Page 57 - RE-NJ

PEOPLE ON
THE MOVE
OHANNES NAJARIAN
MARKS MILESTONE
AT CONSULTING FIRM
Najarian Associates is marking
the 20th anniversary of Ohannes
Najarian, a second-generation
member of its leadership team and a
key figure in its business development
efforts.
As director of marketing and
communications, Najarian is
responsible
for managing
all branding,
internal and
external media,
advertising
campaigns,
public
relations and
Ohannes Najarian
social media
engagement for the Eatontown-
based consulting engineering firm.
He’s also focused on networking
and growing the company’s client
portfolio, as well as organizing
community outreach activities with
staff and representing Najarian
as an active member of multiple
professional and industry-related
organizations.
Najarian joined the business in early
2006 as a marketing associate and
rose to his current position thanks
to several promotions.
“It gives me great pleasure to
celebrate Ohannes’ 20th anniversary
with Najarian Associates,” said
Tavit O. Najarian, the firm’s
president and founder. “Under his
direction, our marketing efforts
have evolved into a powerful
growth engine for the company.
He has significantly shaped our
brand, expanding the knowledge
of our capabilities throughout a
range of media platforms. Ohannes’
dedication has resulted in increased
brand awareness, improved lead
generation and stronger market
differentiation. Thank you for two
decades of vision, integrity and
impact resulting in positive staff and
client relationships.”
Founded in 1979, Najarian
Associates is a full-service firm
specializing in land development
and environmental consulting. It
has provided feasibility, permitting,
design and surveying services for
tens of thousands of residential
units and, in 2001, added a public
and municipal services division to
serve county and municipal clients.”
LARKEN’S HECKMAN
NAMED EXEC. V.P. OF
MULTIFAMILY OPS
Larken Associates has promoted
longtime team member Jessica
Heckman to executive vice
president of multifamily operations,
the Branchburg-based firm said.
In her new role, Heckman will
oversee asset management, property
management and leasing strategy
and execution across the company’s
growing residential portfolio. She
most recently worked as director
of residential asset management,
bringing a wealth of experience and
knowledge after having advanced
through multiple roles since joining
Larken in 2008.
“Jessica’s promotion reflects the
significant
impact she’s
had on the
growth and
performance of
our portfolio,
and the premier
resident
experience we
Jessica Heckman
provide,” said
Lenny Tartamella, chief operating
officer at Larken Associates. “She’s
been an invaluable member of our
team since the day she started, and
we’re excited to see her excel in this
elevated role.”
The developer noted that Heckman
has worked closely with its
executive leadership team to help
drive the continued rapid growth
of its Larken Living portfolio. That
includes helping lead the lease-
up of more than 1,100 apartments
since 2020 and roughly 45 percent
portfolio growth over that period.
She has also standardized
technology and artificial intelligence-
driven processes to enhance
resident satisfaction, performance
measurement and overall operational
efficiency. Her past roles with the
firm include construction assistant,
property manager and senior
property manager.
“Having grown alongside the firm
for more than 15 years, I’m proud
of the strong teams we’ve built
and the resident-first approach
that defines our communities,”
Heckman said. “I look forward to
continuing to scale our multifamily
platform while maintaining the high
standards of service, performance
and innovation our residents expect
from the Larken Living brand.”
DENARDO JOINS
BENNETT CAPITAL
ADVISORS AS CIO
Bennett Capital Advisors has tapped
Andrew DeNardo as chief investment
officer, bolstering the Holmdel-based
team focused on acquiring shopping
centers and net-leased investments.
In his new role with the firm, a
division of Bennett Cos., DeNardo
will oversee capital strategy, investor
relations and portfolio management
initiatives, according to a news
release. He’ll do so in tandem with
internal teams and external partners
to enhance investment performance
and expand the firm’s capital
markets platform, bringing more
than a decade of experience leading
private equity-backed companies
through transformational growth,
operational scaling and strategic
execution.
“Andrew’s leadership experience
and deep understanding of capital
markets make him an outstanding
addition to our team,” said Tyler
Bennett, CEO of Bennett Cos.
“His expertise will help drive our
investment strategy and support our
long-term growth objectives.”
DeNardo most recently served
as CEO and
president of
First National
Realty Partners,
having held
several senior
leadership roles
with the Red
Bank-based
Andrew DeNardo
company, the
news release said. During his tenure,
he was responsible for completing
more than $2 billion in acquisitions
and dispositions and played a pivotal
role in the firm’s growth from the
ground up into an institutional real
estate investment platform.
He was also instrumental in
scaling operations, developing
high-performing leadership teams
and expanding the firm’s grocery-
™ 55
anchored retail portfolio, Bennett
said.
“I’m incredibly grateful to join a
dynamic company that’s built on
people first,” DeNardo said. “With
the people and infrastructure of
the Bennett Companies platform,
we have the opportunity to bring
strategically crafted investment
opportunities to a community
looking for something different. I’m
looking forward to adding value to
the Bennett platform as well as the
Bennett investors.”
LAND USE LAWYER
WOLFE JOINS NORRIS
MCLAUGHLIN
Norris McLaughlin PA has welcomed
Amanda Wolfe as the newest addition
to its real estate, finance and land use
and municipal law practice groups in
New Jersey.
Wolfe, a member of the firm, brings
more than
a decade of
experience
representing
municipal
planning and
zoning boards,
along with
residential and
Amanda Wolfe
commercial
applicants across New Jersey,
according to an announcement.
That has included guiding matters
from initial application through
approvals, compliance and resolution,
strengthening Norris McLaughlin’s
ability to support both municipalities
and private clients in complex land
use matters.
“Amanda has built a distinguished
practice representing municipal
land use and zoning boards, as
well as residential and commercial
applicants throughout New Jersey,”
said David C. Roberts, the firm’s
chair. “Amanda’s experience
strengthens our firm’s ability to serve
municipalities and private clients
in complex land use and zoning
approvals.”
The former counsel with Dempsey,
Dempsey & Sheehan clerked under
Superior Court judges Katherine
R. Dupuis and Frederic S. Kessler,
according to her bio. She holds her
juris doctor from the University of
Florida’s Fredric G. Levin College of
Law and graduate and undergraduate
degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson
University. RE