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Acquisition and Leasing Update

Understanding the Factors Leading to Record-Breaking Industrial Activity

Nick Siegel

Nick Siegel

Partner

Bridge Industrial

Neal Driscoll

Neal Driscoll

Partner, Midwest Region

Dermody Properties

Hugh Williams

Hugh Williams

Principal

MK Asset

Jordan Kovalsky

Jordan Kovalsky

SVP, Midwest Markets

Faropoint

Eric Cooper

Eric Cooper

SVP, Legacy Site Services

RPS Group

Derek Fish

Derek Fish

Senior Vice President, Investments

Realterm

Peter Tsantilis
Moderator

Peter Tsantilis

Partner

Liston & Tsantilis

Nick Siegel

Partner

Bridge Industrial

Nick Siegel joined Bridge in 2015 and is responsible for Bridge’s acquisition and development activities throughout the Chicagoland region. In his time at Bridge, Nick has successfully been involved in over 18.5 million square feet of industrial real estate transactions (11.5 MSF in Chicago and 7.0 MSF in South Florida).

Nick is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a double major in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics and Finance, Investments and Banking. He is a member of NAIOP, the WREAA, and is the president of the CJE Senior Life Associate Board

Neal Driscoll

Partner, Midwest Region

Dermody Properties

Neal Driscoll is Midwest Region Partner for Dermody Properties and is

responsible for the company’s expanding portfolio across the region through

the pursuit of acquisition, development, redevelopment and build-to-suit

opportunities, as well as oversight of the existing portfolio.

Mr. Driscoll was previously Vice President and Market Officer for Liberty

Property Trust. During his 15-year career with Liberty, he oversaw a

portfolio that grew from approximately 8 million square feet to 19 million

square feet of industrial space across the midwestern United States

including Chicago, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Cincinnati and

Columbus. In this capacity, Neal was responsible for all aspects of Midwest

enterprise including acquisition, disposition, (re)development, leasing and

operations.

Prior to his time at Liberty, Mr. Driscoll was an industrial broker in the

Midwest providing investment and representative services.

Mr. Driscoll holds a bachelor’s degree in real estate and finance from the University of Wisconsin,

Milwaukee. He has been an active participant in local real estate associations such as NAIOP, SIOR

and AIRE, as well as not-for-profit advisory boards.

Hugh Williams

Principal

MK Asset

Hugh Williams, Principal, joined MK Asset in 2019. Before joining MK, Hugh established Avison Young’s Chicago office, the company’s first expansion outside of Canada and its inaugural U.S. location. Accomplished in all aspects of commercial real estate, Hugh’s expertise includes build-to-suit transactions, headquarter relocations, investment sales, and corporate services. Throughout his career, Hugh has led Industrial teams in managing transactions across North America for clients including: Tricor Pacific, BFG Supply Company, ITW, Dow Chemical, and PON North America.

Prior to joining Avison Young, Hugh was a Senior Director at Cushman & Wakefield’s Chicago office. While a member of Cushman & Wakefield’s Industrial Technology Services Group, Hugh graduated from the company’s Associate Development Program, having successfully completed core business group projects in areas such as:

· Asset Management

· Corporate Services

· Project Management

· Financial Systems

· Research Services

A former Big 10 Conference football player, Hugh played professional football in Europe before beginning his real estate career with Cushman & Wakefield.

Hugh is the recipient of numerous professional awards, including Chicago Sun-Times Metro Chicago Industrial Broker of the Year, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Suburban Office Transaction of the Year, and CoStar Power Broker. Hugh served as a contributing member of the Board of Directors for NAIOP’s Chicago Chapter, Congo Square Theater, former member of the Big 10 Advisory Commission and the Advisory Board of Project Reap.

Hugh holds both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Marketing and Communications from Northwestern University. He is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Illinois.

Jordan Kovalsky

SVP, Midwest Markets

Faropoint

Jordan serves as Senior Vice President of Midwest Markets at Faropoint, a real estate private equity firm. She oversees acquisitions and asset management in the Midwest and has completed 19 individual acquisitions totaling over 2 million square feet since joining in April of 2021.

Prior to joining Faropoint, Jordan worked as a Vice President of Acquisitions and Asset Management at Lincoln Advisors, a Lincoln Property Company affiliate. During her time at Lincoln, Jordan was involved in over $900 million of industrial and office acquisitions as well as $275 million of dispositions on behalf of two separate account clients.

Jordan is a member of IWIRE, REFF, serves on the Developing Leaders board of NAIOP Chicago, and is a NAIOP Forum member. Jordan received a BBA in Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Eric Cooper

SVP, Legacy Site Services

RPS Group

Eric leads the Legacy Site Services business unit within RPS’s North American Environmental Risk practice. He has 15 years of broad environmental consulting experience including transactional due diligence, site investigation, and remediation. Eric’s team specializes in risk management, mitigation, remedial estimating, asset retirement obligations, emerging contaminants, site investigation, and remediation of complex soil and groundwater impact issues.

