42+ Years of Distinction
Awards, Honors, Recognitions & Milestones
Welcome to the Awards, Honors, Recognition, and Milestones section. Here, you’ll find a chronological summary of the accolades and achievements that have marked Bob Knakal’s four-decade-long career.
From prestigious awards to significant milestones, this section highlights the key moments that have defined Bob’s journey in the real estate industry. We hope you enjoy exploring these career highlights and gaining insight into the dedication and excellence that have driven Bob’s success.
2020s
2026
Top Global Recognition: recognized as “Most Influential Leader Driving Excellence in Real Estate 2026.”
2026
Emerging Icons: recognized as “Most Impactful Business Personalities in 2026.”
2026
Cover Story in Enterprise World Magazine: recognized as “The Most Iconic Leader Shaping the Future of Business 2026.”
2026
Cover Story in CEO Scoop Magazine: recognized as “The Most Iconic Leader Shaping the Future of Business in 2026
2026
Recognized as a member of the inaugural class of "The Real Deal 100": The Real Estate Titans of the Year for 2026
2026
Cover Story in CEO Time Magazine: recognized as "The Trusted Visionary & Inspiring Business Leader Defining 2026"
2026
Cover Story in Executive Lens Magazine: recognized as: "The Most Impactful Business Personality of 2026"
2025
Cover Story in Conglomerate Magazine: "The Legendary Dealmaker Reshaping New York Block by Block"
2025
Ranked #4 on Worldwide LinkedIn Top 200 Awards by Favikon for most influential real estate leaders worldwide (commercial and residential brokers)
2025
Honored with Executive Lens Award by Executive Lens Magazine as "The Most Influential Leader in Real Estate, 2025”
2025
Bestselling book "Selling Buildings" wins The American Apartment Owners Association's "Best of 2025 Awards" for Book of the Year
2025
Recognized by C-Suite Magazine as 2025's "Most Transformative Commercial Real Estate Leader of the Year"
2025
Honored by Top Global Recognition in the Top Global Recognition Awards 2025 for Reimagining Real Estate Brokerage with Precision, Purpose, and Proven Leadership
2025
Recognized as the #1 Commercial Real Estate Influencer on X by CREI
2025
Recognized as the #1 Commercial Real Estate Influencer on LinkedIn by CREI for the second year in a row
2025
Honored with the C-Today Award as “Top Leading Inspirational Leader in Real Estate or 2025”
2025
Recognized with Fordham University’s “Ground Breaker Award" for “Significant and lasting contributions to the real estate industry through entrepreneurship, visionary deal-making, firm leadership and other innovative actions”
2025
Wrote and published the best selling book, “Selling Buildings – Maximizing Prices and Profits in Commercial Real Estate” co-written with his broker coach, Rod Santomassimo. The book has been a "Best Seller" with the first run selling out in the first 12 hours
2025
Named to Commercial Observer’s “Power 100” as one of the 100 most powerful people in the NYC real estate community for the fourteenth time
2024
Received a very rare 1 1/4 page profile in the New York Times highlighting The Knakal Map Room
2024
Cover photo and profile in the inaugural issue of CRE Broker Magazine (April 2024)
2024
Becomes founder of a new brokerage company in NYC, BKREA, and serves as Chairman & CEO
2024
Presented with “Lifetime Achievement in Real Estate Brokerage” Award by RED Connect Awards in NYC
2024
Cover Story in “The 10 Most Inspirational Leaders, Leading the Way to Success in 2024”, CIO Business World Magazine
2024
Recognized as “Multifamily Broker of the Year” Award by American Apartment Owners Association
2023
The Massey Knakal Leadership Tree is revealed: There are presently 29 companies, or divisions of companies, involved in the NYC Investment Sales Business, which are owned by, or run by, people who learned the business at Massey Knakal
2023
Named “Top 50 Commercial Real Estate Social Media Influencer” on Twitter
2023
Named “Top 10 Commercial Real Estate Social Media Influencer” on LinkedIn
2023
Featured in Rod Santomassimo’s Best Selling Book: “Dominators of Commercial Real Estate”
2023
Presented with New York University’s “Maverick Award for Excellence in Brokerage” at “Shack Student Summit”
2023
Recognized as “Development Site Sales Broker of the Year” by Red Connect Awards in NYC
2023
Joins Social Media Platforms – achieves over 29 million aggregate impressions in first year
2023
Named “Man of the Year – Champion for Kids” by New York Edge, an after-school program for disadvantaged children
2023
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 15th consecutive year
2022
Recognized with the Ralph Spencer Memorial Award as Massimo Group’s “Partner of the Year”
2022
His column Concrete Thoughts still runs in Commercial Observer – passed 300 columns written in February
2022
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 14th consecutive year
2022
Appointed Co-Chairman of REBNY’s newly formed Development Committee
2022
Named Head of New York Private Capital Group at JLL
2022
Surpasses $20 Billion in aggregate sales volume for career
2022
Named “Real Estate Man of the Year” by the National Realty Club Foundation
2021
Nominated for REBNY’s Most Ingenious Deal of the Year for the sale of the development site at 50th & Fifth in Long Island City
2021
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 13th consecutive year
2021
Named “Investment Sales Broker of the Year” by RED Connect
2020
Named “Man of the Year” (with Paul Massey) for achievement in philanthropic work by The Hematology Division of New York University Medical Center at their event on May 18, 2020.
