaus from a small startup into a growing national multifamily platform. They explore Tadd’s experiences navigating the Global Financial Crisis, partnerships and private equity, and Milhaus’ recent growth through strategic acquisitions and mergers. The conversation also examines the importance of scale, leadership, resilience, and culture in building and growing a successful real esta...

Matt Slepin speaks with Jay Mantz, President of Rialto Capital Management, about the growth of Rialto’s $23B platform, the commercial real estate debt market, and how Jay’s background in real estate equity investing at Morgan Stanley has influenced his perspective. They also dive into leadership, company culture, mentorship, and the lasting impact of professional networks, including what made Morgan Stanley’s real estate culture so influential and what today’s leaders can learn from it.

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features Maury Tognarelli, President and CEO of Heitman, a $50 billion real estate investment manager. Drawing on more than four decades at Heitman, including over 25 years leading the firm, Maury discusses the value of longevity, the importance of brand and guiding principles, and how Heitman has evolved through multiple market cycles. The conversation explores long-term leadership, strategic thinking, and the importance of keeping institutional inv...

Matt Slepin sits down with Bill Stein, former CEO of Digital Realty Trust and current partner at Primary Digital Infrastructure, for a wide-ranging conversation about the rapid evolution of the data center industry and its increasingly important role in the AI economy. Drawing on decades of experience in digital infrastructure, Bill provides historical context on the sector’s transformation from a relatively niche real estate business into one of the most closely watched areas of investment and...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin speaks with Mike McNamara, co-founder and CEO of Samara, an innovative homebuilder focused on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and small-scale infill housing. A company incubated within Airbnb's venture arm, Samara is rethinking how factory-built homes can help address both the housing shortage and climate challenges. Mike shares how his experience leading global manufacturing company Flex shaped Samara's approach to scalable, high-qu...

In this special rebroadcast of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin revisits his 2017 conversation with acclaimed architect Phil Freelon of Perkins & Will, one of the lead designers of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Recorded shortly after the museum’s opening, the conversation reflects on Phil’s vision, impact, and legacy during a deeply personal time as he battled ALS. Revisited during a recent Fourth of July, this episode offer...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with Casey Berman, Founder and Managing Partner of Camber Creek, a private equity firm investing in innovative real estate technology and cash-flowing assets. Part of the podcast’s ongoing proptech VC series, the conversation explores how real estate operators are leveraging technology to solve persistent industry pain points and build more integrated, competitive business platforms. Drawing from his experience as both an o...

In this podcast episode, Matt Slepin speaks with Darrell Crate, CEO of Easterly Government Properties, about the company’s differentiated investment strategy as a net lease REIT focused on mission-critical properties leased to U.S. government agencies. While often associated with traditional office and the DC market, Easterly’s portfolio tells a different story, with limited office exposure and a broader geographic footprint. Crate shares his perspective on the company’s positioning between unde...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with retiring Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration Dean Kate Walsh for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving role of hospitality within real estate and business leadership. Recorded during Walsh’s final month as Dean, the discussion explores Cornell’s outsized influence on the global hotel industry and the powerful network and culture that have shaped generations of hospitality leaders. The episode goes bey...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features a conversation with Margette Hepfner and Sam Bakshandehpour of BILT, a platform bringing hospitality and rewards into the multifamily housing space. The discussion explores how BILT fits into the broader apartment ecosystem and highlights a larger industry shift toward a more customer-focused, service-driven model. Building on insights from recent conversations and industry events, the episode underscores how differentiation in today’s mark...

A wide-ranging conversation with economist and Rent Roll podcast host Jay Parsons on the current state of the apartment industry and adjacent sectors, including single-family rentals (SFR), build-to-rent (BTR), student, and senior housing. Jay shares key market trends, regulatory challenges, and myth-busting insights, most notably that while property management has consolidated, ownership in the multifamily sector remains highly fragmented. The episode offers a thoughtful look at how scale, oper...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features a conversation with Argentine politician Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, recorded in Buenos Aires at the end of Matt Slepin’s South American trip. Unlike the previous episode focused on real estate investment in Chile, this discussion centers less on property markets and more on leadership, governance, and the economic challenges facing Argentina. Larreta shares his perspective on navigating political leadership in a country marked by ongoing ec...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Francisco Rencoret for a live conversation recorded atop the landmark mixed-use development MUT in Santiago. Slepin reflects on his travels through Chile, highlighting the country’s modern infrastructure, vibrant urban energy, and the success of large-scale developments like MUT as standout examples of placemaking. He also shares observations on Chile’s geographic diversity, welcoming culture, and appeal as both a...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Justin Pattner, Head of Real Estate Equity, Americas at KKR, for a wide-ranging conversation recorded on February 26. The discussion explores the major forces shaping today’s real estate investment landscape, including global capital flows, the evolution of REITs in comparison to private equity and traditional real estate investment managers, and the role of operating platforms versus partnerships with external ope...