Derek Fish

Senior Vice President, Investments

Realterm

Derek Fish is responsible for leading Acquisitions and Business Development for Realterm in the United States. Previously, Mr. Fish worked for Ravinia Capital Group in Chicago, IL, as an Acquisitions Associate charged with underwriting real estate investments and capital structures across property types. Derek was also a senior analyst at LaSalle Investment Management responsible for asset management of properties across a $3.0 billion fund. Mr. Fish holds a BA from Dartmouth College.

Peter Tsantilis

Moderator

Liston & Tsantilis

Peter Tsantilis is a partner in The Law Offices of Liston & Tsantilis, P.C. He represents clients in the areas of property tax litigation and incentives, land use/zoning, industrial and commercial real estate transactions/leasing and eminent domain litigation. Mr. Tsantilis is the author of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) chapter entitled Due Diligence for Leases on Commercial Properties and the IICLE chapter entitled Taxable and Exempt Property. He was honored as one of the 40 Under Forty Illinois Attorneys to Watch in

2013, a Leading Lawyer for 2018, 2019 and 2020 (top 5% of Illinois lawyers named by their peers in statewide surveys), a Leading Lawyers Emerging Lawyer for 2015, 2016 and 2017 and an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2010, 2012 and 2013. He has been an active member of the Real Estate Law Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Institute for Professionals in Taxation. He is a frequent speaker at seminars dealing with a wide range of topics affecting diverse and complex interests in the real estate industry, including real estate developers and owners,

brokers, property managers, title insurers and other attorneys.

In 2003, he obtained his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. In addition, he received his B.B.A. in Economics and Finance, and graduated valedictorian from Loyola University Chicago School of Business Administration in 2000.

Construction and Development Outlook

Keeping up with Increased Demand and Evolving Trends

Kevin Brennan

Kevin Brennan

Managing Principal

Brennan Investment Group

Adam Moore

Adam Moore

Senior Regional Director

First Industrial Realty Trust

Kyle Schott

Kyle Schott

VP, Real Estate Development

Ryan Companies

Joe Rook

Joe Rook

Executive Vice President

ARCO/Murray

Steve Gerson

Steve Gerson

CFO

548 Capital & 548 Development

Autumn Harris
Moderator

Autumn Harris

Marketing Manager

PREMIER Design + Build Group

Kevin Brennan

Managing Principal

Brennan Investment Group

Kevin Brennan is a Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Brennan Investment Group. In this capacity, Mr. Brennan directs all investment, operations, portfolio management, disposition, and development activity in the Midwest.

Prior to joining Brennan Investment Group, Mr. Brennan worked in the Capital Deployment Group at Prologis. While at Prologis, Mr. Brennan was directly responsible for the evaluation and underwriting of industrial acquisition and development transactions throughout the Central Region of the United States. During the course of his career, Mr. Brennan has been involved in over $3 billion in industrial transactions.

Mr. Brennan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is a board member of NAIOP.

Adam Moore

Senior Regional Director

First Industrial Realty Trust

As Senior Regional Director for First Industrial’s Chicago/Milwaukee Region, Adam

Moore is responsible for leasing, acquisition, development and other corporate

customer initiatives throughout the region.

Mr. Moore has over 20 years of experience working in the commercial real estate

sector, during this time he has been responsible for over $1 Billion in transactions.

During his time with First Industrial, he has completed an average of 40 lease

transactions per year while increasing portfolio occupancy and quality through

acquisitions and development.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Moore served as Marketing/Leasing Director for

First Industrial's Chicago/Milwaukee region, working with tenants on new leasing

opportunities throughout the area.

Previously, Mr. Moore served as a Vice President for Krusinski Construction

Company where he was responsible for business development and commercial

development activities. Earlier, he was a Director at the brokerage firm Cushman

& Wakefield, Leasing Agent for Prime Group Realty Trust and a Broker for Equis

Corporation.

An active member of the Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers (AIRE), Mr.

Moore holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from DePauw University.

Kyle Schott

VP, Real Estate Development

Ryan Companies

Kyle brings more than 18 years of industry

experience with expertise in many sectors. As

Vice President of Real Estate Development, he

is instrumental in leading new business efforts

and facilitating teams through all aspects of

the development process. Kyle focuses on

site selection and acquisition, due diligence,

entitlement processes, design and construction

coordination, lease and sales negotiations and

project financing. He is an effective and diligent

leader who is passionate about making a positive

impact with customers and their communities.

