Page 22 - RE-NJ

20 FEBRUARY 2025
PEOPLE ON
THE MOVE
SOCO PROMOTES
PERRY TO GENERAL
SUPERINTENDENT
SOCO Construction Co. has
promoted Benjamin Perry to general
superintendent, touting his more than
four decades in the industry and a
passion for building that began as a
teenager.
The fi rm, which is based in
Bedminster, said Perry most recently
was a senior superintendent and
has a resume that includes some
$600 million
in completed
projects.
That comes
with areas
of expertise
that include
working directly
with clients,
Benjamin Perry
employee
management, cost management,
scheduling, quality control and safety,
among others, in sectors such as
residential, retail, higher education,
corporate and industrial.
“Ben is one of the pre-eminent
builders in our industry,” said
Matthew Lorenzo, CEO and president
of SOCO. “I am highly confi dent he
will excel in this new role.”
Formerly known as Sordoni
Construction Co., the fi rm noted
that Perry grew up near an electrical
contractor who began teaching him
at age 13 and helped him develop
a passion for working, fi xing and
doing hands-on tasks. He began his
professional career as a laborer and
worked his way up to becoming a
business owner, paving the way for
his role as a general superintendent.
“Ben brings a unique talent by
supporting our fi eld teams in getting
job sites up and running, along with
its fi nal push to the fi nish line,”
said John Ernest, SOCO’s general
superintendent. “He is persistent, and
I believe we will benefi t from having
Ben in this position to support our
teams and sites.”
SOCO added that Perry continues
to mentor those working to become
a superintendent by playing a
prominent role in its apprentice
superintendent program.
“Over the years, I had many people
MHS PROMOTES
BULDO TO CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER
MHS Architecture has elevated
Michael Buldo to chief operating
offi cer, citing his ongoing leadership
and his past contributions to the
Hoboken-based fi rm.
In his new role, Buldo will spearhead
optimizing workfl ows and improving
effi ciency across all departments
while overseeing resource allocation,
ensuring alignment with MHS
Architecture’s business priorities
and providing strategic guidance
to directors,
associates
and project
managers,
according to a
news release.
His position
will also involve
managing
Michael Buldo
operational
risks, establishing robust quality
control measures and maintaining
strong partnerships with external
collaborators.
“Mike has been instrumental
in performing many of the
responsibilities associated with this
role, and his promotion is a refl ection
of his outstanding efforts to enhance
our operational effi ciency and project
delivery,” said Michael Higgins, MHS’
managing partner and CEO. “We are
excited to offi cially recognize his
leadership and commitment to driving
MHS Architecture forward.”
The promotion comes just over six
years after MHS elevated Buldo to
principal. He has spent nearly 27
years with the fi rm, most recently
spearheading its construction
document team and benefi ting from
strong relationships with both clients
and consultants.
As COO, he’ll also ensure MHS’ full
compliance with relevant laws and
industry standards, supporting a
practice that is rooted in sustainable
building practices and innovative
urban design.
help mold and guide me into the
person and leader I am today, from
my fi rst boss, Don Blasberg, to
SOCO’s president and CEO, Matthew
Lorenzo,” Perry said. “These people
taught me something that stayed with
me. Life is a journey of small stories,
trials and tribulations, and when
strung together, they make up who
we are and what we know.”
NEWMARK ADDS
ASCHENBRAND IN
KEY BROKER ROLE
Newmark has added Dave
Aschenbrand as an executive
managing director with its New
Jersey team, in a move aimed at
expanding its position in the growing
cold storage segment.
Aschenbrand, who works alongside
Executive Managing Director Adam
Petrillo, brings
more than
25 years of
experience
spanning capital
markets, leasing,
supply chain
and cold storage
solutions,
Dave Aschenbrand
according
to a news release. The real estate
services fi rm said the hire elevates
and fortifi es its industrial cold chain
capabilities globally, enabling it to
support clients at each stage of the
real estate life cycle for the highly
nuanced asset class.
“Cold storage continues to thrive
as a key segment in the commercial
real estate market, and Newmark
is strategically expanding its
capabilities to meet the growing
demand and to deliver specialized
solutions in a sector that requires
both precision and scale,” said
Jack Fraker, president and global
head of industrial and logistics,
capital markets. “Hiring top-tier
professionals like Dave enables
us to lead in delivering innovative
solutions to our clients. With a solid
track record of delivering impactful,
industry-leading solutions, his
approach drives value across the
supply chain, ensuring clients receive
best-in-class advisory tailored to meet
their unique needs.”
Aschenbrand’s background in the
industrial sector encompasses
material handling system integration,
temperature-controlled public
refrigerated warehousing, industrial
cold storage real estate development
and multimodal North American
and port logistics transportation
solutions, the news release said.
Newmark also cited his hands-
on experience and dedication to
customer-focused solutions, which it
said have made him a trusted fi gure
among clients and partners such as
FreezPak Logistics and FlexCold.
“As a renowned subject matter expert
in cold storage, with a profound
understanding of both the market
and the complexities of this asset
class, Dave will be instrumental in
centralizing and strengthening all
facets of our North American cold
chain capabilities,” Petrillo said.
“The seamless integration of best-in-
class solutions across our services
will continue to set Newmark apart,
reinforcing our leadership in both
cold storage and other high-growth
asset classes as we drive innovation
and set new standards across the
industry.”
Aschenbrand added: “I’m thrilled
to join Newmark at such a pivotal
time for cold storage. With demand
reaching all-time highs, cold storage
has become a cornerstone of the
modern supply chain, requiring
innovative and adaptable solutions.
Our clients need forward-looking
solutions that meet the complexities
of today’s supply chain to optimize
operations and ensure long-term
success. I look forward to working
with Newmark’s exceptional team
to advance our offerings and deliver
outstanding value.”
Newmark’s research team added that
cold storage development surged to
record highs in recent years, fueled
by rising demand from ecommerce
grocery sales, industry consolidation
and growing obsolescence in the
existing inventory. While cold storage
development is elevated, the fi rm
said, it represents less than 3 percent
of the total industrial pipeline, thanks
in part to high costs of speculative
construction and specifi c tenant
needs.
ROCKEFELLER’S
HANBACK NAMED
DEVELOPMENT LEAD
Rockefeller Group has tapped
Executive Vice President Brandi
Hanback as the sole leader of its U.S.
development platform and a pipeline
that totals more than 17 million
square feet.
Hanback, who is based in Annapolis,
Maryland, had been serving as
the fi rm’s co-head of development
since early 2024. Her newest role
began on Jan. 1, as she spearheads
roughly $6 billion in active projects
across Rockefeller Group’s seven