MEET OUR
EXPERT TEAM
Real estate leaders. Proven results.
CO-FOUNDER
JOHN COHEN
Co-Founded Toro Real Estate Partners in 2015. John focus is the strategic direction of the company, formulation of investment strategy, investor development, and acquisition & dispositions. He has been investing in real estate since 2010. John’s understanding of deep value investing in the real estate space started by buying tax deeds and tax liens. Since starting in real estate he has been involved in over $250 million in various real estate transactions, spanning tax liens, rental/sale transactions in Manhattan, and his own personal investments.
John worked at Marcus & Millichap and focused on the multifamily investment sales in the Brooklyn and Queens market. When John left Marcus & Millichap it was to focus 100% of his time on the growth of his real estate investment company. John played baseball at Queens College where he graduated with a degree in Economics
MANAGING PARTNER
DON DIRENZO
Co-Founded Toro Real Estate Partners in 2015. Prior to Toro, Don was Executive Vice President at Cushman & Wakefield since 1984 (30+ years.) Initially a member of The Financial Services Group, Don was responsible for investment valuation and alternative occupancy analyses, He transitioned into the Investment Brokerage Division, participating in over $500 million of Conventional Sale, Equity Joint Venture, Participating Lease, and Acquisition, Construction, and Permanent Financing Transactions. For the past 20+ Years, Don thrived in the Office Leasing Division providing Brokerage Services for leasing with over 1 Billion square feet in transactions, resulting in recognition and ranking in the Firm’s Top 100 Brokerage Professionals nationally since 1995.
In 2013, Don formed DC Property LLC, and has acquired and sold Real Estate investments including, strip and single user shopping centers, condominium conversions, speculative residential development and multi-family properties. Don’s extensive experience across the real estate food chain, from an underwriting perspective, to boots on the ground experience, positions Toro in identifying attractive risk adjusted opportunities. Don graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Boston University’s School of Management and Finance, is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York with professional interests in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and Parents Against Childhood Epilepsy (PACE).
MANAGING PARTNER
MICHAEL DIRENZO
Michael DiRenzo graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2019 with a degree in Economics with Financial Applications. Coming from a family deeply rooted in real estate, with his father and grandfather amassing a combined total of over 90 years in the industry, Michael developed a natural passion and keen insight for the real estate market from an early age. During his academic years, Michael spent his summers gaining practical experience through internships at companies such as Cushman & Wakefield and Massey Knakal, across various sectors of real estate, including debt, equity, structured finance, and investment sales. In 2020, Michael joined Toro Real Estate Partners as an Acquisitions Analyst, specializing in underwriting multi-family deals. His efforts and strategic vision played a pivotal role in Toro's expansion into acquiring and developing raw land. Taking charge of the day-to-day acquisitions pipeline, Michael was instrumental in the early stages of this transition. Under Michael's leadership, Toro Real Estate Partners has successfully acquired and sold over 2,500 acres of land, with purchases totaling more than $20 million in value. His dedication to excellence and his deep understanding of market dynamics continue to drive Toro's success in real estate investment and development.
Administrative Assistant
Lauren Marasco
Lauren joined our team in 2016 and brings over 10+ years in experience in office support and administrative responsibilities coming from Custom Boards Design, LTD as the Office Manager. She is responsible for a wide range of administrative and office support activities for the company to facilitate the efficient operation of the organization.
Lauren is a strong planner and problem solver who readily adapts to change and works independently or in groups to exceed expectations. She is able to juggle multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines without compromising quality. She graduated Nassau Community College in 2004 with her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and also holds her Real Estate License in the state of New York
Reach Out to Us Anytime
Our team is ready to help with your investment needs.
- tel:+15162683500
- info@tororep.com