Newark Regional Business Partnership to Launch Real Estate Council to Strengthen Industry Collaboration and Shape Programming

Speakers at NRBP's 2025 Real Estate Market Forum (l-r) Jonathan Schulz, Onyx Equities, LLC; Ferlanda Fox Nixon, NRBP; Jennifer Mazawey, NRBP; Frank Ferruggia, McCarter & English LLP; Pedro Gomes, Gomes Group LLC Photo credit: NRBP/pocstock

Newark, NJ | February 9, 2026 — The Newark Regional Business Partnership (NRBP) is proud to announce the formation of its new Real Estate Council, an initiative designed to bring together a diverse group of NRBP members to create a trusted forum for candid, in-depth dialogue around real estate development in the Greater Newark region. In addition to sharing perspectives and surfacing challenges and opportunities, Council members will play an instrumental role in shaping NRBP’s annual Real Estate Market Forum, one of the organization’s signature events, helping to ensure its relevance, impact, and alignment with market realities.
 
“Real estate plays a critical role in shaping the future of Newark and our broader region,” said Ferlanda Fox Nixon, President and CEO of the Newark Regional Business Partnership. “By launching the Real Estate Council, we are creating a space for industry leaders to come together, exchange insights, and help guide high impact programming. We’re excited to engage and learn directly from this community as we continue to build programs that support thoughtful growth and neighborhood transformation.”
 
NRBP’s Real Estate Council was initiated by NRBP members Frank Ferruggia, Partner, McCarter & English, LLP and NRBP Board Member; and Carissa Borraggine, Realtor & Business Broker. The Council includes the following NRBP member organizations, among many others:  

• Audible
• Carissa Borraggine, Realtor & Business Broker
• CBRE 
• CenterPoint Properties 
• Clinton Hill Community Action
• Connell Foley 
• CSG Law
• The Da Silva Team
• Edison Properties
• EqualSpace
• FBT Gibbons 
• K&L Gates
• Makerhoods
• McCarter & English, LLP
• MIG Real Estate
• Montclair State University
• New Community Corporation
• Newark Housing Authority
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• ONYX / One Gateway Center 
• OPEX CRE Management LLC
• PNC Bank
• Savills
• Turner Construction Co
• Turning Point Community Services
• University Hospital 

“The Newark business community and the Newark Regional Business Partnership have always been committed to the growth and development of our city and the greater region,” said Ferruggia. “The Real Estate Council will contribute to that mission by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, education, and advocacy for those interested in the success of real estate development in Greater Newark.”
 
The Real Estate Council is open to NRBP members whose work intersects with real estate, development, finance, design, construction, and related fields. Through ongoing engagement, the Council will help ensure that NRBP’s real estate programming continues to reflect the priorities and perspectives of those actively shaping the region.
 
The Real Estate Council joins NRBP’s growing slate of industry- and affinity-based councils, including Transportation, Nonprofit, Entrepreneur, and Women’s, designed to deepen member engagement and foster meaningful collaboration across the Greater Newark region and beyond. Together, these councils expand opportunities for NRBP members to build relationships with like-minded, industry-focused peers while contributing to dialogue and programming that supports the continued growth of Newark and the surrounding region.
 
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About Newark Regional Business Partnership
As the premier chamber of commerce serving the Greater Newark region, the Newark Regional Business Partnership (NRBP) creates opportunities for businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, and community leaders to connect, expand their networks, strengthen their organizations, and contribute to a vibrant and competitive Greater Newark economic ecosystem. Through convenings, programs, and strategic partnerships, NRBP works to support business growth and advance Newark’s economic vitality. For more information about NRBP, visit www.newarkrbp.org.

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