Stephen R. Blank joined ULI in December 1998 as Senior Fellow, Finance. His primary responsibilities include: expanding ULI’s real estate capital markets information and education programs; authoring real estate capital market commentary; participating as a principal researcher and adviser for the Emerging Trends in Real Estate series of publications; organizing and participating in real estate capital markets programs at ULI events worldwide; and participating in industry meetings, seminars, and conferences.

Prior to joining ULI, Blank served from December 1993 to November 1998 as Managing Director, Real Estate Investment Banking of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. His responsibilities included: structuring, underwriting, and executing corporate financings including initial public offerings of common and preferred shares, unsecured debentures, and convertible bonds; property acquisitions, dispositions, and financing; and financial advisory services including mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, and recapitalizations.

Prior to joining Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., Blank served from February 1989 to November 1993 as Managing Director of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.’s Real Estate Corporate Finance Department, where he was responsible for property acquisitions, dispositions, and financings, as well as providing financial advisory services including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations.

From August 1979 to January 1989, Blank served as Managing Director, Real Estate Investment Banking, of Kidder, Peabody & Co., Inc. where his responsibilities included property acquisitions and dispositions, placement of mortgage financing, financial advisory services, and corporate financings. Additionally, Blank served as President of KP Realty Advisers, Inc., the firm’s real estate investment advisory subsidiary.

From August 1973 to July 1979, Blank was a Vice President, Corporate Finance, of Bache & Co., Incorporated, where he was responsible for transaction origination, due diligence, and structuring, marketing and closing, and post-offering supervision of SEC-registered and privately placed direct investments in real estate and other industries.

Blank is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and ULI, and serves as a member of the board of directors and Chair, Audit Committee, of MFA Financial, Inc., a member of the board of directors and the Audit Committee of Home Properties, Inc., and is Nonexecutive Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Audit Committee of Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust. Additionally, Blank is a member of the Editorial Board of RERC Industry Outlook, a publication of the Real Estate Research Corporation. Further, Blank acts as ULI’s representative to the Green Building Finance Consortium.

Blank has participated as a Guest Lecturer at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design Advanced Management Development Program, the Boston College Graduate School of Business Administration, and the Cornell University Program in Real Estate.

Blank received his B.A. degree from Syracuse University and was awarded a M.B.A. degree from Adelphi University.