BMAC Midwest

Gregory Mutz

CEO - AMLI Residential

Mr. Mutz is the Chairman & CEO of AMLI Residential, which he co-founded in 1980. He received a B.A. from DePauw University in 1967 and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1973. Mr. Mutz served as an infantry lieutenant in Vietnam (1968-69).

Leslie Andren

CIO - Atlas Residential

Leslie has over 30 years experience in commercial real estate transactions, construction lending, workouts, pension fund acquisitions, investment sales brokerage and over 15 years of investing in apartments nationally in the US. She has worked for many of the top firms in the apartment industry. Most recently prior to Atlas she was a Senior Vice President with Bank of America, she is in charge of forming strategies for restructuring distressed loans. Prior to Bank of America Leslie ran a team of investment sales professionals for Cushman & Wakefield for apartment sales out of their Chicago office. Prior to C&W Leslie was a Director of Asset Management with Alliance Residential, Leslie was responsible for strategic acquisition, disposition and renovation/value add strategies for the 65,000 unit portfolio. Before her appointment with Alliance, she was a partner with Moran & Company, as an investment sales broker, and prior to that with Equity Residential Properties, wherein she was a Vice President of Asset Management with a 70-property, 15,000 unit portfolio, and also as a Vice President of Acquisitions, wherein she acquired the $380 million, 26-property Executive Life portfolio in 1994, as well as worked on the teams that acquired the Wellsford REIT and the Evans Withycombe REIT. She has executed more than $5 billion in acquisition and financing over her career. Leslie is on the Board of Directors of the NMHC. She holds an AB in History from Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio and an MBA with double majors in Real Estate and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She studied under James A. Graaskamp in the Real Estate Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business, who was a pioneer in the development of Masters programs for commercial real estate.

Pam Boneham

Managing Director - Barings Real Estate Advisers

Ms. Boneham oversees Barings' Central Region equity investment and management activities including acquisitions, joint ventures, asset management and dispositions. Barings maintains a multi-billion dollar real estate portfolio of all major product types with over 50 investments in the Central Region. Ms. Boneham also serves as Portfolio Manager for one of Barings' Separate Accounts. Prior to joining Barings in 2013, Ms. Boneham spent 16 years as a Portfolio Manager and Managing Director for Deutsche Asset and Wealth Management, formerly known as RREEF. In her time there, she was the lead Portfolio Manager for several public and corporate pension fund separate accounts, including the firm’s largest separate account with assets under management in excess of $1.5 billion. She also was President of RREEF America REIT, Inc., the company’s first private Real Estate Investment Trust, and other comingled funds during her tenure. Earlier in her career, she was at Equity Office Properties and Jones Lang LaSalle. Ms. Boneham earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a BBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. She is active in a variety of professional and community associations, including Urban Land Institute, Pension Real Estate Association, Economic Club of Chicago, Commercial Real Estate Women, the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association, and the Thoracic Oncology Council at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Lee Golub

Principal I EVP - Golub & Company

Lee Golub leads the Golub & Company U.S. division, spearheading the company’s successful pursuit of high profile development opportunities across the country, stimulating rapid growth in multiple property sectors and geographical markets. Lee provides leadership to the firm’s development group responsible for ensuring the quality of ground-up construction projects, as well as to the asset management and marketing executives responsible for enhancing the sustained value of every property. He is on the boards of Chicago Gateway Green; Lookingglass Theatre and the Magnificent Mile Association, and has acted as co-chair of the City of Hope REACH (Real Estate Action Committee) social for many years. Lee joined the company in 1987 and also serves as the managing broker for Golub & Company of Illinois LLC.

