Each week, REjournals.com highlights the career of one of its most recent inductees in the Midwest Real Estate News Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Today, we look at the thriving career of Ronald Hodess, real estate group leader with the Detroit office of law firm Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC.
Years in the business: 33
That veteran touch: Ron Hodess, real estate group leader with Detroit law firm Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, has been practicing real estate law in the Midwest for more than 33 years. Not surprisingly, Hodess has built a wealth of knowledge in this area while becoming a trusted resource for his clients.
A leader: Today, Hodess is the leader of Miller Canfield’s busy real estate group. This is no small job. The real estate group at Miller Canfield has attorneys in 16 offices domestically and abroad. During his career, Hodess has worked on more than $14 billion of real estate and construction projects for both U.S. and international clients.
Making an impact: Many of the projects on which Hodess works have a positive impact on their surrounding communities. An example? Hodess led the legal team on the Little Caesars Arena project in Detroit. The arena is the new home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons. Hodess advised his client, the project’s developer, from the very beginning of the project during the visioning phase. He continues to serve this client today.
The 650,000-square-foot, $2.1 billion project has boosted the character of Midtown Detroit, an area that has now become an entertainment hub in the city. Hodess worked with the client through land acquisition, financing, construction and leasing.
Other big jobs: This is far from the only major project Hodess has taken on. He also worked on $350 million of project contracts for the One World Trade Center recontruction in New York City, represented the general contractor on the Detroit Midfield Terminal Airport Project and the Ford Field Stadium in Detroit and represented the owner with regard to the financing and construction of the Comerca Park baseball stadium in Detroit.
And that small list? It’s just the tip of the work that Hodess has tackled during his career.
The definition: “I define success based on the success of my clients and colleagues,” Hodess said. “It is important to communicate with my clients and colleagues on a daily basis and invest in those relationships.”
Hodess said that the legal teams at Miller Canfield follow a simple practice: They serve their clients and they serve their communities.
“Success in commercial real estate requires vision and strategic thinking, both at the project level and team level,” Hodess said. “It has been great to see how our focus on building strong, diverse legal teams has resulted in stronger bonds with our commercial real estate clients.”
Giving back: Hodess lives in Michigan with his wife, Sue, and his two sons, Jay and Andy, who have autism. Hodess played a key role in the passage of legislation in Michigan in 2013 that required autism to be covered by insurance across the state. Hodess currently serves as chairman of the board to the Friendship Circle of Michigan and is a board member of the Autism Alliance of Michigan.