Student Housing Business is the voice of the student housing industry.
Issue link: https://studenthousingbusiness.epubxp.com/i/564824
THE SHB INTERVIE W JULY/AUGUST 2015 STUDENT HOUSING BUSINESS .COM 78 ly run themselves, I think there is now plenty of evidence otherwise. Without either a captive operat- ing platform or the right operat- ing partner grinding it out day- to-day, your property will sufer. This is a very exciting and pivotal time in the sector as we continue to see real change. And the change includes many components, from the entry of larger institutional investors to broad based recogni- tion of the importance of perfor- mance, to trends that are set based on what the larger REITs will or will not do, to supply cycles and the aftershock of deliveries that don't necessarily go according to budget. There is no shortage of assets that are currently owned by investor groups or individuals that are not long for the business. The capital markets have enabled a lot of players to succeed over the last few years, and we expect that over the next few years we will see a greater bifurcation among winners and losers. I believe that other asset types, whether oper- ationally intensive like health- care or the hospitality sector, or more adjacent like multifamily, ofer important precedents to bet- ter understand the types of pos- sibilities that we can expect to see as the student housing sector matures over time. SHB: What do you like to do out- side the ofce? Lewittes: I am an avid skier and I run and cycle regularly. I've also got three kids who keep me as distracted and busy as they can. I am on the road a fair amount for both business and pleasure, and having spent most of my adult life in New York, I tend to be back and forth fairly often. SHB: What makes you excited about the student housing busi- ness, and what makes you come to work every day? Lewittes: What I am most excited about is being part of an orga- nization and a team that is so passionate about the opportuni- ties that we have defned for our- selves. We set our bar high, which I think has enabled us to seize some unique opportunities. There really is never a dull moment. We sort of joke internally that by the time we get to closing on any one deal, the goal should be to have our next portfolio nearly under contract. With that objective, you can appreciate that we are mov- ing at an aggressive clip as we grow the business. We also have a very upbeat, high energy cul- ture that permeates the organiza- tion. Hopefully that dynamic is evident to people in their inter- actions with all members of our team, both at the corporate and property levels, as we recognize that our success, and the ability to take advantage of the opportuni- ties that we have carved out for ourselves, results from the profes- sionalism and dedication of every member of the organization. SHB For speaking and sponsorship information contact Rich Kelley at 914-468-0818 or rkelley@francemediainc.com interfaceconferencegroup.com/och2015 SAVE THE DATE Schedule at a Glance 3:00-5:00 pm - Programs & Opening Session 5:00-7:00 pm - Networking Reception OCT. 21 8:00 am-4:30 pm - Conference 4:30-6:15 pm - Networking Reception OCT. 22 8:00 am-12:15 pm - Project Tours at Arizona State University OCT. 23 Get educated on the continued growth of public private partnerships and the different structures and fnancing techniques used to make them happen, as well discuss the evolving role of housing and how the architecture and design of both new and renovated projects is transforming the mission and place of on-campus housing Education & Networking Relationship Building Project Tours 50 YEARS PLATINUM SPONSORS SILVER SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS KEYNOTE SPEAKER Michael Wood Youth Expert and Presenter The 747 Group