From left: Bhavik Rana, Steve Venuto, Kevin Reilly and Nicolette Matazarro
By Joshua Burd
Ridgecut Road is bolstering its team, announcing several new hires to support its growing portfolio of industrial outdoor storage and low-coverage assets in and around New Jersey.
The firm this week said its recent additions include Bhavik Rana, who manages acquisitions, investment underwriting and due diligence, while Steve Venuto has joined the company to spearhead construction. Kevin Reilly, meantime, leads asset management, while Nicolette Matazarro recently joined to focus on accounting.
“We are excited to continue Ridgecut’s growth trajectory and cement ourselves as a leading industrial operator in the region,” said Scott Shalek, a principal at the firm. “We are fortunate to bring on an incredible and talented team who embody Ridgecut’s values and ethos — character never takes a vacation! We have grown this business organically, brick by brick, by working hard and doing right by our partners, tenants, consultants and taking care of our properties.”
According to a news release, Rana is focused on the sourcing, underwriting and execution of industrial outdoor storage and ground-up development opportunities for Ridgecut Road’s platform. He supports the full acquisition lifecycle, including financial modeling, due diligence, and transaction execution, working closely with brokers, operators and capital partners to evaluate opportunities, structure investments and drive disciplined investment decisions across the firm’s growing portfolio.
Previously, Bhav was a member of JLL’s Northeast industrial real estate advisory group.
Venuto, for his part, oversees all construction and development execution for Ridgecut Road’s industrial and logistics portfolio, leading projects from initial underwriting and due diligence through completion and stabilization, the news release said. He plays a key role in aligning construction strategy with the firm’s investment objectives, focusing on cost efficiency, schedule certainty and value creation across each asset.
The firm added that Venuto brings a fully integrated perspective to development, with experience spanning the ownership, preconstruction and field execution sides of the business. He is responsible for driving procurement strategy, managing design teams and general contractors and implementing disciplined project controls that enhance performance and mitigate risk across Ridgecut’s growing pipeline throughout the tristate area.
In his role, Reilly is responsible for the firm’s asset management vertical, including portfolio management, partner, lender and investor relations, as well as leasing, capital markets and disposition strategy, the news release said. He partners closely with the accounting and construction teams to execute business plans and deliver strong risk-adjusted returns for Ridgecut and its investors, the firm said, adding that he works with partners, tenants, lenders and brokers to ensure efficient execution and operational excellence across its portfolio of investments.
Prior to joining Ridgecut, Reilly was a member of the asset management team at Brookfield Properties.
Matazarro, who joined the firm most recently, is responsible for accounting across its entire portfolio. She is focused on realizing property-level efficiencies, implementing technological improvements and managing monthly reporting, as well as interfacing with tenants, partners and lenders while working to ensure accountability on investment, asset management and construction initiatives.
Prior to joining Ridgecut, Matazarro was a member of B&D Holdings’ accounting team.
“We look forward to continuing our growth alongside the awesome team of seasoned professionals who take pride in the work they do each and every day,” said Eric Shalek, a principal at Ridgecut Road. “We are proud of the Ridgecut team, respect the passion everyone brings to their craft and are excited about what we will accomplish together. Ridgecut’s brand and reputation precedes itself throughout the market — people in the business know we get stuff done and we do it the right way.”
