Our Team
Central to providing stellar service is having a rich pool of talented real estate professionals at our disposal. Lemor Realty’s highly experienced in-house team believes in a proactive and collaborative approach, from project concept through completion. Each project, no matter the size, scope, budget or complexity, incorporates our core values: Integrity, Commitment, Collaboration and Expertise.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Kenneth Morrison
Managing Member, Principal
Mr. Morrison launched his real estate career while a sophomore at Howard University, when he joined his family’s blossoming brokerage business. While the decision to postpone his studies was difficult, he subsequently became an integral part of the family business. As a result of his efforts combined with those of other principals at Lemor Realty, the firm’s initial focus on the sale and rental of property in the Harlem community shifted. From 1988 to 1993, Lemor Realty experienced tremendous growth, which resulted in the establishment of a property management division in 1993. This division quickly grew to manage over 250-300 units in New York City. In partnership with Harrison Rayford, III, Lemor Development was formed in 2012, and has become a real estate development force. As a result of strong partnership engagements, such as Enterprise NEF (LISC), Mr. Morrison has brought a wealth of knowledge to the team while providing great insight into asset management. Mr. Morrison serves on several boards including the New York Theological Seminary; Greater Harlem: Bradhurst Merchants Association and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. He holds a BA in Science and Entrepreneurship from the University of Phoenix.
Harrison Rayford
Managing Member, Principal
Harrison Rayford, III joined Lemor Realty as an acquisitions associate in June 2012. Prior to joining Lemor, Mr. Rayford spent two years with Time Square Development as a development associate. He was also a partner in the development of residential subdivisions in Atlanta, Georgia. In the partnership with Ken Morrison, Mr. Rayford played an integral role in the establishment of Lemor Development in 2012. He has been a key driver in Lemor’s iconic growth as the lead on more than $750 million in development new construction projects during the past five years. This includes the Mt. Hope Renaissance Project, a new construction, 13-building rental complex in addition to the Robeson, a 79-unit, mixed-income, new construction building, currently scheduled for completion June 2020, and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Manhattan Pact, a 1,700-unit, in-place RAD rehab in concert with NYCHA, Monandnoc, Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) and Community Development Trust (CDT). Through his professional affiliations including various private equity firms such as Belveron, and affordable housing institutional private investors such Redstone Enterprises and Enterprise NEF, (LISC) have afforded the firm to develop valuable relationships. Mr. Rayford serves on the Board of Trustees of the Abyssinian Baptist Church and the Harlem Restoration Project. He is also a member of the Real Estate Executive Council. Mr. Rayford holds a BS in Biology from Morehouse College and a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate.
ACQUISITIONS & DEVELOPMENT
William Budd
Vice President, Head of New Construction
William joined Lemor Development Group in September 2015. Prior to joining Lemor, he was a Senior Project Manager with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). During his two years at HPD, he managed the construction financing closing of fourteen multifamily new construction development. Prior to working for HPD, he was a development and planning consultant for a market-rate developer focused on lower Manhattan; a Senior Economic Development Analyst for the Hudson Square Connection; a Business Improvement District (BID) located in Manhattan; and a Senior Associate at a planning and development consulting firm located in New Jersey specializing in expert testimony for planning and zoning board approvals, affordable housing plans (COAH); master plans and redevelopment plans. William holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from NYU, a Master of City & Regional Planning from Rutgers University, and a B.S. in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Jonathan Russo
Analyst
Jonathan Russo is a consultant in underwriting and financial analysis in Lemor Development’s acquisitions division. He designs marketing materials for investor presentations and develops automated spreadsheets to optimize asset management processes. Mr. Russo joined Lemor Development in 2019. Previously, he worked for Morgan Stanley building in-depth financial models for a $2 billion real estate fund of funds, which was a key factor in the implementation of the fund. In addition, Mr. Russo also managed an underwriting team and played a key role in the completion of more than $500 million of successful, multi-family acquisitions. Mr. Russo holds a BS in Applied Accounting and Finance with a minor in Economics from Fordham University.