Rajen Shastri

CEO - Akara Partners

Rajen Shastri has spent over 12 years working in senior management roles across the spectrum of the commercial real estate value chain, from being an investment professional at a global real estate institutional investor to acting as a Principal at an operator/developer. His vision for Akara partners is to offer investors the ability to participate with a vertically integrated real investment firm, allowing them to capture value from the elimination of the inherent information asymmetry between investors, operators and developers. Prior to founding Akara Partners in 2013, Rajen was a Principal, CIO and Co-COO of Campus Acquisitions (“CA”) a developer and operator of student housing assets from 2009-2013. While at CA, Rajen led the capitalization and monetization of over $1 billion in student housing assets across the U.S., including the $627 million sale of a portfolio of assets to American Campus Communities (NYSE: ACC) in 2012. Prior to CA, Rajen worked at Syndicated Equities and Jones Lang LaSalle, where he identified and structured commercial real estate investments across asset types both in the U.S and Internationally. Rajen has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern

David Schwartz

CEO - Waterton

Mr. Schwartz co-founded the company with Peter Vilim in 1995 and serves as CEO and Co-chairman. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for strategic decisions and leadership of Waterton’s business activities and operations. Mr. Schwartz participates on Waterton’s leadership and investment committees. Prior to co-founding Waterton in 1995, Mr. Schwartz was a vice president of acquisitions for Equity Residential Properties Trust (EQR-NYSE) and from 1985 through 1989 was with AMLI Realty Co. During that time, he invested over $1 billion in 70 properties totaling approximately 20,000 units. Mr. Schwartz received his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Illinois and Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Mr. Schwartz is a member of the executive committee, a senior officer and Secretary of the National Multi Housing Council. He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and is chairman of the Multifamily Blue Council, is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association and the Economic Club of Chicago. Mr. Schwartz is a member of the Visiting Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago.

Derek Lopez

Managing Director I Head of U.S. Acquisitions - LaSalle Investment Management

Derek is the Head of US Acquisitions, overseeing a team responsible for sourcing, underwriting, and executing new investments across the country. He also serves on LaSalle’s North American Private Equity Investment and Allocation Committees. Prior to his current role, Derek was a Managing Director in the Strategic Investments Group at LaSalle, responsible for acquisition execution and portfolio management for a series of co-investment funds as well as an opportunistic separate account mandate. Since joining LaSalle in 2005, Derek has completed over $4.5 billion in investments across various property types with risk profiles ranging from core to opportunistic. Prior to joining LaSalle, Derek was a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at J.P. Morgan Chase.

Bob Flannery

COO - CA Ventures

Bob Flannery serves as Chief Operating Officer at CA Ventures with a focus on CA’s national multifamily development platform, along with involvement in CA’s strategic planning, acquisitions, capital markets and asset management activities. Bob is also active in decisions regarding the holding, selling, repositioning and refinancing of CA assets. Prior to joining CA Ventures, Bob was Chief Operating Officer at JRG Capital Partners and Chief Financial Officer at Jameson Real Estate, an affiliated company of JRG. Bob has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate and executive leadership. He has worked for many of the industry’s top firms, including Prudential Insurance, JP Morgan Chase and Sam Zell’s Equity Office. He has been involved in transactions totaling over $2 billion and has managed real estate portfolios consisting of office, retail industrial and multifamily in major markets throughout the United States. Bob holds a BS in Finance from Northern Illinois University and an MBA in International Business from Wayne State University.

Richard Aaronson

CEO - Atlantic Realty Partners

As company President, Richard is responsible for all of Atlantic Realty’s operations throughout the Southeast and Midwest — overseeing development, leasing/sales, and management assignments. Atlantic Realty Partners, Inc. is a private real estate development and management company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Through affiliated entities, it currently owns and manages over 2,000 apartments. It is currently undertaking numerous large multifamily housing developments in Atlanta and Chicago with an aggregate value in excess of $300 million.

Joanna Zabriskie

President - BH Management

Joanna joined BH in November 2013 as Senior Vice President focusing on new initiatives and special projects that help improve the overall operating efficiency of the organization. Prior to joining the company, she worked with BH for many years as a sponsor/partner on multifamily acquisitions. Her previous roles include serving as the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Harbour Realty Partners, a company she co-founded, and serving as Regional Vice President for Captec Financial group. Joanna earned an undergraduate degree from Carleton College and a Masters in International Management and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird). She has more than 25 years of experience in real estate, banking and finance.

