ANDREW DeNARDO When asked how he became the CEO of First National Realty Partners, Andrew DeNardo tells people that he has done every job at the firm, which gives him a deep understanding of the organization and how it works. DeNardo joined FNRP, a retail-focused, vertically-integrated real estate investment firm, in investor relations shortly after it was formed in 2016. The company was young and growing, and DeNardo's responsibilities changed often over the years from property management and leasing to HR, accounting, legal and marketing. He was ap-pointed to CEO in 2022 and he now guides the firm's executive leadership in strategy and execution, drives company scalability and effi-ciency through FNRP's operating system, and works to help the company scale and grow. FNRP has expanded from 30 employees in early 2020 to more than 150 people today, and DeNardo is dedicated to ensuring that the organization provides appropriate, streamlined and user-friendly resources for its team to be efficient and adaptable to evolving organizational needs. "From the challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic to managing enormous growth, Andrew has been a strong leader," one employee says. "He has established an incredi-ble culture within a company that operates completely remotely. He never hesitates to 'get in the foxhole' and roll up his sleeves within all functions throughout the company." Other colleagues describe DeNardo as positive and friendly, a good listener and an inspiration to the FNRP team. He is committed to leading by example and fostering a collaborative environment built on honesty, trust and respect. A recent employee survey revealed that more than 75% of employees say that FNRP's culture and people are what they love most about the compa-ny. JOE DERHAKE Known as a talented storyteller, Joe Derhake knows how to motivate people on an individual basis as well as inspire and mobilize an entire company to work toward a shared vision. Derhake serves as CEO of Partner Engineering and Science Inc., which provides engineering, en-vironmental and energy due diligence consulting for the commercial real estate industry. He founded the firm in 2007 with eight employees and the company has since evolved to more than 1,300 employees throughout North America and Europe. Within his role, Derhake is re-sponsible for steering the mission, direction and strategic growth of the company. While steering Partner through COVID-19, he prioritized transparency and communication with his weekly "Cup of Joe" podcast and by sacrificing his salary for many months and choosing furloughs over layoffs to save as many jobs as possible. A long-time co-worker of Derhake says that he has the unique ability to give the right amount of guidance and mentorship without stifling independence and creativity. He has fostered a company culture that attracts top talent by providing a values-driven, collaborative and entrepreneurial environment that is committed to work-life balance. One employee describes Derhake as a visionary. "He thinks big and sets big, hairy audacious goals for himself and for the company. His vision reaches out and grabs hold of you – as he explains the goal, you get it and want in on the ride, owing to his incredible talent as a storyteller. Whether pitching a new idea, his vision or leadership advice, he always starts with a story. His energy is contagious and effective in motivating people. People want to be in his presence."

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