Marcos Zapata
Project Manager
As Lemor’s Project Manager, Marcos Zapata works on conversions from transition through permanent financing. This requires ensuring that all aspects of a project are compliant and meet standards for final closings. He also works on underwriting and creating project summaries for new and existing deals. Mr. Zapata joined Lemor Development Group in 2019. Prior to joining Lemor, he worked for the New York State Homes and Community Renewal agency as an analyst. He also worked at Wells Fargo in the public finance housing group on more than $500 million in housing bond offerings. Mr. Zapata holds a BA in Economics with a minor in Computer Science from Lehman College of the City University of New York.
CONSTRUCTION TEAM
Kamar Cariuty
Construction Project Manager, Owner’s Representative
Kamar Cariuty is an Owner’s Representative for many of the firm’s projects under construction. During the project definition phase, his responsibilities include selecting the design and consultant team by evaluating the constraints, reviewing contracts and legal documents and participating in bidding process that leads to the awarding of the General Contractor. He also establishes and manages procedures for the construction phase, which includes meetings, scheduling, payment requisitions process, change orders review, quality control and communication among all the stakeholders. Mr. Cariuty also works closely with architects and engineers to identify solutions to issues that arise during development and construction phase, while obtaining the best results at the lowest cost for each project in timely manner. For the closeout phase, Mr. Cariuty coordinates the TCO scheduling and planning, inspections, signoffs and commissioning. Mr. Cariuty, who joined Lemor Development as a consultant in 2019, has extensive experience as a Civil Engineer in New York City and Colombia, South America. He provides the oversight and expertise needed for the myriad of projects at Lemor Development. Mr. Cariuty has also served as a project manager and construction manager for projects ranging from projects with 50 units to more than 500+ units and projects valued at more than $100 million. Mr. Cariuty holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Universidad De Medellin College, in Medellin, Colombia.
Hugo Meijon Moreda Neto
Construction Project Manager
Hugo Meijon Moreda Neto manages and coordinates general contractors, architects, engineers, consultants and other stakeholders from the programming phase through construction and close-out. Mr. Neto joined Lemor Development Group in 2019. He is a Civil Engineer with experience in several branches of the field including estimation, scheduling, quality management and design in both the public and private sectors in the US and Brazil. Mr. Neto holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Bahia and a master’s in Construction Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. He also has academic expertise in Lean Construction, Last Planer System and Target Value Design, and has taught in higher education. In addition, Mr. Neto has published numerous papers in specialized journals and been a frequent presenter at industry conferences.
ASSET MANAGEMENT
Mariaelena Jorge Paris
Asset Manager
In her current role as Asset Manager, Mariaelena Paris collaborates and directs the coordination of the firm’s property management, tax credits management and various state and local relationships to ensure the viability and long-term success of Lemor Development projects. Ms. Paris joined Lemor Development Group in 2014 as an intern. Since that time, she has become a key member of the team and has assisted in portfolio acquisitions, refinancing and repositioning of distressed properties. Ms. Paris holds a BA in International Studies from the City College of New York and a MS in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Kamala Hargrove
Analyst
Kamala Hargrove oversees and manages key administrative aspects for the Mount Hope Renaissance Project, a 13-building rental apartment complex. In addition, she assists in the underwriting process for new investment properties and plays a key role in updating the firm’s marketing materials and in website management. Ms. Hargrove joined Lemor Development as an intern during the summers of 2017 and 2018 in the Property Management and Development divisions while completing her undergraduate studies. She became a full-time employee in 2019. Ms. Hargrove holds a BA in Mathematics and in Theater and Dance from Trinity College.
ACCOUNTING
Jessie Williams
Controller
Jessie Williams currently serves as Lemor Development’s Controller, overseeing financial aspects of all the firm’s real estate properties. Ms. Williams joined Lemor Development in 2017, after 10 years in public accounting where she specialized in tax accounting. She has experience, having worked for the Big Four as well as mid-sized accounting firms. Ms. Williams currently serves as CEO of her own accounting firm, jmWilliams CPA, LLP, where she supports individuals and small businesses in industries such as property management, property development and construction. She holds an MBA from Long Island University.
