Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Executive Team

TOPAZ’s senior team of investment professionals average over 50 years of real estate experience. Our culture prioritizes honesty, integrity, and transparency. We strive to deliver best-in-class client service through industry best practices.

Managing Partner & CEO

J. Etan Friedman

Managing Partner & COO

Team Members

Mark Reich

Chief Financial Officer

Marlene Siberski

VP, Asset Management

Jaclyn Alvarado

Creative Marketing Director

Nicole Cawed

Executive Administrative Manager

Interested in Joining Our Team

TOPAZ is proud of its ability to recruit, develop, promote and retain best-in-class talent without focus on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and veteran or disability status, promoting a workforce that is as diverse as the communities it serves.

Marc A. Hershberg

Managing Partner & CEO

Marc A. Hershberg began his career at UBS Financial services, where he supported investment portfolios with total accounts in excess of a billion dollars with partnered and affiliated banks, insurance pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, public capital markets, and private equity firms. 

Prior to co-founding TOPAZ, Hershberg focused on Structured Finance and Private Debt at Brick Capital Group, a premier New York-based private equity and debt firm. At TOPAZ, Marc oversees the origination and structuring of all investment activities, as well as acquisitions, business development, investor relations, and overall strategic direction.

Hershberg is a thought leader in the multifamily real estate sector and regularly contributes to news outlets like GlobeSt, Commercial Observer, Multihousing News, Forbes, Wealth Management, and more. 

Hershberg graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Management from the Sy Syms Business School at Yeshiva University and holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Investments and Finance from New York University, where he often serves as a guest lecturer.

Hershberg spends his free time traveling with his family and devotes himself to local, national, and international philanthropies. 

J. Etan Friedman

Managing Partner & COO

Etan Friedman began his career working in acquisitions at Treetop Development, where he oversaw the underwriting, due diligence, and closing of over half a billion dollars in multifamily units across North America. Friedman’s experience spans both free market and government-subsidized HUD multifamily residential housing.

Friedman co-founded TOPAZ in late 2017 and focuses on the company’s acquisitions, asset management, and finance platforms. Since joining TOPAZ, Friedman has enhanced the overall back office and asset management operations while streamlining the underwriting process.

Friedman graduated magna cum laude from Baruch College Newman School of Real Estate.

Mark Reich

Chief Financial Officer

Mark Reich began his career at Ernst & Young and Golden Tree Asset Management, a large distressed debt hedge fund, where he served as Assistant Controller handling all matters relating to accounting, tax, and financial planning.

As acting CFO of TOPAZ, Reich oversees back office operations and finances. Reich is also Managing Partner of River Edge Advisors LLC, a boutique accounting, financial consulting, and back office firm.

Reich earned his Master of Business Administration from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he focused on Finance and International Finance.

Reich holds an undergraduate degree from Touro College and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York.

Reich spends much of his time traveling with his family and devotes time to local, national, and international philanthropies.

Marlene Siberski, ARM, HCCP, COS, CAM

VP, Asset Management

Marlene Siberski began her career in multifamily property management at Summit Property Management, Inc., Benchmark Management, and leading national property management companies. As Vice President at Summit Property Management, Siberski managed 3,600 units with over 45 staff members.

Siberski joined TOPAZ full time as acting Vice President of Asset Management after over 25 years of diversified leadership and management experience with multifamily midrise and garden-style (B-C-D), lease-up, conventional, affordable housing, condo-coop, and new construction properties. At TOPAZ, Siberski uses her strong financial background to train new regional property managers on effective budgeting for their properties.

Siberski earned her Bachelor of Science in Management and Finance from Luzerne County Community College. She holds her Accredited Residential Manager, Housing Credit Professional, and Occupancy Specialist certifications, and is a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson and Certified Association Manager.

Siberski spends much of her time supporting veterans’ charities.

Jaclyn Alvarado

Creative Marketing Director

Jaclyn Alvarado began her creative career 18 years ago at Oxford University Press and nonprofit organizations, where she created and managed marketing, graphic design, and communications campaigns.

As Creative Marketing Director at TOPAZ, Jaclyn oversees all marketing, public relations, and branding for the firm. Alvarado also freelances for J2 Design, a graphic and web firm, where she helps entrepreneurs craft and execute their creative vision.

Alvarado obtained her Bachelors of Graphic Design and Advertising from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Nicole Cawed

Executive Administrative Manager

Nicole Cawed has nearly two decades of administrative experience at real estate and private equity firms.

As Executive Administrative Manager of TOPAZ, Cawed is responsible for the organization, administration, compliance, and logistics of the firm. Cawed is also responsible for ad hoc projects for the company, as needed.

Cawed holds a bachelors and graduate degree in business management from an international college.