2020
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 12th consecutive year.
2010s
2019
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 11th consecutive year
2018
Named Chairman – NY Investment Sales at JLL
2018
Orchestrates a move from Cushman & Wakefield to JLL with 53 of his colleagues – the largest coordinated defection from one company to another in U.S. History
2018
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 10th consecutive year
2017
Named “Real Estate Man of the Year” by the Ronald McDonald House of New York for his charitable work in New York City
2017
Achieved “Top Capital Markets Originator Globally” at Cushman & Wakefield. (4th time)
2017
Sells the 2,000th building of his career: The 36 building “Long Island Industrial Portfolio” for $135 million
2017
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 9th consecutive year
2016
Achieved “Top Capital Markets Producer Globally” at Cushman & Wakefield. (3rd time)
2016
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 8th consecutive year
2015
Achieved “Top Capital Markets Producer Globally” at Cushman & Wakefield. (2nd time)
2015
Named Chairman – NY Investment Sales at Cushman & Wakefield
2015
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 7th consecutive year
2014
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as the #1 sales broker for number of buildings sold for the 14th consecutive year. (3.4 times #2 firm over that 14-year period)
2015
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 6th consecutive year
2014
Nominated for REBNY’s Most Ingenious Deal of the Year for the eight year assemblage of the site for the Virgin Hotel in NoMad
2014
Achieved “Top Capital Markets Producer Globally” at Cushman & Wakefield. (1st time)
2014
Massey Knakal is sold to Cushman & Wakefield for $100 million
2014
Achieves the best annual totals of his career: 148 buildings sold, over 7 million square feet sold, $2.4 billion of sales volume
2013
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 13th consecutive year
2013
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 5th consecutive year
2013
Honored as “Man of the Year” and Recipient of the 2013 Albert Einstein Humanitarian Award from the Men’s Division of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The award was presented to Bob for “being a role model in both business and philanthropy, and thank him for his commitment to helping the Men’s Division advance Einsein’s mission to advance human health by improving quality of life and extending life expectancy.”
2012
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 12th consecutive year
2012
Achieves total square footage of nearly 6 million square feet for the first time in his career
2012
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 4th consecutive year
2012
Recognized in Rod Santomassimo’s bestselling book, Brokers Who Dominate, as one of five sales brokers who are included in “The Most Successful Commercial Real Estate Brokers in North America”
2011
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 11th consecutive year
2011
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 3rd consecutive year
2010
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 10th consecutive year
2010
Named to the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine, for the 2nd consecutive year
2010
Awarded REBNY’s “Louis Smadbeck – Lifetime Achievement Award” for achievement in the field of brokerage in New York City
2010
Selected by Jared Kushner to write a weekly column for The Commercial Observer magazine (a new publication) called, “Concrete Thoughts”.
2010
Appointed to the Board of Directors of the YMCA of New York. (2010-present)
2000s
2009
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 9th consecutive year
2009
Nominated for REBNY’s Most Ingenious Deal of the Year for the sale of 26 West 47th Street
2009
Named to the “Power 100” – the 100 most powerful people in New York Real Estate by The Commercial Observer magazine
2009
Named one of the “Top 10 Investment Sales Brokers in the United States” by Real Estate Forum magazine
2008
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 8th consecutive year
2008
Starts writing “StreetWise” blog for GlobeSt. com (2008-2011)
2007
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 7th consecutive year
2007
Appointed to the University of Pennsylvania’s Baseball Board of Directors – (2007-2017)
2007
Nominated for REBNY’s Most Ingenious Deal of the Year for the Sixth Avenue Blockfront Assemblage
2007
Handles the sale of the year’s largest land assemblage in NY – Sixth Avenue Blockfront for $117 million
2007
Honored as “Man of the Year” by the Brooklyn Philharmonic at their Spring Gala on May 8, 2007 for his work serving charitable organizations within communities in Brooklyn
2006
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 6th consecutive year
2006
For the first time, his sale volume exceeds $1 billion annually ($1.1 billion)
2006
Named a “Top Dealmaker” by Real Estate Weekly in their 50th Anniversary edition
2006
Named “One of the Top 10 Investment Sales Brokers in New York” by CoStar for the 3rd consecutive year
2006
Appointed Chairman of REBNY’s Ethics Committee. (2006-2008)
2006
Named a “Commercial Broker All-Star” by Real Estate New York magazine – second year in a row
2006
Named recipient of the “Founder’s Medal” by The Brooklyn Hospital for his work in New York City philanthropy
2006