Tia Mosobbir
Accountant/Financial Analyst
As a Construction Accountant, Tia Mosobbir manages the day-to-day obligations for Lemor projects under construction. Her responsibilities include handling all aspects of closing including construction accounting, payment obligations, and requisitions to assure each project is budgetarily sound. In addition, she manages the firm’s 401k program, the monthly financial reports for investors and financial institutions and month-end financial close activities. Ms. Mosobbir joined Lemor Development Group, LLC in March 2019. Prior to joining Lemor, she was an accounting/finance analyst at National Grid coordinating month end close activities and regulatory filings. Ms. Mosobbir holds a BS in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany.
Tariana Rodriguez
Junior Accountant
As a Junior Accountant at the firm, Tariana Rodriquez manages key financial aspects of Lemor’s business lines, including the oversight of accounts receivable and payable with a focus on accounting for new and developing projects. Ms. Rodriguez joined Lemor Development in 2016 as an Administrative Assistant for all divisions. Over the years, she has become an integral member of the team, serving in numerous roles in the asset management division. Ms. Rodriquez attends Bronx Community College, where she is pursuing a BS in finance with a focus on Accounting.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Stephanie Lara
Property Manager
Stephanie Lara plays a key role in the coordination and management office for all of Lemor’s properties. She oversees quality control, bidding procedures for building services, timely collection of rents and proper turnover of units. In addition, she inspects units to ensure proper repairs and maintenance, resolves building code violations and the proper processing of Section 8 applications. Ms. Lara joined Lemor Development in 2017 as a property manager. Previously, she worked for LIHTC, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, as a specialist and site manager responsible for compliance, reporting of tax credit interviews for tax credit conversion projects and the submission of compliance to oversight agencies and investors. Ms. Lara holds numerous certifications in Basic Fair Housing, HPD Marketing Training, LIHTC Blended Compliance. She holds a BS in Business Management and Administration from The City College of New York.
Linda Mojica
Property Manager
Linda Mojica joined Lemor Development in 2019. Prior to joining Lemor, Ms. Mojica was a Principal Assistant with Harlem Children’s Zone. As a property manager, Ms. Mojica is responsible for key administrative and day-to-day tenant and building management concerns at the Mount Hope Renaissance Project, a 13-building rental apartment complex. In addition, she ensures that HPD codes are up to standard. Ms. Mojica earned an Associate degree in Business Management from Long Island Business Institute. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management and economics at SUNY Empire State College.
Heidy Ovalle
Property Manager
Heidy Ovalle is a property manager responsible for key administrative and day-to-day tenant and building management concerns at the Mount Hope Renaissance Project, a 13-building rental apartment complex. In addition, she ensures that HPD codes are up to standard. Ms. Ovalle joined Lemor Development in 2019. Prior to joining Lemor, she acquired significant design and project management experience while overseeing the design documentation process for numerous residential and hospitality industry projects as well as providing onsite quality control inspections in the Dominican Republic. Ms. Ovalle holds a BA in Architecture from PUCCM in Santiago, Dominican Republic and is a graduate of INTESA with a degree in Construction Management and Supervision.
Tia Emrick
Compliance Assistant
Tia Emrick joined Lemor Development in 2019 as a Compliance Assistant. Prior to joining Lemor, she was an Account Executive with National Debt Relief where she maintained records for negotiated agreements, provided after-sales customer support, and educated clients on debt relief options. She also worked as a Member Consultant for Town Sports International, while developing and managing new member growth and retention. Currently, Ms. Emrick manages lease renewals and Section 8 subsidy compliance. Ms. Emrick holds a BA in Mass Communication with a Minor in Psychology from Lehman College.
Jamel Allah
Maintenance Supervisor
Jamel Allah joined Lemor Development in 2001 as a maintenance supervisor at the Mount Hope Renaissance Project. Prior to joining Lemor, he was a supervisor and maintenance manager at the New Bronx Maintenance Company and a Maintenance worker for the Harriet Tubman Family Living Center. As maintenance supervisor, Mr. Allah ensures the cleanliness, safety and security of all 13 buildings in the Mount Hope Housing Project. He also supervises all maintenance staff and oversees all work orders and inspections, among many other day-to-day tasks.