Thirteen months after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Lew Horne and David Waite return to Leading Voices to provide a candid update on recovery, rebuilding, and the long road ahead. With more than 13,000 structures lost, including over 12,000 homes, the scale of rebuilding remains immense. More than 3,100 permits have been issued and nearly 900 homes are now under construction, yet fewer than a dozen have received certificates of occupancy. The conversation explores why progress feels sl...

In Part II of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin continues his conversation with Roy March, CEO of Eastdil Secured, exploring what has made the firm a true powerhouse in the commercial real estate investment business. This episode moves beyond history to focus on the cultural DNA, client-first philosophy, and strategic discipline that have defined Eastdil’s success. Roy shares candid insights on leadership, the importance of language, and why he sees himself not as a broker but as ...

In Part I of this two-part conversation, Leading Voices in Real Estate host Matt Slepin sits down with legendary Eastdil Secured CEO Roy March, joined by ZRG colleague Alan Walker, for a wide-ranging discussion on the evolution and institutionalization of the real estate industry. Recorded in Santa Monica, the episode traces Eastdil’s origin story and the broader transformation of real estate from the early 1980s through the Global Financial Crisis, offering essential context for understanding t...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Sonny Kalsi, CEO of BGO, a global real estate investment manager with over $90 billion in assets under management. Continuing the show’s multi-episode theme of thinking broadly, both globally and long term, this conversation explores how commercial real estate has evolved and what the next decade might look like in an increasingly unpredictable world. Following recent and upcoming conversations with Tim Bodner of ...

Leading Voices in Real Estate kicks off 2026 and Season 9 with a wide-lens conversation on global real estate trends and long-term market shifts. Host Matt Slepin is joined by Tim Bodner, Global Real Estate Deals Leader at PwC and a key voice behind PwC and ULI’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate report, now in its 47th year. Rather than focusing on short-term topics, this episode explores the fundamental forces shaping real estate globally. Tim shares insights on investor drivers, return expectat...

In the final episode of 2025, the microphone is flipped as Matt Sleppin appears as a guest on Lance Woods’ Fortunes of the Brave podcast. Recorded on October 16, the conversation, titled From Cowboys to Platforms, explores the evolution of the real estate industry from founder driven “Cowboy” businesses to resilient, institutional platforms. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience, Matt shares insights on leadership, building enduring business platforms, and what creates meaningful and succe...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features an in-depth conversation with Don Wood, CEO and President of Federal Realty Investment Trust, one of the oldest companies in the REIT industry and the only one to raise its dividend for 58 consecutive years. Don and host Matt Slepin discuss how the REIT investor base has evolved during his tenure, the growing contrast between public REITs and private equity, and how leading REITs use joint ventures to diversify their capital. The episode co...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin speaks with Jeremy Bromfman, CEO and founder of Lincoln Avenue Communities, one of the nation’s top affordable housing owners and developers. Founded in 2016, the company has quickly grown into a leading force addressing housing affordability across the country. The discussion focuses on how Jeremy thoughtfully built the organization from the ground up and his perspective on leadership in the affordable housing space. Matt begin...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with Jeffrey Hoopes, President of the West Region for Suffolk Construction to explore how the general contracting business is evolving and what it means to lead, build, and eventually pass the baton in a rapidly changing industry. This episode marks a first: a deep dive with a senior executive from the general contracting world. Jeff shares hard-earned perspective from decades in the field, reflecting on the pace of technol...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, we sit down with Bob Hart, Founder and CEO of TruAmerica Multifamily, for an inspiring and wide-ranging conversation on leadership, innovation, and the future of the multifamily housing market. Bob shares his remarkable journey from his early career at Kennedy Wilson, where he built a foundation in investment and asset management, to launching TruAmerica, now recognized as one of the largest apartment operators in the United States. His story is...