Corrie Hu celebrates the completion of the Dream City mural with Queens artist Rob Anderson.

Corrie’s dream took a major step closer to fulfilment once she spoke with Cord Meyer Vice President of Leasing Mary Hughes.

“Mary was fantastic,” Corrie remembers. “I instantly felt very connected to her. She was so warm and kind. It didn’t feel like a business meeting. She asked, ‘How can we help you make your dream a reality?’ Together we figured out the details.”

The entire 6,200-square-foor-space was reimagined and custom-designed for children six years old and under. Today, Dream City is recognized as a valuable community resource offering open play, remote learning, camp, special events, parties, and so much more.

“Cord Meyer has been a supportive part of Dream City from the start,” Corrie concludes. “I would describe them as very professional but also very personal. For instance, when I made Dream City a drop-off location for Toys for Tots, Cord Meyer got involved and dropped off two huge boxes filled with toys. You can tell that they really care about their tenants. It’s been a win-win situation.”

For more information on Dream City, call 718-880-2352 or please visit www.dreamcityfohi.com

Ryan Tatzel began his first day as Cord Meyer’s Director of Development on March 16, 2020. Within four days he was sent home along with the rest of the organization. Covid-19 had instantly changed everything.

“I had to pivot like everyone else,” he observes. “Luckily, I was used to working and studying remotely, but it’s not how I had envisioned my first official week at Cord Meyer.”

A 2009 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he received his BS in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Business, Ryan had spent the ensuing decade developing domestic and international patents, serving in the Navy Reserve, working at a series of investment and property management firms, and co-founding a technology company that was sold to a private equity backed company. Before Cord Meyer, Ryan had most recently served as an intern at Tritec Real Estate Co. It was through Tritec that he was introduced to Cord Meyer President and CEO Matthew Whalen.

“From the moment I met Matt and learned of the development opportunities at Cord Meyer, I wanted to be part of his team,” Ryan states. “I was looking to transition from the start-up world to real estate and here was a 116-year-old family office with an extraordinary portfolio of assets under management. I knew I could bring value to Cord Meyer while learning about the company from the ground up.”

Ryan wore many hats during Cord Meyer’s initial “all-hands-on-deck” response to Covid-19. More recently, however, his efforts have been squarely focused on real estate development following his promotion to Vice President of Development this winter.

While most days now find Ryan managing development projects from conception through stabilization, he still makes time to excel academically. In addition to recently completing his master’s at NYU’s prestigious Schack Institute of Real Estate with a concentration in Finance and Investment and a 4.0 GPA, Ryan was just presented with the 2019/2020 Shack Academic Excellence Award.

Please join us in congratulating Ryan on his many successes and new role as an officer at Cord Meyer.

For Brett Stewart, attending Princeton University provided much more than a stellar education and a BA in Politics. It led the Garden City, New York, native to Cord Meyer, where he was recently hired as Development Manager.

“At Princeton, I studied microeconomics, international relations, physics…you name it. But it was playing for the Princeton University varsity football team that gave me the opportunity to meet Matt Whalen,” Brett explains. “Captains of industry and former players would come in and give motivational speeches to the team. One day it was Matt, who had been the sole captain of the 1987 Princeton team and an outstanding inside and outside linebacker. We developed a friendship and kept in touch. He knew of my interest in real estate and in 2020 invited me to interview at Cord Meyer.”

Brett had been employed by a general contractor for a year, working with his hands and handling all aspects of construction. “I had caught the real estate bug,” he admits, “so when the chance came to join Cord Meyer, I knew it was a great opportunity.”

As Development Manager, Brett lends support to development initiatives and assists Cord Meyer Vice President of Development Ryan Tatzel.

“I try to help Ryan so he can operate more efficiently,” he observes. “We are ramping up on the development side so there is a lot going on. It’s an exciting time at Cord Meyer. I’m very grateful to be part of the organization and definitely appreciate the path that led me here beginning with Matt’s pep talk to the Princeton varsity football team.”