Steve Fifield

CEO - Fifield Companies

Steven Fifield, established Fifield Companies in 1977 as a suburban office developer in Chicago (Fifield, Palmer & Co.). In 34 years the firm has evolved into a developer of over 50 high-rise urban office and residential buildings. Steve's breadth of experience covers suburban office and hotel/restaurant complexes to 40 story mixed use office and residential towers. Steve is a member of numerous real estate organizations, and an active contributor to civic and charity groups. He is an Indiana University trained mathematician with an MBA from the University of Chicago. He is married with seven children. Steve is Chairman and CEO of Fifield Companies.

Jim Bachner

EVP I Acquisitions - Heitman

Jim is an Executive Vice President and Heitman's Director of North American Acquisitions. He is an equity owner of the firm and a member of Heitman's Management Committee. Jim is responsible for all property types and is the firm's senior multifamily acquisitions officer. Jim was with JMB Realty Corporation from 1981 until 1994, when JMB's advisory business was acquired and merged with Heitman. Prior to joining Heitman, he was associated with the accounting firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. Jim received a BS in Accounting from the University of Colorado and is a CPA. He is a member of the National Multi Housing Council and the Urban Land Institute.

Matthew Fiascone

President - The Habitat Company

Matt Fiascone, President of The Habitat Company, has led a full range of real estate developments and investment activities for more than 30 years. Previously, Matt served as Senior Vice President for Inland Real Estate Development Corporation, where he originated and implemented over 150 real estate transactions involving assets valued at over $1 billion and negotiated and managed over $250 million in equity joint venture agreements. Since joining The Habitat Company in 2011, Matt has been instrumental in strategizing, executing, and managing over $650 million of capital events including $140 million in development with joint venture equity; $280 million in recapitalization of existing ventures; and $115 million in acquisitions. Matt also established new relationships for both debt and equity, and led the establishment of The Habitat Company's asset management platform. He plays a leadership role in the creation and integration of the strategic vision and growth of Habitat. During his tenure he has also led the expansion of the company's footprint and assets under management to the highest level in the company's history. Matt serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Inland Bank and Trust and is a member of Lambda Alpha (a Land Economics Honorary Society), the Urban Land Institute, and the National Multi Housing Council. Mr. Fiascone has been a frequent speaker and panelist for industry events. In addition, he is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois, Florida and Missouri. Matt has a Bachelor's degree in Business and Economics from Bradley University.

John Murphy

President - Murphy Development Group

Mr. Murphy has been involved in, and in most cases, led the development and repositioning of several million feet throughout the Midwest and East Coast. His recent notable accomplishments include Lincoln Park 2550, a prestigious three-tower, 228-unit luxury condominium development in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood; the Hyatt Chicago “The Loop,” a $71 million redevelopment of 100 W. Monroe, a 130,976 square foot historic office high-rise in Chicago into a 257-room, full-service hotel; the 85,839 square foot redevelopment of the Chicago Motor Club building at 68 E. Wacker into a 143-room, select-service Hampton Inn; and a 237,200 square foot redevelopment of the Oriental Theater Building at 32 W. Randolph into a downtown multi-family rental. He is also actively involved in the development of a 206 acre private marina and beach resort on Lake Erie in Ohio.

Buzz Ruttenberg

Founder - Belgravia Group

Clayton McCaffery

MD - McCaffery Interests

Clayton McCaffery is responsible for development services, marketing, and leasing for the firm. Previously with Mid-America Real Estate Group in Chicago and Liberty Greenfield in Denver, Mr. McCaffery has more than fifteen years experience representing owners’ and tenants’ real estate interests. Clayton earned a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University and a Master of Business Administration in Real Estate and Finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is a license broker in Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Susan Tjarksen

Principal - KIG

Susan Tjarksen has more than 25 years of proven real estate experience working with national private and public institutions and investors. A leader in condominium and apartment development, Susan has planned, built, designed, financed and delivered projects totaling more than $2.5 billion in revenue. She has also successfully developed and sold 12,000 residential units, 2,500 hotel rooms and over 1M square feet of retail and office space. Past clients include such firms as IP Global, LNR, Lekki Beach Nigeria LLC, The Lynd Companies and Bayview Asset Management. Susan is a licensed real estate managing broker in IL, IN, WI, MI, KY, FL and IA.