Kyle’s ability to communicate and inspire, his

commitment to equal opportunity and his

dedication to quality outcomes has helped him

build a long list of lasting customer relationships.

Joe Rook

Executive Vice President

ARCO/Murray

Joe leads the operations and business development efforts for ARCO/Murray’s industrial division. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Joe’s background blends proven experience managing key industrial projects across the country with strategies honed as a business analytics consultant. Over the past 5 years, Joe has grown ARCO/Murray’s industrial business from $10M to $150M+.

Steve Gerson

CFO

548 Capital & 548 Development

Steve Gerson is the Chief Financial Officer of 548 Capital and 548 Development, where he is an

integral part of their investment, development, and strategic teams. Steve directs and manages

finance and accounting at the firm, fund, and project level, including management of the firm’s

Solar Chicago Fund as well as the current slate of Invest South/West projects in the City of

Chicago. He has participated in over $400 million in real estate development in the past few

years.

Prior to joining 548 Capital and Development, Steve worked in the lighting, HVAC, and

building products sectors in various finance and operational roles including treasury

management, FP&A, and supply chain. He was acting treasury manager for a mid-market private

equity backed portfolio company out of Miami, managing their liquidity, hedging, forecasting,

and reporting. Before that, he spent time performing sell-side equity research at a South Florida

investment bank.

Steve has consulted for an institutional bank, onboarding large family offices onto their

technology platform, and has recently participated in the development of a large international

hotel and entertainment project.

Autumn Harris

Moderator

PREMIER Design + Build Group

Autumn Harris is the marketing manager at PREMIER Design + Build Group, a national design + construction firm headquartered in Chicago with an established presence in the Northeast industrial and logistics market. PREMIER was founded on the concept that your contractor should be your partner and your advocate throughout the design and build process. From simple office TIs to large-scale business parks, each PREMIER project benefits from the company's strong client focus and concept-to-completion success strategy. Autumn leads PREMIER's national marketing team's vision, employing people-first tactics to match clients with extraordinary opportunities. She leads her team members with boldness and heart while encouraging personal growth and cultural exploration. She has served as a volunteer for various industry organizations, such as SMPS Chicago, WTS Chicago - Transportation YOU, and ACEC-Illinois. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College Chicago and enjoys painting watercolor, inking comics and collecting vinyl.

The Cold Hard Truth about Cold Storage

Chilling Insights on the Challenges and Opportunities

Geoffrey Kasselman

Geoffrey Kasselman

Partner

CRG

Mike Llewellyn

Mike Llewellyn

VP, Cold Storage Division

FCL Builders

Steve Livaditis

Steve Livaditis

SVP

CBRE

Joana Berling

Joana Berling

Principal

Novus Architects

Mike Tirman
Moderator

Mike Tirman

Partner

Ice Miller

Geoffrey Kasselman

Partner

CRG

Geoff oversees CRG’s national accounts and leads all client-related initiatives for the company’s expanding industrial, office and data center project delivery platform. Geoff also provides clients with strategy for the future of their workplace and technology in real estate. Geoff joined the company in 2019. In his previous role as Executive Managing Director and National Industrial Practice Group Leader at Newmark Knight Frank, Geoff oversaw substantial growth of the group while also completing several notable transactions around the U.S. including a 1.1 million square foot e-commerce facility in Atlanta for ASOS and a 617,000 square foot omni-channel build-to-suit facility near Cincinnati for DWR, a Herman Miller company. Over his distinguished career, Kasselman has completed more than 1,000 transactions worth more than $1 billion of aggregate value. Geoff is also known for his volunteer role as the 2017 Global President of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), the largest non-profit trade organization of its kind, and for his keen business-futurist persona. Geoff has given several high-profile keynote speeches on an array of forward-looking disruptive technology topics to industry and business audiences around the world. Geoff also sits on various tech Advisory Boards, provides mentoring to select “proptech” start-ups, and owns an energy procurement firm.

Mike Llewellyn

VP, Cold Storage Division

FCL Builders

Mike Llewellyn earned a role as Vice President of FCL’s Cold Storage division after fourteen years with FCL, as Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Associate Vice President and Vice President of Construction. He previously had fifteen years of Project Management experience, as well as demonstrable communication skills in facilitating client satisfaction.

In addition to overseeing the national coordination of our Cold Storage division, Mike is responsible for the estimating and preconstruction teams in the Midwest Region. Mike coordinates the design of projects in conjunction with the end-users needs, owner contract management, management of client concerns, and strict implementation of FCL procedures for each and every project.

