CFOs pull resources to tackle tough market.

CFOs, finance and compliance teams from real estate firms across the country gather last month for the PERE Real Estate CFO Forum, held at New York's Marriot Downtown Hotel.

The forum brought together the executives in a highly collaborative, peer-to-peer event to discuss valuable intelligence and best practices for helping their firms achieve success. Palisades Financial principal and CFO Ira Bergstein was a key panelist at the PERE Forum, where he spoke about the role of CFOs and compliance officers in raising funds for investment firms.

"The role that CFOs and compliance officers play in real estate is crucial to the reputation and success of their individual firms in navigating today's highly complex and challenging marketplace," Bergstein said.

"One of the areas that has become even more important and visible in the past few years is the role of the CFO in raising funds for investment firms--with so many companies operating in fundraising mode, it's crucial to have someone who knows the ins and outs of financing to speak with investors."

Bergstein joined Palisades Financial in 2004 and is responsible for all finance and accounting functions, including investor relations. Over the past 25 years, he has led the financial functions for a host of companies in the real estate, construction and health care service sectors, with a focus on operations, workouts, mergers and acquisitions.

Hosted by PERE Magazine, the global source for private equity and real estate investment and finance news, the conference covers a number of topics, including managing interest rates and currency risk, meeting tax challenges amid federal and state legislative changes and capital structure trends.

The PERE Real Estate Conference is the premier event for CFOs and members of the finance, compliance and capital markets teams to enhance their own professional development and gain valuable tools to improve the operations of their firm.