Darren Sloniger

President - Marquette Companies

Darren Sloniger is the President and Chief Investment Officer for the Marquette Companies. Mr. Sloniger is a multi-family professional with 20+ years of real estate experience. After completing his graduate studies in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Mr. Sloniger became the Vice President of Real Estate Development for the largest non-profit development company in the City of Chicago. Before joining Marquette, Mr. Sloniger owned and operated his own development company. Mr. Sloniger is known for his ability to form long-term, successful strategic joint venture relationships with many institutional funds. Since 2010, Mr. Sloniger has led the company in executing more than $1.3 Billion in acquisitions and development adding more than 4500 units to the Marquette portfolio.

Kevin Hites

CIO - The John Buck Company

Mr. Hites serves as Chief Investment Officer for The John Buck Company with primary responsibility for the development and implementation of investment strategy, oversight and coordination of the firm’s investment activities and the origination of new investment opportunities. Mr. Hites also serves JBC’s Board of Directors and the Investment Committee. Prior to joining JBC, Mr. Hites was Chief Investment Officer at Pearlmark Real Estate Partners, where he oversaw and coordinated the firm’s investment activities. In addition, Kevin was a member of Pearlmark’s Investment and Management committees. Mr. Hites invested over $2 billion in real estate across the U.S. on behalf of Pearlmark’s private equity funds during his 15-year tenure at the firm. Previously, Mr. Hites was with ING Clarion Partners in New York, where he was involved in acquisitions and asset management. He also worked in Morgan Stanley Dean Witter’s Real Estate Investment Banking Group in New York. Mr. Hites earned his AB degree in Business Economics at Brown University and his MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He is an active member of Urban Land Institute (ULI).

James Letchinger

President - JDL Development

Mr. Letchinger founded JDL Development in 1993 and to date, has developed more than 1,200 residential units with another 1,500 currently preparing to being construction in 2014. He launched his development career with a conversion of a 1940’s Benjamin Marshall building at 210 E. Walton St. in Chicago where he transformed 21 apartments into five unique residential condominiums. Mr. Letchinger quickly became one of Chicago’s most creative and respected residential developers. Mr. Letchinger specializes in urban development where his expertise in entitlement and infill design has provided a significant competitive advantage. Mr. Letchinger is intimately involved in all aspects of JDL’s projects, from inception to completion. His hands-on approach has helped JDL survive a number of real estate cycles. In 2011, Mr. Letchinger co-founded HERE Enterprises, LLC (here-llc.com) in order to pursue the student housing market. HERE’s specialty is large scale, student housing, which provides an opportunity for Mr. Letchinger to take advantage of his vertical construction and mulit-family expertise. Prior to forming JDL Development, Mr. Letchinger started Superior Lighting, an architectural lighting design and distribution business. For seven years, Mr. Letchinger grew Superior Lighting into Chicago’s primary architectural lighting design and sales leader. Mr. Letchinger is a graduate of the University of Michigan. A life long resident of the City of Chicago, Mr. Letchinger is married with two grown children.

Adam Klingher

Managing Director - Pillar

Adam is responsible for originating multifamily loans throughout the country. He also manages the Chicago production office. Joined Pillar in March 2014 PAST EXPERIENCE: Adam has more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience focusing exclusively on multifamily finance. Adam has has been involved in all facets of apartment lending. His expertise ranges from large high rises and large suburban garden complexes to smaller urban properties. During his career he has been responsible for originating more than $10 billion in multifamily loans. Before joining Pillar he worked in senior management or origination positions at a number of major multifamily lenders including Freddie Mac, Washington Mutual Bank, CNA Insurance, Centerline Capital and GMAC Commercial Mortgage. EDUCATION: M.B.A., Olin School of Business at Washington University (St. Louis, MO); B.A. in history, Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL) AFFILIATIONS: Licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker.

