Q&A with Bob Silver, CEO & founder of The Bravitas Group

Bob Silver, CEO & founder of The Bravitas Group

You founded The Bravitas Group in Montclair, N.J., in 2006. Tell us more about the firm and the work that you do.

I worked on Wall Street for 28 years. I held various executive positions at UBS and PaineWebber, including serving as the president and COO of UBS Financial Services until there was a management shake-up in 2005. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. It allowed me to rethink my life. I was 50 years old and had no desire to go back and work for a huge corporation. I wanted to do something completely different, but I didn't know what that would be.

It's incredible how serendipity plays in our lives.

I met Jack Finn when his company, Jack Finn Contracting, was working on our house in 1996, and we became friends. Fast forward to 2005. Jack told me about an old warehouse at 105 Grove Street in Montclair, N.J., that he wanted to convert into office space —  something we both needed. I had always been interested in design, and after visiting the property with Jack, I knew I wanted to work on the project. It had been neglected for 30 years, but the bones were terrific. We brought on architect John Reimnitz and got to work. His idea was to include a gallery space to support local artists, which became a signature of Bravitas buildings. The outcome was BrassWorks in 2006, and we immediately leased the entire space. I fell in love with the process, and The Bravitas Group was born. Our mission is to invest in emerging businesses, develop and manage commercial real estate, and support local philanthropic organizations. We've grown significantly since that first project, completing 15 buildings in 15 years. We have a fantastic team that offers something unique and personal. We don't use commercial brokers and have leased about 98% of our spaces. We’ve turned the landlord-tenant relationship on its head because we consider our tenants family. 

Brian Silver, managing director for acquisitions and strategic initiatives at The Bravitas Group

The Bravitas Group recently got a new addition to the team. Your son Brian Silver is the managing director for acquisitions and strategic initiatives. Tell us about the expansion and why Brian is a substantial addition to the team. 

I'm fortunate to have an extremely close family — my wife, Rhonda, and our two sons, Brian and Justin. We're the kind of family that texts each other 50 times a day! So when my business partner Jay Schweppe and I started to discuss long-term plans for the business a few years ago, I decided to call a family summit. The first question was whether we would sell or have a succession plan. I wanted Brian to start thinking about whether it would be something he wanted to do in the future. He had graduated from Cornell and was working in acquisitions and asset management. He decided to pursue a Master in Real Estate Development degree at NYU while working in real estate. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the world started to change. I started talking to Brian seriously about joining the Bravitas team. Surprisingly, with the changes in the workforce and remote work, we started seeing significant demand for small boutique office space. The Bravitas team decided to accelerate, and Brian came on this September. His job is to take us to the next level by sourcing new real estate acquisitions beyond our hyper-local area, overseeing strategic asset management initiatives, and managing investor relationships.

Philanthropy is an integral part of your work. You established The Silver Family Foundation to support nonprofit organizations that support children and families, cancer research, and mental health. Tell us more about the foundation.

I grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, and even though my family didn't have much money, philanthropy was always a big part of my life, especially by supporting our synagogue. I have been very fortunate, and I believe giving back is important. My wife Rhonda is also passionate about philanthropy, and together we established The Silver Family Foundation in 2005 to advance our family's philanthropic vision. We support various nonprofit organizations that we believe will have a significant impact, specifically on the lives of children and families. Locally, we were early supporters of Jazz House Kids because of their school music programs for students with special needs. We support Montclair Film's education program, which empowers children through films and storytelling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity became even more prevalent, so we partnered with Anne Mernin at Toni's Kitchen to help raise funds to support those in need in our community. For the past two years, the Foundation matched donations to Toni's Kitchen leading up to Thanksgiving. In just six days in November, the community donated more than $339,504. The Silver Family Foundation contributed the same, raising an incredible $679,000 for Toni's Kitchen.

Anne Mernin, executive director of Toni’s Kitchen with the generous donation from The Silver Family Foundation

How does working with Violet PR help highlight the work you're doing? 

I love having working relationships with people whom I know and adore. What's exciting to me is seeing how April has grown Violet PR. She started the agency with a small office at our property at Academy Square and, in just 10 years, has grown the business exponentially. Violet PR is now a tenant at our 8 Hillside Square property, so they are living and experiencing our product and truly understand The Bravitas Group's essence. The outcome of working with Violet PR has exceeded our expectations. The team is very responsive. After meeting once to discuss the news we wanted to promote, Georgette, the senior copywriter, immediately understood our DNA and captured it perfectly in the press release on the first draft. I like my business partners to be my friends, which is definitely the case with Violet PR. 

You're known for being a big supporter of your community, often attending local community events and supporting local artists. If you're hosting a friend in Montclair for the weekend, what's on the itinerary? 

We start at a Bravitas property art gallery opening reception on Friday night. We'll hang with artists and enjoy a few nibbles and libations. Next, we'll go to Egan & Sons for a burger and beer — any local craft lager or IPA. On Saturday morning, we'll enjoy The Weekend Special from Hot Bagels Abroad — an everything bagel with lox, cream cheese, onion and tomato. Then we'll head over to Manufacturers Village in East Orange to see the fantastic architecture and visit the galleries of two of my favorite artists, Charlie Spademan and Tom Nussbaum. Before we leave, we'll take in the 20,000-square-foot Black Lives Matter mural. We'll end the night at Halcyon because I love the owners and the fantastic cocktails and food. On Sunday morning, we'll take a quick stroll through the gardens at Van Vleck and then get a hearty breakfast at the Montclair Diner while enjoying live jazz music by the Jacquie Johnson Quartet. After our long breakfast, we'll sit at the Hillside Sculpture Park, which Charlie Spademan curated at Hillside Square. We'll end our Montclair weekend enjoying a fabulous supper at De Novo. 

Hillside Square, Montclair, N.J.