Joseph Bellina, RPA, has worked with many of the top firms in commercial real estate, including Vornado and Newmark Knight Frank. And last year, when he joined the staff of the Empire State Building as general manager, he added W&H Properties to this illustrious list.

The position is a "career privilege that few will have the opportunity to experience," Mr. Bellina observes. "It's a rare opportunity to work with a world renowned asset."

As general manager, Mr. Bellina's supervisory responsibilities are wide-ranging, encompassing property management, the Observatory, broadcasting, licensing, security, information technology, human resources and accounting. "The diversity of responsibilities is what attracted me to the position," he notes. "My day-to-day work is filled with variety."

It's hard to think of anyone better prepared to take on these responsibilities than Mr. Bellina, who has held senior executive roles in the New York City commercial real estate industry for 25 years, working with prominent owners and developers and major real estate assets. For example, during his recent tenure as executive vice president at Newmark Knight Frank, he served as the head of the property management department, supervising a 40-million-squarefoot portfolio of owner-managed and thirdparty properties.

Mr. Bellina's academic background also prepared him well for his current role. He graduated from Baruch College with a Master of Business Administration in 1989 and a Bachelor of Business Administration (cum laude) in 1984, and he is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society for business students.

A licensed New York State Real Estate Broker and New York State Security Guard instructor, Mr. Bellina is a former member of the board of directors of the Real Estate Board of New York and of the board of directors of the Building Owners and Managers Association of New York.

"When I was growing up in Brooklyn, I never imagined that I'd find myself working at the world's most famous office building one day," says Mr. Bellina, who now lives on Staten Island. "It's a wonderful place to be – rich in history, magical and unique. And with the $550-million Empire State ReBuilding program in progress, it's better than ever."