About Careers in Real Estate
The annual Careers in Real Estate event hosted by the Grossman School of Business (GSB) features networking opportunities, a Q&A, and a panel discussion with a number of senior level alumni about the different facets of the world of real estate. Discussions focus on real estate finance, capital markets, professional services, development, investments, and more.
This event is open to all University of Vermont (UVM) students. GSB students are strongly encouraged to attend and earn PEAKS points.
2024 Event Details
March 1, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Ifshin Hall Keller Room
Event Schedule
- 9 a.m.: Light breakfast and networking
- 9:30 - 11 a.m.: Careers in Real Estate panel discussion
- 11 a.m.: Formal Q&A
- 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Networking lunch and informal Q&A
2024 Careers in Real Estate Panelists
Rob Dickey '83
Rob Dickey is a senior partner at Leggat McCall Properties in Boston, MA. He serves on the firm’s executive committee, co-heads acquisitions, and leads four of the firm’s largest principal development projects – 40 Thorndike in East Cambridge, Boynton Yards and 15 McGrath along the Cambridge/Somerville line, and the Vale in Woburn.
With 40 years of real estate experience, Rob has special expertise in acquisition, development, project management, and financing. His projects have spanned life science and office developments, university projects, corporate relocations, residential, and complex planning and advisory assignments. Over his career, he has managed the development of over six million square feet at a value in excess of $4 billion. Select clients and financial partners have included Clarion Partners, ARE, DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners, Granite Properties, CBRE Investment Management, Harvard University, Wellesley College, Brandeis University, Polaroid, KBS Realty Advisors, Equity Office Properties, Accenture, and Stride Rite. Prior to joining Leggat McCall Properties in 2011, Rob was a National Director at JLL where he ran a 30+ person development and project management group in the Boston region. His role at JLL resulted from the company’s acquisition of Spaulding & Slye where Rob was an owner and served in a similar role. His career started at LaSalle Partners in Chicago and at Northland Investment Corporation in Newton, MA.
Rob holds a B.A. from the University of Vermont, is a member of the Harvard Corporation Facilities Committee, and has served on multiple non-profit boards, including Citizen Schools, the Fessenden School, and the MGB Corporation in connection with Newton Wellesley Hospital. He has been an active leader in NAIOP and the Urban Land Institute and has been active in many local community organizations and not-for-profit building committees.
Deborah McAneny ’81
Deborah McAneny '81 currently serves as the Lead Independent Director of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. (NYSE: KREF), a Director of JLL, Inc. (NYSE: JLL), RREEF Property Trust Inc, and RREEF America REIT II. Ms. McAneny also serves as an advisor to several private companies. She is the former Chief Operating Officer of Benchmark Senior Living, LLC and former Executive Vice President, Structured and Alternative Investments and Policy Committee member for John Hancock Financial Services. During her 20 years at John Hancock Ms. McAneny also served as CEO of Hancock Natural Resource Group; Senior Vice President, Real Estate Investment Group; President, John Hancock Real Estate Finance; and Chief Financial Officer, Hancock Realty Investors. Ms. McAneny began her career as an auditor with Arthur Andersen & Co in Boston. She has been on the Board of Directors of the UVM Foundation since 2018 and currently serves as its Chair. She is also a former Trustee of the University of Vermont (2004-2016) and served as its Board Chair from 2014 to 2016. Ms. McAneny earned a Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of Vermont in 1981.
Rob Russell ’91
Rob brings more than 25 years of real estate experience to Greystone and has executed transactions in excess of $12 billion throughout his distinguished career. Previously, Rob was the Chief Production Officer at Pillar Multifamily, LLC and served as a Managing Director at Wachovia Securities, where his duties included originating and structuring debt/preferred equity transactions in the United States, and establishing Wachovia’s lending operations in Canada. He has also held similar positions at Credit Suisse, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, and Nomura Asset Capital Corporation. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and a Juris Doctorate from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He serves as the Co-chair on the Advisory Board of the School of Business Administration at the University of Vermont.
Adam Spies '96
Adam Spies, is the Co-Head of Capital Markets for Newmark, based in New York City. He has created a unique track record in advising top institutional global investors with a specialization in high-value assets over his last 23 years of experience in the real estate advisory business. Adam has worked on over $200 billion of transactions across all asset classes, including office, multifamily, retail, industrial and hotel. Adam spent the first 17 years of his brokerage career at Eastdil Secured. Alongside partner Doug Harmon, the duo have been recognized as the leading investment sales brokers in New York City, producing the highest total annual sales volume and executing some of the largest deals of the year throughout the history of their careers. In 2016, Adam, alongside Doug and other partners from Eastdil, joined Cushman & Wakefield, serving as the Chairman of Global Capital Markets. For the five years from 2018-2022, the team led C&W to have the top market share of 36% across all assets classes in NYC Metro with over $55 billion in transactions. In February of 2023, Adam alongside his full team made the move over to Newmark to be Co-Head of US Capital Markets. Adam started his career as an accountant at Deloitte Touche.
News Coverage
Navigating Success
Panelists guided the conversation on navigating a thriving career in the real estate industry, offering students exposure to real-life experiences and valuable connections.
Learn More About the 2024 Careers in Real Estate