Steve Livaditis

SVP

CBRE

Steven Livaditis is currently a Senior Vice President with CBRE, Inc. joining the firm in

July 2000. Mr. Livaditis is a native Chicagoan and brings an insider’s perspective and

invaluable understanding to his position. Mr. Livaditis has completed over 250

transactions, totaling over 17 million square feet.

Mr. Livaditis has also developed an impressive track record as an expert in

refrigerated facilities in the Midwest, specifically in the Chicago Metropolitan Market.

A member of the National Food Facilities Group, Mr. Livaditis has completed over 35

refrigerated transactions in the last five years over 3 million square feet; representing

users, owners, and investors of refrigerated facilities.

This niche has made him a preferred service vendor for the City of Chicago and

allowed him to distinguish himself as a valuable resource in Chicago’s rapidly growing

foodservice and refrigerated distribution markets. As a trusted advisor and strategic

business partner who manages the entire process on behalf of his client, Mr. Livaditis

has successfully worked with local, national, and global firms to provide solutions for

their diverse real estate needs.

Mike Tirman

Moderator

Ice Miller

Mike Tirman is a partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Group and advises and represents clients in all areas of real estate law, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financing, Sharīʿah-compliant financing, ground leasing, and development. Mike regularly represents buyers, sellers, borrowers, investors, developers, and investment managers in deals across all asset classes, including industrial, multi-family, office, and retail properties. Mike strives to provide comprehensive, best-in-class legal counsel while also offering thoughtful and practical business solutions to his clients.

Mike received his JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, cum laude, and his BA from Butler University, magna cum laude. Mike is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Indiana. For more information please visit https://www.icemiller.com/people/michael-tirman/.

WHY THIS MATTERS

What You'll Learn:

  • The Chicago area benefited greatly from the industrial boom, largely supercharged by the fast-growing transportation, logistics, and warehousing industries. How are owners and developers keeping up with the increased demand for facilities and new development?

  • With an increased demand and a short supply of construction materials, how are developers and contractors moving forward with new projects? How are rising construction costs and supply chain issues impacting the development of new facilities? 

  • The Chicago-area industrial vacancy rate is at its lowest level in more than two decades, and rents in some markets are estimated to be up 10% to 15% year over year. How are landlords attracting tenants and winning deals?

  • Amid a super-tight industrial market, will more warehouse developers try to snap up suburban office sites?

  • Customer demands have changed before and throughout the pandemic. How has this impacted development and investment trends? What type of industrial space is most in demand: light industrial, last-mile distribution, cold storage, manufacturing or biopharma?

  • As cold storage is much more expensive than a standard warehouse, what type of demand is there for speculative cold storage development?

  • Which submarkets in the region are seeing the most growth and activity? What are the major distinctions between the submarkets?

How You'll Do More Business

As a historic center of manufacturing, trade and services, Chicago is one of the country's most important logistics and transportation hubs with a powerful network of rail, airport and truck routes that reach nationwide markets. Join industry leaders in Chicago as they discuss how owners and developers are capitalizing on the booming industrial market in Chicago. Find out where there is room for opportunities, and where to capitalize on these trends. With demand at all-time highs, where does the opportunity lie within the Chicago market? Join us and the region's best as we dive deep into the market and the trends impacting its growth.

Who Attends: Brokers, owners, developers, investors, construction, designers, architects, financial institutions, government officials and more!

Why You Should Attend: Bisnow events bring together the biggest power players in the industry to identify opportunities, build your network and expand your business. With the largest audience of commercial real estate professionals in the world, no one knows how to help your business more than us. Join Bisnow as we jump into the market in Chicago to analyze its strengths and strategize on its areas of opportunity.

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries please email our senior event producer, Elliot Dvorin at elliot.dvorin@bisnow.com.

Venue

The Drake
140 East Walton Place
Chicago, IL, 60611

Ballroom: Gold Coast Room, Second Floor


Parking information: Event Valet Parking $31

Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
Pre-Event Networking
2:00 PM
2:45 PM
Cold Storage Facilities Fireside Chat

The Cold Hard Truth: Chilling Insights on the Challenges and Opportunities

2:45 PM
3:30 PM
Acquisition and Leasing Update

Understanding the Factors Leading to Record-Breaking Industrial Activity

3:30 PM
4:15 PM
Construction and Development Outlook

Keeping up with Increased Demand and Evolving Trends

4:15 PM
5:00 PM
Post-Event Networking

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR SAFETY

We hosted more than 72,000 attendees live, in-person around the globe in 2021. Our commitment to safety is no different in 2022. Our events follow all local Covid-19 regulations and protocols. In the interest of the safety of all our guests, we recommend taking a rapid or PCR test for proof of negative results before attending any gathering. 

We will update attendees should any regulations be updated before this event is held. We look forward to hosting you soon to do what we do best: network, connect, and engage to do more business.