(John Bedard of KUSHNER studios
)
The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce hosted a conference last month at Industry City, in which our very own John Bedard spoke on the subject of commercial leasing. John is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registrations Board (NCARB) as a licensed Architect in the state of New York. He has been involved with a variety of residential and commercial projects including "ground up construction" and conversions of existing buildings, focusing on zoning requirements, building code, and design development. John's love of food, fine spirits and brews shows through his commercial experience, consisting of restaurants, bars, breweries, and distilleries. Starting as an intern, he began working full time with KUSHNER studios after receiving his Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Sharing his knowledge and expertise he assists in developing new projects and overall management of projects firm-wide.
Among his fellow presenters was Eli Sussman, Rob Ontell, and Peter Schubert. Each speaker brought their own unique perspective on the seminar, ranging from various trades and professions. Sussman, Owner of Samesa Restaurant located at 30 Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, is an all around rockstar of the food industry, having co-authored 4 cookbooks, appearing multiple times on The Today Show and The Food Network, and hosting his own podcast where he interviews chefs and restaurateurs. Ontell, founder of Ontell & Associates, is an experienced attorney with a unique viewpoint with business owners, having owned and operated a Mexican taco concept in Brooklyn while practicing law at a previous firm. Schubert, who serves Managing Director of Commercial Leasing for Terra CRG, was also on the Board of Trustees for the Brooklyn Historical Society, and was Vice Chairmen of the Eric Adam’s One Brooklyn Fund, amongst numerous other achievements.