Since joining Freddie Mac in 2015, John Stepien has been promoted from an entry-level analyst position to regional director for Freddie Mac Multifamily managing several multibillion-dollar national portfolio loans. Stepien manages Freddie Mac’s relationships with some of the most important institutional apartment owners in the country and just last year, his team was responsible for structuring and originating more than $8 billion of new debt.

These are just a couple of the reasons we chose Stepien to be one of the National 2020 Next Generation Award winners. Connect Media’s fourth annual Next Generation Awards recognize young leaders in the commercial real estate industry who are likely to be influential for years to come.

Over the past four and a half years, Stepien has established himself as an expert on New York City’s nuanced housing finance system, including the application of the recently enacted rent stabilization law, the Mitchell-Lama program, and the granularities of local tax abatements and regulatory agreements, e.g., 421a, Affordable New York, J51 and Article XI. This reputation has led him to become a frequent speaker and panelist at industry events and conferences, including serving as an emcee at a Freddie Mac national customer service conference with more than 1,500 attendees.