Frank Apeseche

Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Lecturer in Real Estate
Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Frank brings over three decades of commercial expertise to Harvard with extensive experience building, managing and leading successful real estate companies. His academic interests focus on real estate innovation, enterprise formation and strategy, and environmental sustainability in the built environment. His courses include Advanced Real Estate Finance, Building and Leading Real Estate Enterprises and Entrepreneurship, and Environment Economics and Enterprise. Frank also has functioned as Director of Harvard’s Real Estate Academic Initiative (REAI),  Alumni/Student Director for Real Estate at the GSD, and core faculty for Harvard’s Advanced Management Development Executive Education Program (AMDP).

Beyond Harvard Frank is Chairman of Amstar World, a countercyclical real estate investment manager with operations on three continents. He serves as a Board Member and Audit Committee Chair of Building Engines Inc., a national SaaS software company that provides advanced technology solutions to institutional owners of commercial properties. Frank also is an investor in promising start-ups focused on real estate infrastructure, energy, technology and health services and is a transaction leader of Launchpad Venture Group.

Previously, Frank was Chief Executive Officer of The Berkshire Group, the operating parent of several prominent public and private subsidiary real estate corporations. During his 26 years at Berkshire, Frank completed the initial public offerings of two multifamily REITs and two healthcare realty enterprises; executed the buyout of an NYSE REIT in partnership with The Blackstone Group and Goldman Sachs; launched over a half dozen private firms in the mortgage finance, hospitality, multifamily, long term care, medical office and property venture finance industries; and sponsored fourteen discretionary, institutional funds with over $7 billion of capitalization.

Frank has served as Chairman of Amstar Advisers, Berkshire Realty Ventures, Berkshire Property Advisors, K-Bro Linen Systems and Aspen Furniture, and was on the Board of Directors of Lodging Capital Partners, Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Berkshire Realty Holdings, Surebidge Inc. and SMS Modern Cleaning Services. Frank’s public company expertise includes senior officer responsibility for two NYSE REITs and active engagement as an expert witness and industry spokesman to the U.S. Congress on commercial urban economic development. Frank received his BA from Cornell University and his MBA from the University of Michigan.