s s 6 The QUEE NS Courier • PERSON OF THE YEAR • JANUARY 2, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com joseph m. mattone: a life well lived whom took jobs at young ages to help with the family’s finances. My father was the baby and it was incredibly important to them that he achieve his goals.” Mattone’s real estate development career began in 1955. At the urging of his older brother, Carl, Mattone had earned his Certificate of Appraisal at Columbia and took his first steps into the real estate industry by working on the trial of condemnation issues in both Brooklyn and Queens. A very successful endeavor, this work got Mattone noticed by the major real estate developers he was representing at the time. These developers retained Mattone’s legal counsel to negotiate leases purchased on their behalf. For Mattone, what would become a lifelong passion for and commitment to real estate development was born. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Mattone worked on developing over 1 million square feet of commercial and industrial properties in Brooklyn and Queens. By 1962, the young mogul branched out and began to develop real estate on his own. Some of his earliest independent endeavors included the development of service stations and fast food locations. He built and leased facilities to McDonald’s, Burger King, Texaco, Exxon and Mobil. In addition, Mattone built for and leased to Chemical Bank and Home Federal Savings and Loan. At this same time, Mattone began to delve into residential properties, most notably, the Harway Terrace. The Terrace consisted of two 19-story, 360- unit apartment buildings in Brooklyn. Today, Mattone sits as chairman and chief executive officer of the Mattone Group, a Queens-based development and construction company that handles commercial, residential and industrial properties. A true testament to the scope and scale of the Mattone Group, the company currently manages over 1.5 million square feet of property in New York, Georgia and Florida. Under Mattone’s guidance, the group manages its property portfolio with professionalism, financial expertise and a dedication to providing clients with the very best service in the industry. “Joe Mattone is a business leader of great integrity who cares deeply for his family, his friends, and his community,” said Aaron Fleishaker, Senior Vice President of Fairway Market. In an always-evolving commercial real estate market, Mattone’s leadership has allowed the company to stay abreast of changes and new developments, and respond effectively. This has allowed the Mattone Group to maintain its highquality, diversified portfolio. Among the most important ways that Mattone has achieved the company’s mission is maintaining a conservative investment profile to continue the company’s 45-year history of successful investment. The Mattone Group also focuses on creating value by utilizing the best resources of both the public and private sectors, acquiring assets within the New York metropolitan area, diversifying equity into office, retail, residential and industrial assets, and diversifying equity contributions to include the purchase of assets, with either triple net leases or value added development and renovation opportunities. Since the Mattone Group was founded, its dedicated chairman has placed strong emphasis on successful commercial, residential and industrial development and management. This includes working closely with clients to develop properties that fit their criteria, right down to the smallest details. With Mattone at the head, he and his team handle all aspects of commercial property development and management, from cost analysis and site selection to construction oversight and occupant recruitment. In fact, one of Mattone’s most notable properties in Queens is the Jamaica Center Business Improvement District, located in the heart of Jamaica. “Queens is the home of the underdog ... the place where the American Dream is still very much alive,” Michael Mattone said. “I think my father epitomizes that.” In addition to his property development work, Mattone is also a senior partner in the law firm of Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Megna and Todd, which is a full-service, Queens-based law firm. The firm represents several financial institutions as outside counsel for their residential mortgage closings, including Citi Mortgage, BNY Mortgage Co., LLC, Washington Mutual, HSBC Mortgage Corp, Emigrant Savings Bank, Wells Fargo, and GreenPoint Mortgage Company. Stemming from Mattone’s family history, the Mattone Group and members of the Mattone family have maintained With wife Mary Ann and Pope Benedict after mass at the Vatican. Brother Carl Yearbook photo from St. John’s (continued from cover) (continued on page 10)
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