Prestigious honor recognizes business leaders over the age of 60 who have made significant contributions to New Jersey’s business community
Matawan, N.J. (August 24, 2018) –Denholtz Associates, a privately held, fully integrated real estate development, investment and management company, announces that its CEO, Steven Denholtz, has been awarded an NJBIZ ICON Award in recognition of his long career in growing Denholtz Associates and making significant contributions to the New Jersey business community. Steven accepted the award at a breakfast on August 23rd hosted at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, N.J.
The NJBIZ ICON Awards recognize New Jersey business leaders over the age of 60 for their notable success and demonstration of strong leadership both within their chosen field and New Jersey’s business community. Steven exemplifies these traits as he built a 30-year career of success in the real estate industry, navigating the firm through turbulent business cycles with a steady hand and a strong vision.
Since he joined the company in 1983, Denholtz Associates has seen substantial growth from a small operation to employing more than 75 real estate professionals today and doubling the square footage it owns and manages across its portfolio in New Jersey and Florida. Throughout his career, Steven has been guided by a consistent drive to create spaces where the state’s businesses can find homes that allow them to successfully grow and continue to employ thousands of New Jersey residents. Steven has also been a leading force in the redevelopment of Red Bank, N.J. where the firm currently has a number of investments that will help contribute to the Borough’s continued rebirth as a vibrant, walkable urban destination.
“Over 25 years of working together, I have seen Steven grow Denholtz Associates’ into one of the state’s finest real estate investment firms while never losing sight of the important ideals that we were founded upon,” said Stephen Cassidy, President of Denholtz Associates. “This organizational commitment begins at the top with Steven and his example of ethical, responsible and strategic leadership that inspires our entire firm on a daily basis. I am truly lucky to be able to work with Steven each day, and consistently learn invaluable lessons from one of the brightest minds in the New Jersey real estate business.”
In addition to his experience at the helm of Denholtz Associates, Steven serves on the Advisory Council and as faculty for the Kislak Real Estate Institute at Monmouth University. In these roles, Steven provides mentorship and offers his firsthand knowledge of the real estate business to the next generation of real estate leaders.
Steven has also held a wide range of positions as a leader in the real estate community including serving as a Board Member for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Treasurer and Board of Trustees Member of the New Jersey Chapter of NAIOP, and Board Member of Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations. Steven is also a member of the New Jersey Bar Association
Under Steven’s leadership, Denholtz Associates has won the prestigious Outstanding Building of the Year Award (TOBY) from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for 30 Montgomery Street, a Class A office building in Jersey City. Denholtz Associates also received the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties’ (NAIOP) Impact Award in recognition of their standing as industry trendsetters, making a significant impact on commercial and industrial real estate development in New Jersey. Additionally, the firm was recently recognized as an honoree for NJBIZ’s 2017 Business of the Year award and as NJBIZ’s #2 Best Place to Work in New Jersey among medium-sized companies.
Over his career, Steven has worked with countless leaders across the commercial real estate, banking, and construction industries while adhering to a focus on ethical and responsible real estate investment and business transactions. This focus has left a powerful mark on the industry and has served as an inspiration to all of those who have done business with Steven.
Chris Martin, Chairman, President & CEO, Provident Bank
“Steve has been a true entrepreneur in the New Jersey real estate arena. His innovative and thoughtful approach to growing the Denholtz organization has been stellar and his partnership with Provident and the commitment to the communities he serves are laudable.”
Jon Mikula, Senior Managing Director, New Jersey Office Co-Head, Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P.
“Having known and worked with Steven for over 20 years, I have had the pleasure of being around his contagious passion for his business. He is one of the more creative real estate owners in New Jersey with a unique instinct and persistence to find solutions. Despite all that he has going on, running a company with properties in multiple states, he still finds the time to mentor our next generation of real estate professionals by volunteering his time. No doubt, Steven Denholtz is an ICON.”
David Zimmel, President and Co-Founder, Zimmel Associates
“I have had the honor of working with Steve Denholtz and Denholtz Associates for 39 years. Steve is most deserving of being recognized as being an icon, his loyalty and ability to identify solid real estate deals and bring them to closure is unparalleled in our industry. It is truly an honor and a pleasure to work with Steve on a day to day basis for such a long period of time.”
Jerry Zaro, Chair of Banking and Real Estate Services Department, Sills Cummis and Gross, P.C.
“I congratulate Steven Denholtz on being a 2018 ICON Award winner. I’m glad to see the recognition because Steve has been my perennial personal icon since 1990 when we first started to do business together. If the ICON Award criteria recognizes work ethic, professionalism, fundamental fairness, integrity, intellectual brilliance, blended with compassion for others and unfailing good cheer, you’ve made the right selection in Steve Denholtz, who embodies all of those qualities.”
Patrick Ryan, CEO and President, First Bank
“Steve Denholtz has been a loyal customer of First Bank almost from the beginning. As a new community bank in 2008, deposits and quality loans were essential to growth and Mr. Denholtz provided the Bank with both. As we’ve grown over the past 10 years so has our relationship and Steve Denholtz has supported First Bank every step of the way.”
David W. Bernhaut, Vice Chairman, Cushman & Wakefield of New Jersey
“I closed my first sale transaction with Steven Denholtz over twenty years ago. Since that time, I have watched Steven transform the organization into a multifaceted firm that has successfully developed and redeveloped Industrial, flex, office, retail and multi-family properties. Steven has shown a unique combination of creativity, hard work, integrity and calculated risk taking that has paid off over the years.”
Todd E. Lehder, Shareholder, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.
“Over his lifetime of work in commercial real estate, Steve has accumulated the impressive list of professional credentials that you would expect. But it is Steve’s unassuming way of working with people, his practical approach to structuring deals, his vision for overlooked potential combined with his proven ability to execute, that has led to decades of success and made Steven Denholtz, a true NJ business “ICON.”
Christopher D. Maher, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, OceanFirst Bank
“Congratulations to Steve Denholtz for being honored as a 2018 ICON. On behalf of all of your friends at OceanFirst Bank we applaud your success at Denholtz Associates and thank you for generously sharing your time and talents with non-profit and industry organizations to benefit others.”
Steven Schultz, Executive Managing Director, Capital Markets, Newmark Knight Frank
“Although I am proud to have worked with Steven in a professional business capacity for over 30 years, I take the greatest pride in calling him my friend. Steven’s consistent focus on professionalism, integrity and responsible business practices make him one of the leading lights in the New Jersey real estate industry and a true icon in our business community. I applaud Steven for this significant honor and look forward to continuing to work with him for years to come.”