Renting Space and Negotiating Leases

Scott W. Berfas, Newmark Knight Frank Brokerage Services

Scott Berfas joined Newmark’s Long Island office in 2004. Prior to joining Newmark, Scott Berfas worked at CB Richard Ellis. Mr. Berfas currently serves as a real estate specialist with a focus on the Long Island and New York Metropolitan office market. Mr. Berfas’ experience and professionalism has afforded him a strict client service orientation and a full knowledge of the unique business needs of public and private sector companies.

Mr. Berfas has represented prestigious clients such as: Citibank’s 210,000 SF operations center in Meville, NY. Danaher Corporation in it’s disposition of 180,000 square feet in Port Washington, NY; Sonomed, Inc.’s regional headquarters in Lake Success,NY; Merrill Lynch in its 53,000 square foot lease in Garden City as well as advisory services for their Long Island real estate portfolio; National Law Firm, Binder & Binder in its 56,000 SF Firm Headquarters Lease. Professional Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy in its 20,000 square foot lease in Garden City; U.S. Sterling Capital Corp. in its operations center in Hauppague, NY; GreenPoint Bank, Merrill Lynch, and American Home Mortgage Corp. in acquisition sof mulitple branch locations, and various assignments involving disposition, leasing and acquisition services.

Before entering the real estate industry, Mr. Berfas worked for the Anne McBride Company in Manhattan, a leading investor relations/corporate communications consultancy. At Anne McBride, his responsibilities were focused on advising public telecom companies. He also assisted in providing market research of domestic and international banks for Global Finance Magazine.

Mr. Berfas is a member of Commerical Industry Brokers Society of Long Island, March of Dimes Society, Long Island Chapter and Execuleaders Business Group and sits on the event committee.

EDUCATION
Mr. Berfas received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Delaware and is currently pursuing graduate education in Real Estate related areas.  

Brian D. Lee, Executive Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank Brokerage Services

Brian Lee joined Newmark’s Long Island Office in 2004 as
Executive Managing Director. Prior to joining Newmark, Mr. Lee
worked at CBRE as a Managing Director specializing in corporate tenant transactions.

Mr. Lee has represented tenants, landlords, sellers and purchasers in a myriad of transactions involving office, industrial and retail purchase, sales and leasing.

Mr. Lee has completed over 350 commercial real estate transactions, with an aggregate value in excess of $400 million. He has represented clients such as: Citigroup for a 210,000 square-foot regional back office operations facility in Melville; American Home Mortgage in a 180,000 square-foot corporate headquarters acquisition plus regional call and operation centers for over 80,000 square feet.; Danaher in a 180,000 square-foot industrial disposition; Northrop Grumman in a 385,000 square-foot industrial sale/partial leaseback and in a 93,000 square-foot engineering and development office lease. Mr. Lee completed a multi-layered disposition of an 85,000 square-foot lease obligation for Aether Systems; represented the Roslyn Savings Bank in their 75,000 square-foot headquarters relocation; advised bank branch site selections for GreenPoint Bank, The Roslyn Savings Bank, the First National Bank of Long Island, North Fork Bank and EAB; completed advisory work for Key Corp.and The Bank of New York; advised on back office locations for Fiserv’s 42,000 square-foot check processing center and for Citibank/Fiserv’s 75,000 square-foot Human Resources and Payroll departments; represented Nationwide Mutual Insurance in various transactions totaling 200,000 square feet.

Mr. Lee is a member of CoreNet and is a Long Island Chapter
Board Member. He is also affiliated with Commercial Industrial
Brokers Society of Long Island, Senior Leader Corporate Real
Estate and Board Certification for Corporate Real Estate.

EDUCATION
Mr. Lee received a B.B.A. from the University of Colorado and a
Master of Science in Real Estate from New York University.