Michael Zaransky

Co-CEO - Prime Property Investors

Michael H. Zaransky is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Prime Property Investors, Ltd. Prime Property Investors, Ltd. concentrates on investment property acquisition and development with an emphasis on student housing multifamily projects, conventional Apartment Complexes and Healthcare real estate nationwide. Michael has a wide range of real estate, banking, and financial experience and has been a licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker since 1979. Zaransky's firm, Prime Property Investors, Ltd. has been recognized by Inc. Magazine for inclusion on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in America. Additionally, Real Estate Forum Magazine ranked Prime the number 1 fastest growing Mid-Sized Firms in real estate. Mr. Zaransky is a member of the National Association of Realtors, World Presidents Organization (WPO), the National Apartment Association, and the Urban Land Institute. Michael Zaransky is a James Scholar graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University School of Law. Mr. Zaransky has published numerous articles, and lectured nationally, on the subject of real estate investment. Michael's real estate investment book Profit by Investing in Student Housing, a real estate category best seller, was published by Kaplan Publishing and is being sold in major bookstores and online booksellers. Michael is active in numerous trade, civic, and professional associations. Michael is a Board member and a Vice Chairman of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago/Jewish United Fund, and served as the organization's General Campaign Chair, one of the largest philanthropic campaigns in the nation.

David Kennedy

Principal - KTGY Architecture + Planning

With nearly 25 years of experience as a design principal, David Kennedy, Principal at KTGY’s Chicago Office, has extensive experience in mixed-use residential projects and urban in-fill development projects including large scale commercial and low, mid and high-rise residential developments. Mr. Kennedy is adept at site selection, analysis and site master plan development and has been instrumental in obtaining appropriate project approvals on behalf of his clients. Mr. Kennedy is committed to providing creative and sustainable design solutions to meet the needs of his clients and create successful, prosperous communities and buildings.

Aaron Galvin

Managing Broker/Owner - Luxury Living Chicago

Aaron Galvin has been a top producing residential rental broker for over 12 years. From 2012- 2015 Galvin has been recognized with the Top Producer Platinum Rentals Award from the Chicago Association of Realtors. In 2015, he was #1 in the Rentals division, with 475 rentals, up from 452 rentals in 2014. Having been distinguished as the top 1% of all residential rental brokers in the Chicagoland area, and the #1 overall producer in revenue, Galvin has established himself as Chicago’s top residential rental expert. As the Managing Broker and Owner of Luxury Living Chicago Realty, Galvin has rented over 4,500 apartments and condos with revenue exceeding $125 million. He also oversees a team of real estate professionals that specialize in delivering best in class customer service. His focus has been in the luxury rental arena, partnering with high-end clients in the newest and most upscale buildings in downtown Chicago. Galvin is also the founder and President of AMG Real Estate Advisors. AMG Real Estate Advisors is a trusted consultant for developers and property management companies on all aspects of multifamily leasing. A graduate of Miami University (OH), where Galvin studied public relations and marketing, Galvin’s passion has always been interacting with people and helping others achieve success. He is a member of the Chicago chapter of Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and has served on the advisory board member of the Chicago Jewish Entrepreneurs Forum. An avid tennis player, cyclist, and sports enthusiast, Galvin also loves to spend time with his wife Amy and their two daughters.

Jim Losik

National Marketing Director - Magellan Development Group

Scott Gable

CEO - CityLift Parking

With over 28 years of real estate and business operations experience, Scott serves as CityLift’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to creating CityLift, Scott served as Chief Operating Officer for Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust where he played a key role in establishing the single family rental industry as an institutional asset class—eventually taking the company public in 2014. Previous to this, Mr. Gable was with Wells Fargo Bank where he helped create the home equity lending business and ultimately served as its EVP of Operations across the United States. Scott began his career with Booz Allen & Hamilton where he consulted on operations and strategy for consumer products, entertainment, and retail companies—eventually becoming a principal. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB in International Relations from Stanford University.

