Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> July 15, 2016
Glenn Rufrano assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of VEREIT, Inc., on April 1, 2015. Since joining the organization, Mr. Rufrano reconstituted the board of directors, formalized the VEREIT management team and introduced a business plan to guide the company’s strategy. Before joining VEREIT, Mr. Rufrano served as the Chairman and CEO of O’Connor Capital Partners, a real estate investment firm specializing in retail and multifamily residential properties. He was among the founders of O’Connor in 1983. Prior to rejoining O’Connor in 2013, Mr. Rufrano served as President and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Inc., the world’s largest privately held commercial real estate services company. From January 2008 to February 2010, he was CEO of Centro Properties Group, an Australian LPT, which owned 22 million square feet of retail property in Australia and 100 million square feet in the U.S. From April 2007 through January 2008, Mr. Rufrano served as CEO of Centro Properties Group U.S. Until its acquisition by Centro Properties Group in April 2007, Mr. Rufrano was CEO of New Plan Excel Realty Trust, Inc., as well as a member of the company’s board of directors. Mr. Rufrano serves on the board of directors for Ventas, Inc., and in the past has served as a director of Trizec Properties, Inc., Criimi Mae Inc. and General Growth Properties. He currently serves on the advisory boards at New York University’s Real Estate Institute and at Baruch College. Mr. Rufrano is a trustee and a member of both the International Council of Shopping Centers and Urban Land Institute, and serves on the board of New Alternatives for Children, a not-for-profit health and social services agency. Mr. Rufrano earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University and Master of Science in management and real estate from Florida International University. Profile
TWST: Please start with some background on the company to introduce VEREIT to readers in terms of its history and how its new name and current management team came to