Named “Investment Sales Broker of the Year” by the Mann Foundation at their First Annual Mann of the Year Awards on April 24, 2006 honoring the stars of the Real Estate and Financial Industries and benefiting The Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai Hospital
2005
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 5th consecutive year
2005
Named “One of the Top 10 Investment Sales Brokers in New York” by CoStar for the 2nd consecutive year
2005
Becomes a Research Sponsor of the Zell Lurie Real Estate Center at The Wharton School. (2005-present)
2005
Named to REBNY’s prestigious Executive Committee – (2005-present)
2005
Named “Commercial Broker All-Star” by Real Estate New York Magazine
2005
Named “Man of the Year” by Shema Kolainu, a school and center for children with autism and their families
2005
For the first time, he sells over 100 buildings in a single year (146)
2005
Sells the 1,000th building of his career: the sale of a condominium parking garage for $5.4 million
2005
Handles the sale of the largest privately owned apartment complex in Brooklyn – Vanderveer Estates, 2,500 apartments in 59 buildings, $138 million
2004
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 4th consecutive year
2004
Named “One of the Top 10 Investment Sales Brokers in New York” by CoStar
2004
Sells the largest multifamily sale of the year in NYC – Macklowe Portfolio for $179 million
2004
Named “Commercial Real Estate Man of the Year” by the Brooklyn Academy of Music
2004
Named “Real Estate Man of the Year” by the Catalog for Giving, a charitable organization promoting the education of disadvantaged children at their Annual Award Benefit on September 27, 2004
2003
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 3rd consecutive year
2003
Wins Robert T. Lawrence Award for “The Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Award” by REBNY for the sale of 41 West 47th Street
2003
The Real Deal Magazine lists Massey Knakal Realty Services as one of “New York’s Best Boutique Real Estate Firms”
2003
Knakal and Massey are named “New York’s Top Entrepreneurs” by Crain’s New York Business magazine’s Small Business Awards
2003
Handles the two largest multifamily sales in NYC. The “Manhattan Portfolio” for $102 million and the “Simkowitz Portfolio” for $109 million
2002
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the 2nd consecutive year
2001
Massey Knakal recognized by CoStar as selling more buildings in New York City than any other firm for the first time
2001
Wins Robert T. Lawrence Award for “The Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Award” by REBNY for the assemblage at 55th & Second
2000
Named to REBNY’s Board of Governors – (2000-present).
2000
Named “Real Estate Man of the Year” by the Rambam Hospital in Israel for his charitable work in NYC.
1990s
1999
Sells the 500th building of his career: a development site at 145-147 East 47th Street
1998
At the age of 36, named to Crain’s New York Business – “40 under 40 – NY’s Rising Stars list for outstanding achievement in the NYC business community
1997
Elected President of Ice Hockey in Harlem – an afterschool program for disadvantaged youth in Harlem. (1997-2012)
1996
Named to the Executive Committee of the Community Housing Improvement Program. (1996- 2008)
1995
Elected President of the Prescott Foundation for Children and Youth – serving the educational needs of disadvantaged children. (1995-present)
1995
Elected President of The National Realty Club – the youngest president in the history of the 58-year-old club
1995
Appointed to the Board of Directors of the Community Housing Improvement Program. (1995- 2008)
1994
Elected Chairman of REBNY’s Sales Broker Committee. (1994-1996)
1990
Sells 100th building of his career – a 50% interest in a small mixed-use building at 1087 Second Avenue for $500,000.
1990
Named Chairman of Massey Knakal – had been Co-Founding Partner. (1990 – 2014)
1980s
1988
November 15th – Massey Knakal Realty Services is born
1986
Top Salesman Award (with Massey) for CB in NYC out of 47 producers (repeats in 1987 and 1988)
1985
Selected to become a member of the Sales Brokers Committee of REBNY
1985
Sells first property in March: 1421 Third Avenue, $3,125,000
1984
Becomes a member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY)
1984
Foms partnership with Paul Massey day two on the job (the partnership lasts 30 years – 4 at CB and 26 at Massey Knakalr)
1984
Starts full time with CB Commercial (now CBRE) in New York City. July 16, 1984
1984
Graduates from The Wharton School at Penn with a BS in Economics
1983
Gets licensed in NJ and serves as an associate to a CB industrial broker. Shows space in Morris County, NJ
1982
Returns to Coldwell Banker to run the Data Bank summer research interns
1981
Gets a summer job at Coldwell Banker working in the “Data Bank” summer research project.
1981
Walks into Coldwell Banker in Hackensack, NJ looking for a summer job thinking it is a bank.
An Evening of Jazz 2006
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra's annual Gala at The Brooklyn Museum on May 8, 2007.
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra's annual Gala at The Brooklyn Museum on May 8, 2007.
Top Sales 2009
Globe Street Dealmaker Award 2014
IREM Man of the Year Award - Jan 14, 2016
Shema Kolainu Man of the Year
Shema Kolainu Honors Robert Knakal of MKRS
Founders Metal, Brooklyn Hospital
Crain’s New York Business’ 40 Under 40
REBNY Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Award
New York's Top Entrepreneurs Crains
