New York Leadership Team
CHRIS MAIER
Contractors, CLOSERS & CONNECTIONS
Chris is the Founder of the CCC (Contractors, Closers & Connections), which launched its first chapter in Atlanta in 2019. Since then, Chris has played a pivotal role in expanding the CCC nationwide, helping establish over (20) chapters across the United States.
He specializes in assembling Executive Leadership Teams primarily composed of professionals in real estate development, investment, and finance, fostering a consistent and distinguished brand identity throughout the organization.
Chris has fostered a network of over 50,000 active commercial real estate professionals who regularly attend CCC’s curated private events on an annual basis.
Chris’s professional background spans acquisitions, development, construction, and facilities management. He previously served as Director of Acquisitions at The Montalto Group, held a Director-level role at Cooper & Company General Contractors, and gained operational leadership experience as a Department Manager at Lone Rover Construction.
His early involvement working on behalf of BOMA (Building Owners & Managers Association) sparked his vision for CCC by providing firsthand insight into the operations of a successful real estate association.
In addition to leadership and community building, Chris has worked as a consultant on brokerage and development transactions across multifamily, industrial, office, and retail asset classes. He is also an active investor, participating as a Limited Partner in technology investments and commercial real estate projects.
Beyond commercial real estate, Chris and his wife operate Stargazer Hideaway Rentals, a short-term residential vacation rental business. He is also a Partner with FREED (Freedom through Real Estate Education for Doctors) and RARE (Real Athletes in Real Estate).
Chris currently serves as a Founding Board Member for NAIOS (National Association of Industrial Outdoor Storage), the 1st conference series in the United States dedicated toward serving professionals in the Industrial Outdoor Storage asset class.
Chris currently serves as a Partner for the Small Bay Summit, the 1st conference series in the United States dedicated toward serving professionals in the Small Bay Industrial Real Estate asset class.
Chris currently serves as a Partner for the Data Center Dealmakers Summit and Build To Rent Summit.
Chris currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for WePartner Group in Atlanta.
Chris currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Futureverse Museum in Atlanta.
He has previously served on the boards of several nonprofit and professional organizations, including Mentor Me North Forsyth, Hands Across Atlanta, and LAI (Lambda Alpha International) Land Economics Society.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and an MBA from the University of the Rockies. A fitness enthusiast and a proud supporter of U.S. veterans, Chris is deeply committed to empowering others through CCC—helping professionals build meaningful relationships, grow in their careers, and enhance their overall quality of life.
RICK RIZZUTO
RAREFIED REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
Richard P. Rizzuto, KAV (Rick) received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ in May of 2001, lives in Basking Ridge, NJ, and presently serves as the Principal and Managing Partner of Rarefied Real Estate Partners, LLC (“Rarefied”) as well as the Chairman of RPR Marketing Solutions (“RPR”), a celebrity based product placement and integration firm formerly based in New York City.
For 10 years prior to founding Rarefied, Mr. Rizzuto served as a Managing Director & Broker of Record for Transwestern Commercial Services of New York, a privately held international real estate firm, where he was responsible for creating buyer, seller, tenant, and agency relationships with landlords, building owners, tenants and the like. To date Mr. Rizzuto has successfully done so with many brands from Rothmann’s Steak House in NYC to Daniel Cremieux luxury clothing out of France, to HUGO BOSS, Overland Sheepskin Company, Alaska Fur Company, Harvest Restaurant Group, AT&T, and more. On the agency side, while aligned with Transwestern and now at Rarefied, Mr. Rizzuto has created exclusive relationships totaling almost 10,000,000 square feet of represented space and has put Rarefied’s real estate capabilities on the map in the Northeast by expertly tapping in to and utilizing his deep network, out-of-the-box thinking and capabilities, and managerial expertise.
HEATHER GALLAGHER
ACRISURE
Heather Gallagher, known as being the “networking queen” is a “client advocate” at Acrisure, based in Florham Park, NJ. Heather loves the Insurance business and loves to help people insure some of the largest assets that they own. Heather describes herself as a “one stop shop” since she can literally handle ALL types of insurance in ALL 50 states for all of her clients. Acrisure is global as well so she is truly one stop shop. P&C, Health, Life, Cannabis, etc, you name it; Heather can insure it. Heather works with business owners, investors, brokers, realtors, builders, attorneys, etc.
Heather is a natural connector; she loves to host a great event and more than anything, she loves establishing meaningful connections. When Heather attended her first CCC Event, she knew instantly that she wanted to start a CCC NJ chapter because she was SO impressed with the caliber of people that attended. People were doing deals and there was no fluff. Everyone was like-minded and was very deliberate about Commercial Real Estate business, which is what she is most excited about. Quality people at a high-class event = Win/Win! She is excited to get CCC Garden State off the ground with her business partner Rick Rizzuto.
GAURAV KHANNA
VAL-ADD REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
Gaurav Khanna is the founder of Val-Add Partners, a specialized real estate advisory firm he launched in 2019. His journey in real estate spans over 25 years, with a focus on enhancing asset value through strategic repositioning and capital restructuring. Gaurav’s prior experience includes impactful roles at Vornado Realty Trust and Gazit Horizons, where he honed his expertise in expanding large REIT portfolios, and at Le Pain Quotidien, leading significant real estate growth.
At the helm of Val-Add, Gaurav orchestrates a multi-faceted approach combining vision, financial acumen, and execution strategies. He heads an executive team with a remarkable track record, boasting over $20 billion in deal experience and 80 years of combined industry insight. This team leverages their prowess in areas like valuation analysis, loan restructuring, and asset management to drive client success.
