Penn State University’s Smeal College Of Business To Honor The Cocoziellos
Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business has honored Sharon and Peter J. Cocoziello for their contributions and support of the school’s real estate program. The Peter and Sharon Cocoziello Real Estate Suite, and Advance Realty Group Real Estate Lecture Series, will be part of the school’s new $70 million facility, which is currently being constructed at the Smeal College of Business.
Peter J. Cocoziello, a 1973 graduate of Penn State University, is the founder, president and CEO of Advance Realty Group, a Bedminster, New Jersey-based real estate company. The Cocoziellos have made education a cornerstone of their philanthropic activities and have been long time supporters of Penn State University.
The new 210,000-square-foot Smeal College of Business facility will be the largest academic building on the University Park Campus. Designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, it will include 21 undergraduate and MBA classrooms, 10 recruiter interview rooms, café, auditorium, an atrium capable of seating 400 and outdoor plaza, conference rooms and numerous other amenities. It is expected to be completed in summer 2005.
The Advance Realty Group Lecture Series will feature two annual lectures from leaders in the real estate field. The first lecture took place in March and featured Keith E. Getter, Managing Director/Chief of Staff, Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. and John D. McGurk, President, Rothschild Realty Inc.
“The Cocoziellos’ engagement with and dedication to the University and the Smeal College continues to grow,” says Smeal Dean Judy Olian. “Peter is a member of the Smeal Board of Visitors and has been enormously influential in the strategic direction of the college. We are honored to include him among our most esteemed alumni.”
“Sharon and I are delighted to be continuing our commitment to Penn State and are very proud of the school’s dedication to real estate as an important part of their educational curriculum,” stated Peter J. Cocoziello. “Penn State gave me the wonderful foundation on which I was able to launch my real estate career. Continuing to reinvest in educating the next generation of leaders has been a passionate pursuit of Sharon’s and mine. I am particularly excited about Penn State’s commitment to pursuing real estate as an excellent career path for its students. Their leadership will hopefully go a long way in enhancing the future of the real estate industry.”
Peter serves as Chairman of the Foundation for New Jersey Public Broadcasting (NJN). He serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of the Somerset County Business Partnership, Board of Directors for the National Conference for Community and Justice, Trustee for Abbey Woods at Delbarton and is a member of the Board of Visitors for the Smeal College of Business of Penn State University. Peter is the past President of the New Jersey Chapter of NAIOP, past Chapter Chairman of the Young Presidents’ Organization, and served as a member of Governor Whitman’s Transition Team.
Peter has additionally received the following personal and corporate awards: 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award, NAIOP; 2004 Outstanding Business Person, Somerset Business Partnership; 2003 New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year, Real Estate Division, Ernst & Young; 2002 NJBIZ Finest Private Companies; Legacy Honor Award, the Young Presidents’ Organization; Impact Award, NAIOP; 1999 Humanitarian Award, the National Conference for Community and Justice; 1997 Somerset County Economic Vitality, Large Firm, Somerset County Chamber of Commerce; Top 20 Companies, Central New Jersey Business Magazine; Chapter President of the Year and Developer of the Year, NAIOP.
Peter holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Penn State University, a Senior Certificate in Mortgage Financing, with an emphasis in commercial real estate, from New York University, and has completed the Harvard University Presidents’ Program.
Advance Realty Group is an owner and developer of office, flex, industrial, retail and multifamily properties. With five million square feet of operating properties and a development portfolio consisting of eight million square feet of commercial projects and 9,400 residential units, Advance is one of the leading real estate owners in the Northeast and is headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey.
