By Joshua Burd
First National Realty Partners LLC has tapped a real estate and construction industry veteran to lead a newly branded and expanded division that will serve its own projects and third-party clients.
The investment manager, which is based in Red Bank, said Brian Tobiasz will serve as president of the owner’s representative and general contracting business known as R. Weber Construction, an outgrowth of its existing in-house construction unit. The move will allow FNRP to execute on construction activities at its own properties nationwide with greater efficiency, the company said, while offering tenants the same options for fit-outs at locations outside its portfolio.
“RWC has a different perspective on managing construction projects,” Tobiasz said. “We think like owners because we are owners. We view projects from the client’s perspective and align our thought process with their goals to deliver a world-class project.
“In addition, we can provide a seamless platform of construction management and general contracting that will allow superior value-add building for our clients by pursuing their vision and managing project costs and schedule through all facets of the construction process.”
This announcement comes amid FNRP’s continued growth in its core niche of grocery-anchored, necessity-based retail assets. The firm noted that it oversees the investment lifecycle in-house from acquisition to disposition, seeking to achieve maximum value for its properties and returns for its partners.
According to Kurt Padavano, FNRP’s chief operating officer, increased demand for construction management services within the firm’s own portfolio and industrywide made it a natural move to establish R. Weber Construction. He also cited the importance of finding the right leader for the business.
Tobiasz, for his part, has spent his career in the tristate area, working on multiple projects as both a general contractor and owner’s representative, according to a news release. He rose through the ranks in the construction industry, assuming leadership positions that involved managing day-to-day business operations and developing strategies and processes to drive growth, while going on to launch his own construction management company, Tobiasz Management, which was later acquired by real estate services firm Newark.
Tobiasz, a well-regarded member of the state’s commercial real estate community, is a graduate of the United States Air Force Military Police Academy and earned a bachelor’s in construction management from New York University.
“Brian is an accomplished professional with over 30 years of experience in ground-up development and redevelopment in the retail, office, industrial and residential sectors,” Padavano said. “His track record of success working with real estate owners and developers, coupled with his operations and management expertise, makes him uniquely qualified to build the RWC team, processes and brand into a national platform, and infuse it with the ‘Treat It Like You Own It’ mindset that is central to FNRP’s company culture.”
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