Crains New York - January 21, 2013 - (Page 8)

BUSINESS PEOPLE 520B minutes spent in the U.S. on mobile gadgets and PCs last July, up 21% from 2011 Source: Nielsen buck ennis EXECUTIVE MOVES GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Jeffrey Nissani finally found his investment—the popular nightclub Goldbar, known for its unusual decor. GOTHAM GIGS A broker walks into a bar … Going from agent to owner is all in the timing His plans started coming into focus with a punch in the gut It’s a common refrain among commercial brokers: If they could just squirrel away enough cash from arranging leases, one day they’ll pour the money into an investment of their own. ¶ That plan had long been Jeffrey Nissani’s. Having run his own successful brokerage for more than 10 years, he contemplated buying a condominium during the recession and renting it out. He also considered turning his love of boxing—and his desire to compete in the Golden Gloves—into a gym business. Both deals fell through. Then came a punch in the gut, literally, during a sparring match, leading to an injury that put his boxing bid on the ropes. ¶ Mr. Nissani, now 36, was looking for a new deal when, last year, he invested in a partnership that bought Goldbar, a popular nightclub on Broome Street in Little Italy that has drawn an A-list crowd of celebrity patrons like Justin Timberlake. The club is known for its 8 | Crain’s New York Business | January 21, 2013 gold decor and its stack of miniature gold skulls adorning the walls. ¶ Mr. Nissani is no stranger to the bar scene. He brokered the Buddha Bar’s enormous 16,000-square-foot lease in the meatpacking district in 2004. He has considered investing in other restaurants and clubs but always steered away because of the financial risk. “It can cost hundreds of dollars per square foot to redo a nightclub space. It’s a tremendous capital investment,” Mr. Nissani said. “In this case, I didn’t bat an eyelash.” His partners include restaurateurs Shaun Rose and Udi Vaknin. ¶ Mr. Nissani, who is in talks with hotels around the country to expand the Goldbar brand, is enjoying ownership. “As a broker, you’re just immersed in the space,” he said. “As an owner, you’re trying to figure out how everyone is feeling, what is off and on, what we need to capitalize on and what we —daniel geiger need to change.” Bonnier Corp.: Dave Freygang, 57, was promoted to president and chief executive of the publishing company. He was previously executive vice president for its active-interest division. Thrillist Media Group: Todd Anderman, 45, joined as president of sales, marketing and operations. He was previously chief media and revenue officer at Jumptap. Howard Ecker + Co.: Pamela Parasugo, 39, was promoted to chief operating officer at the real estate company. She was previously vice president. Knowledge Delivery Systems: John Lent, 58, joined the professional development solutions provider as chief operating officer. He was previously executive director at New Leaders. Gensler: Robin Klehr Avia, 58, was promoted to chairwoman of the board at the design and architecture firm. She was previously vice chairwoman and will continue her role as regional managing principal. National Basketball Association: Jason Cahilly, 42, joined as chief financial officer and executive vice president, strategy. He was previously partner and global co-head of media and telecommunications in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs & Co. BDO USA: Todd Kinney, 42, was promoted to relationship director for the private-equity practice at the accounting and consulting firm. He was previously Northeast regional director of business development. International Center of Photography: Moira Ariev, 49, joined the nonprofit as deputy director of development. She was previously vice president for development and government relations at Repair the World. New York League of Conservation Voters: Joshua Klainberg, 40, was promoted to senior vice president at the nonprofit. He was previously political director. MNI Targeted Media Inc.: Rob Moore, 46, was promoted to senior vice president of sales at the marketing firm. He was previously vice president of sales. Multimedia Plus: Carole Lynn Duffy, 48, joined the retail communications and learning company as vice president of business development. She was previously a consultant at Gap Inc. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Sacha Ross, 40, was promoted to partner at the law firm. He was previously an associate. Carter Ledyard & Milburn: Pamela Mann, 69, joined the law firm as a partner and chair of its tax-exempt organizations group. She was previously at Mann Legal Group,

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - January 21, 2013

Crains New York - January 21, 2013
In the Boroughs
In the Markets
The Insider
Business People
Corporate Ladder
Opinion
Greg David
Real Estate Deals
Report: Small Business
Classifieds
New York, New York
Source Lunch
Out and About
Snaps

Crains New York - January 21, 2013