On Thursday November 30th, the Real Estate Association and the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate hosted the 2006 annual Real Estate Alumni Reception. Over two hundred real estate alumni attended the reception, which was held at Vornado Realty Trust’s headquarters on Seventh Avenue.

Joe Azrack, president and CEO of Citigroup Property Investors and a Class of ’72 graduate, offered the keynote address.

This year’s reception marked the inauguration of Columbia Business School’s Real Estate Alumni Circle, a new initiative that brings the School’s most accomplished real estate alumni together for executive education, networking and social events. Membership in the Real Estate Alumni Circle also provides key financial support for Circle programming and Real Estate Circle Fellowships, awarded to deserving students entering the MBA Real Estate program each year.

Many view the Alumni Reception as a networking highlight event. Alan Rubenstein ’93, Director of Asset Management, Broadway Partners, called the reception a “must-attend” evening, adding, “The CBS Real Estate alumni events have traditionally been able to attract top drawer speakers and a good number of well placed Columbia Business School alums. In addition to enjoying the insights of significant players in the industry, it is a terrific opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new connections.”

Sandeep Pathak ’06, Associate, ING Clarion Partners, agreed with Rubenstein and added that the keynote address was also a highlight. “Joe Azrack’s [keynote] gave us an excellent state of the real estate industry as it stands now,” Pathak attested.

To find out more about the Real Estate Alumni Circle, please click here.