By Joshua Burd
Kokes Properties has added to its growing team with the hiring of a development associate.
Aurelia Del Rossi, a recent graduate of Rutgers University, has assumed a full-time role after a recent internship with the Brielle-based firm. Her responsibilities include project underwriting, budgeting, accounting administration, construction oversight and social media marketing for the company’s portfolio.
“I knew from the beginning of my internship that this is where I wanted to work,” Del Rossi said. “Everything from the culture to the tasks at hand made me feel comfortable and pushed me to learn more than I could have ever imagined.”
In a news release, Kokes Properties said its affiliation with the Center for Real Estate at Rutgers Business School played a key role in its newest hire. Morris A. Davis, the Paul V. Profeta Chair of Real Estate and academic director of the center, was responsible for introducing Del Rossi to the firm and paving the way for her internship.
The company also cited the longstanding collaboration between its president, Michael J. Kokes, and the real estate program. In addition to providing internship opportunities, Kokes has been a guest lecturer and sponsors an annual scholarship at the Rutgers Center for Real Estate to support the program’s growing community of young real estate professionals.
Del Rossi, who graduated last year with a degree in finance and a real estate concentration, pointed to Davis’ role as a mentor and influence in helping her secure scholarships and internships.
“Aurelia was one of our top students, Davis said. “Aside from doing well in the classroom, she was an executive leader of the Real Estate Club and a participant in the elite (International Council of Shopping Centers) case-study competition. Her passion for real estate was apparent from day one. I appreciate that Mike Kokes — a great partner to the Rutgers Center for Real Estate — hired Aurelia as an intern initially, as I thought she could learn a lot from the opportunity.”
Davis added that he is “delighted that Aurelia is now a full-time employee at Kokes Properties.”
“The way [Del Rossi] has stepped into the workplace and made an immediate impact speaks both to her career-readiness and, in turn, to the quality of the real estate program at Rutgers,” said Clark McIntyre, vice president of operations at Kokes Properties. “We knew prior to the internship assignment that we would receive a candidate with high character, strong work ethic and fundamental business and real estate knowledge. We welcome [Del Rossi] to the team and look forward to continuing to build the Rutgers and Kokes Properties connection.”
