THE COMMERCIAL OBSERVER | DECEMBER 11, 2012 | 39
Veronica Mainetti has scoured the United States for trophy build-ings on behalf of the Sorgente Group of America, a subsidiary of the company her family operates from Rome.
As president of Sorgente’s stateside satellite, Ms. Mainetti, 33, helped the company acquire the Flatiron Building in New York and the Fine Arts Building in Los Angeles. But it was her role as first-time mother, a job she start-ed 15 months ago, that has proven one of the biggest challenges of her life.
“Being 100-percent a business-woman and 100-percent a full-time mom is just not possible,” she told The Commercial Observer during an interview in Soho, where she lives with her family. “I had to start to delegate. Being a type-A person-
ality who wants to keep everything under her full control, it has been difficult.”
After studying design at the European Institute of Design in Rome, Ms. Mainetti arrived in New York to pursue a master’s de-gree at Parsons, but soon enough took the reins of the American branch of her family’s company. Among her first deals was the pur-chase of a share of the Chrysler Building—later sold to a sover-eign fund of Abu Dhabi for three times the initial investment.
Today her son is her first pri-ority, but she is still very much in charge of the company, Since this summer, she has inked the deal for the Fine Arts Building, planned a forthcoming residen-tial conversion of three Tribeca office buildings and pursued ac-
quisitions in California.“I spent a very long time lis-
tening to my grandma speaking about the charm of this city,” Ms. Mainetti said of New York.
“Maybe [my] passion for its history and its historic buildings dates [to] back then.” —Alessia Pirolo
Ellen IsraelJRT Realty Group Inc.
Senior DirectorYear joined: 2011
Recently sold 71 Smith Street in Brooklyn to the Carlyle Group.
Emily JonesCBRE
AssociateYear joined: 2011
Specializes in tenant representa-tion and advisory services.
Helene JacobsonCBRE
Managing Director Year joined: 1992
Valuated high-profile properties including the MetLife Building, the Seagram Building, the Plaza
Hotel and MiMa.
Tatiana JungWinick Realty Group
DirectorYear joined: 2007
Clients include Gotham Organization, Sol Goldman and
the French Institute Alliance Française.
Amy JohannesOaktree Capital Management
Vice PresidentYear joined: 2008
Worked on a recent deal with Sea Island.
Elizabeth JuvilerRice & Associates
BrokerYear joined: 2010
Leased over 85,000 square feet in Silicon Alley.
Monica KassWinick Realty Group
DirectorYear joined: 2006
Represented ownership in the 40,000-square-foot REI flagship store deal in the Puck Building.
Francine KellmanPreservation Development
PartnersCo-Principal
Year joined: 2011Recently completed her first purchase, the 75-unit Trinity
Apartments in Bronx Park.
Meghan KennyCBRE
Communications and Media Manager
Year joined: 2007Received Manhattan Shared
Services Professional of the Year Award in 2011.
Marion JonesEastern Consolidated
DirectorYear joined: 2010
Focuses on note and simple asset sales across all asset types, including development and
hospitality.
Susan KahanerCBRE
Senior Vice PresidentYear joined: 1994
Clients include Foundation Center, the Better Business Bureau and the Museum of
Modern Art.
Karen KasteelMassey Knakal River Oak
Managing DirectorYear joined: 2012
Work has included the Illinois Student Assistance Commission,
TIAA-CREF and the Kellogg Foundation.
Maureen KellyCushman & Wakefield
Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets
Year joined: 2006Selected as New York Area
Consulting Professional of the Year in 2008.
Abby KerrCBRE
Real Estate Event ManagerYear joined: 2010
Plans annual CBRE Women’s Networking Forum in Chicago.
Veronica Mainetti, Sorgente Group of AmericaPresident