Jordan Karlik

Principal - JK Equities

Jordan began his real estate career in 2004 in Manhattan at Deutsche Bank followed by Ernst & Young in their Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities groups. In 2006 Jordan moved to Chicago where he began working on various real estate development deals. Since that time he has seen the height and trough of the real estate market. Currently, Jordan is overseeing the construction and redevelopment of JK Equities’ existing portfolio as well as working on new projects.

Bennett Neuman

SVP I Investments - Laramar Group

Marc Kushner

Partner,<strong> Hollwich Kushner</strong> - Co-founder & CEO, Architizer.com

Marc Kushner, AIA is an architect with just one agenda: he wants you to love architecture. As partner at Hollwich Kushner and co-founder and CEO of Architizer, Marc is a celebrated designer and pioneer in the digital media industry. Marc presents at events such as TED, PSFK, and GRID on topics surrounding architecture’s intersection with digital media. He has taught at Columbia University’s GSAPP and is a published author. His book ‘The Future of Architecture in 100 Buildings’ published by TED Books and Simon & Shuster in 2015 is #1 in Architecture on Amazon.

Devon Patterson

Principal - Solomon Cordwell Buenz

A Principal at Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Devon Patterson has over 20 years of experience working on major urban residential, mixed-use, commercial office, and higher education projects, resulting in an award-winning portfolio of work. As one of the firm’s leaders in high- and mid-rise residential and mixed-use development design, Devon’s approach centers on creating buildings that enrich their unique urban environments. He is committed to reducing resource consumption and works to integrate sustainable design strategies that conserve energy and maximize occupant comfort into all of his projects. He is a leader in the field of hybrid mixed-use buildings that are designed to support density as an urban growth strategy. In addition to his commercial practice, Devon led the decade long transformation of Loyola University Chicago’s three campuses designing over ten new buildings. Devon’s commitment to sustainability is evident in all three campuses through innovative active and passive energy reduction strategies, like naturally ventilated, double-skin glass façades; hydronic-radiant floors; and geothermal heating and cooling systems. Devon frequently speaks publicly on issues relating to urban design and residential innovation. He is a longtime member of the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the Loyola University Chicago Library Friends Board; participates in a number of AIA committees, including Design, Environment, and Architecture for Education; and is active in the USGBC and Design Futures Council. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Pennsylvania State University.

David Ruttenberg

Principal - Marc Realty Capital

Mr. Ruttenberg is Director of Acquisitions and Investments for Marc Realty Capital, LLC (MRC) where he is a principal and member of the Investment Committee. David has been responsible for sourcing over $1 Billion of properties and notes for MRC and oversees the investment process. Prior to MRC, David was an advisor to and partner in several real estate investment enterprises at which his function was property evaluation, financial analysis, sourcing and managing equity and debt financing, property management, purchasing, leasing and due diligence. Mr. Ruttenberg graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Quantitative Economics (2003), graduating summa cum laude while leading the Varsity tennis team as captain and All-American. He received a Master of Science in Real Estate Economics and Finance from the London School of Economics (2004), graduating with the highest distinction honors.

Alan Schachtman

Director & Residential Unit Leader - Clayco

As Director of Clayco’s residential business unit, Alan provides design and planning oversight and delivers full-service building solutions to clients on a national level. He has over 35 years of experience in the development of a wide range of residential, multi-use, hotel and hospitality projects. Alan looks for clients, projects and relationships that understand and embrace the partnering concept in pursuit of great opportunities to deliver impactful results for our clients. Alan is also active in the full range of development activities for multifamily projects in conjunction with CRG, Clayco’s development arm. Alan began his career as an architect with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and has a Bachelor’s of Architecture from Washington University and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Illinois. He has been a member the Home Builders of America, the Urban Land Institute, the Real Estate Investment Advisory Council, and the American Institute of Architects, and the Chicago Real Estate Alliance and has served on the boards of the Chicago Development Council, Chicago Architecture Foundation, and the Chicago Building Congress. He has taught real estate development at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, DePaul University’s MBA program, and for the Urban Land Institute.