In addition to his leadership at Val-Add, Gaurav serves as an adjunct professor at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, sharing his wealth of knowledge with the next generation of real estate professionals. His academic credentials include graduate degrees from Harvard University and Pratt Institute, reflecting a deep understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of real estate.
Gaurav’s role at Val-Add is more than a position; it’s a manifestation of his passion for real estate and a testament to his belief in the transformative power of visionary asset management. He sees each project not just as a transaction, but as an opportunity to create lasting value and impact. It’s this philosophy that energizes Gaurav, driving him to continually explore innovative solutions in the dynamic world of real estate.
JOSEPH KAZLAU
KAZ FINANCIAL GROUP
Joseph P Kazlau is a seasoned financial professional with over a decade of expertise in wealth management and estate planning. With a strong foundation in finance and accounting, Joe embarked on his career journey as a Leverage Buyout Modeling Intern at an investment banking institute, where he honed his analytical and strategic skills.
After graduating from Dowling College with a degree in finance and accounting, Joe joined Ameriprise Financial, a prominent financial services company. There, he became an integral part of a top practice dedicated to providing asset management strategies tailored to high-net-worth individuals and families. His commitment and results during his tenure at Ameriprise propelled him forward.
Driven by a personal experience, Joe recognized the critical importance of comprehensive estate planning. This realization, spurred by his father’s passing without an estate plan, motivated him to transition to New York Life. At New York Life, Joe dedicated his expertise to assisting small business owners in fostering, safeguarding, and transferring their generational wealth. His hands-on approach and strategic guidance led him to ascend to the position of Partner in New York Life’s leading office.
As a pivotal member of New York Life’s Long Island leadership team, Joe leveraged his skills to develop one of the most successful advisory teams within the branch. His leadership, coupled with his dedication to empowering clients, cemented his reputation as a trusted financial professional.
Joe recognized an unmet need in the market for a comprehensive planning organization that offers Family Office Services to high-net-worth families. In response to this need, he founded the Kaz Financial Group, an entity dedicated to helping affluent families grow, safeguard, and perpetuate their generational wealth. With a deep commitment to his clients’ financial success, Joe takes pride in his role as a catalyst for their prosperity.
Throughout his career, Joseph P Kazlau’s journey has been characterized by his dedication to providing personalized financial solutions, his adept leadership, and his drive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of his clients. His holistic approach to wealth management and estate planning has not only established his reputation as a respected professional but has also positively impacted the financial legacies of countless individuals and families
DERMOT O'Sullivan
GARRISON HILL GROUP
With nearly 20 years of experience in commercial real estate and construction, Dermot O’Sullivan has built a career delivering complex projects with precision, efficiency, and an unwavering commitment to quality. From his early days as a carpenter to leading multimillion dollar initiatives as a Director of Design & Construction, he offers a ground up understanding of how to take a project from concept to completion. In 2024, he founded Garrison Hill Group to bring that experience directly to clients, offering hands-on leadership and owner-focused construction management services.
Dermot specializes in managing the full project lifecycle: design, preconstruction, construction, and closeout for a variety of construction projects in all sectors of the industry. His ability to bridge the gap between owners, tenants, architects, engineers, and contractors ensures that projects stay on track, on time, on budget, and to the highest standards.
He brings a strategic, collaborative leadership style grounded in accountability. In high pressure, fast paced environments, Dermot excels at leading teams, managing budgets and schedules, and navigating challenges with clarity and control. His strengths in problem solving and risk mitigation help keep projects moving where others might stall.
For Dermot, isn’t just about building spaces, it’s about building people. He is deeply committed to mentorship and leadership development, actively sharing his knowledge to help others grow within the industry.
GINA MARIE ROMEO
1 CONNECT SOURCE / RARIFIED REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
Gina M. Romeo is the Founder & Principal Consultant at Connect Source Consulting Group, and she holds a NJ Real Estate License as the Senior Associate of Key Accounts with Rarefied Real Estate Partners.
With over two decades of experience and relationships established within the Retail, Restaurant, Design & Construction industries, she has been extremely successful at CONNECTING with people and developing business.
Gina is very passionate about the commercial real estate & construction industries, and truly believes that her success has come from bringing all the right partners together through collaboration & teamwork.
She is a proud and active member of the following industry-specific organizations:
- Conscious Capitalism – (Co- Founder, PA Chapter and Board Member, NY Chapter)
- RCA – Retail Contractors Association (Marketing Committee)
- ICSC – (Innovating Commerce, Serving Communities – Marketplace Leader – PA, NJ, DE – Membership Co-Chair – Next Generation Committee and Program Planning Committee)
- RDI – Retail Design Institute (Membership Chair and NY Chapter Member)
- CCRP – Commercial Construction & Renovation Magazine (Editorial Board)
- Pipeline – Women in Commercial RE, Design & Construction
LEO YOUNG
CORNELL COMMUNITIES
Leo is a seasoned real estate professional and entrepreneur, co-founding Cornell Communities with a vision to invest in affordable housing and provide strong risk-adjusted returns for its investors. With a robust background in real estate and a track record of success, Leo has orchestrated over $40M in real estate sales, played a pivotal role on the Acquisition Team of a $4.5B Private Equity Fund, and also been involved with a number of real estate investments as a GP, LP, and JV partner.
He was also #1 Regional Salesperson at Tesla, which shaped his work ethic, vision, and optimism. Leo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and a Commercial Real Estate Certification from Cornell University. Driven by a mission to positively impact the lives of a million people, Leo is committed to leveraging his expertise to make a meaningful difference.