Nationally-recognized real estate executive Bruce Schonbraun has been named chairman, Saint Barnabas Medical Center board of trustees.
“Bruce Schonbraun joined the board of trustees in 2013 and has proven to be an exceptional leader. We are thrilled that he accepted the chairmanship and value his insight, expertise and commitment to excellence,” stated Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and chief executive officer, RWJBarnabas Health.
Schonbraun has been an entrepreneur and dealmaker in the real estate industry his entire career. He is head of real estate at FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FTI), one of the world’s leading business consulting firms. Over the course of the last 25 years, as the go-to advisor to many of the real estate industry’s leadership, he has been involved in many of the largest real estate transactions in New York City and nationally, with such transactions surpassing $150 billion over the course of his career.
“Bruce Schonbraun’s visionary leadership, active participation and oversight as chairman of the Real Estate Expansion Oversight Committee for the Cooperman Family Pavilion was integral to its successful completion and opening. We are fortunate to have such a renowned and passionate chairman who understands the importance of having access to an exemplar medical center in the region for our patients and their families,” stated Stephen P. Zieniewicz, FACHE, president and CEO, Saint Barnabas Medical Center.
Schonbraun has been a member of the boards of various charities, community groups and professional associations, including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the National Association of Real Estate Companies (NAREC), the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the International Real Estate Trade Organization (IRETO) and the Zell-Lurie Real Estate Institute at Wharton, where he has served as a mentor in the Wharton Real Estate M.B.A. program. Schonbraun has been recognized by NAIOP with its “Annual Real Estate Industry Service Award”; he also received the “Torch of Learning Award” from the Lautenberg Cancer Research Center at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, presented to him by President Clinton.
Schonbraun was the founder (1973) of The Schonbraun McCann Group (SMG), which was acquired by FTI Consulting in 2008. He has authored numerous articles and is a much sought-after resource for the press on a wide variety of real estate matters related to capital markets, finance, strategic business planning and mergers and acquisitions. Schonbraun has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Dow Jones News Service, FOX News, Bloomberg Business News, Real Estate Forum, Real Estate New York, Real Estate New Jersey, NJBiz and the Star Ledger, among many other national and international publications.
Schonbraun holds a B.S. in accounting and an M.B.A. in both economics and international business. He has instructed at both the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University and the Graduate School of Business at Seton Hall University. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York, New Jersey and Florida.
“There is nothing more important in a community than quality healthcare. Our family has long considered Saint Barnabas Medical Center the quality healthcare destination for our family,” noted Schonbraun. “I could not be more pleased to continue to serve on the board in my new capacity as chairman and look forward to help guide the future of this extraordinary institution.”