Jack Higgins

CEO - Higgins Development Partners

Rene Circ

Director of U.S. Research - CoStar Group

Rene Circ, Director of U.S. Research, is responsible for enhancing CoStar’s research capabilities, as well as contributing to forecasts and the development of analytical tools across all sectors for the company. As a trained economist, Rene specializes in real estate market forecasting, investment structuring, and market selection. Prior to joining CoStar, Mr. Circ was vice president and national director of research for Grubb & Ellis Company, where he led all aspects of industrial real estate research, including data quality and integration and market analysis and forecasting. With nearly 20 years of experience as a market strategist and real estate economist, Mr. Circ also worked with institutional investors on investment strategy development and market selection, and served as a resource to appraisers on valuations of industrial portfolios. Prior to joining Grubb & Ellis, Mr. Circ led the investment research function at First Industrial Realty Trust, focusing on domestic and international investment strategy, investment structuring, and joint venture formation. During his career he has been involved in transactions totaling in excess of $10 billion. A frequent speaker and writer, Mr. Circ has written articles on industrial real estate strategy, industrial real estate property classification, and sale-leaseback transaction structures for several real estate industry publications. He has served as a reviewer for textbooks published by the Urban Land Institute and as a guest lecturer at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mr. Circ received his bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Beloit College in Beloit, WI, and his master’s degree in Economics from DePaul University in Chicago, IL.

Joshua Hanna

Partner - Kirkland & Ellis

Joshua Hanna is a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Josh represents a broad range of clients in complex real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, financing and restructuring. He regularly advises U.S. and international institutional investors, private equity funds and real estate companies in transactions involving a wide variety of asset classes, including office, retail, multi-family, industrial and community living. Chambers USA noted in its 2015 edition that Josh “has an increasingly prominent presence in the real estate market and is described by his clients as ‘a rising star who’s super-confident and gets things done’” with “notable expertise in the hospitality sector.” He was described as “outstanding” in the 2015 edition of The Legal 500 U.S.

Donald Resnick

Partner - Jenner & Block

Donald I. Resnick focuses his practice in commercial real estate on a national and local basis. Clients seek his counsel on all types of real estate transactions, financing, leasing, development and construction and corporate real estate needs. He also has significant experience in real estate-related loan and equity restructuring and workouts. Mr. Resnick is Chair of the Firm’s Real Estate Practice, Co-Chair of the Firm’s Real Estate Securities Practice, and Co-Chair of its Real Estate Finance Litigation and Workout Task Force. Chambers USA has consistently named Mr. Resnick one of the country’s leading lawyers in real estate law. He was listed in Best Lawyers in America for real estate law, elected by his peers as an Illinois Super Lawyer in real estate transactions, and named a leading lawyer in real estate finance law and commercial real estate law in the Leading Lawyers Network survey of more than 52,000 Illinois lawyers. Mr. Resnick is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Mr. Resnick serves the firm as Co-Chair of the Business Services and Transaction Executive Committee and is a past member of the Management Committee. He has given seminars and written articles regarding various real estate issues including complex like-kind exchanges, real estate workouts and loan and equity restructures, dual agency for brokers and real estate contract negotiations. He has been a guest lecturer for the real estate program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He is also a member of the Chicago Central Area Committee, a group of civic leaders dedicated to the economic development of Chicago's downtown community.

Jason Burian

Partner - CohnReznick

Jason Burian is a partner in CohnReznick’s Chicago office and a member of the Firm’s Assurance Practice. He also leads the Commercial Real Estate Industry Practice in the Firm's Chicago office. Jason has 12 years of experience in public accounting, providing clients with audits, compilations, compliance, due diligence, agreed-upon procedures, and other accounting services. His clients include real estate operating companies, real estate syndicators, real estate investment funds, and real estate developers. Jason specializes in the audits of commercial real estate entities, developments benefitting from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), and employee benefit plans. He is responsible for many aspects of client engagements including planning, determining audit scope, identifying audit issues, selecting audit procedures to be applied, supervising staff, coordinating all fieldwork, establishing budgets, reviewing workpapers , facilitating client communications, and preparing financial statements or reports. In addition to Jason’s client responsibilities, he develops programs and techniques specifically tailored to auditing commercial real estate entities for the Firm. He also takes an active role in developing staff, recruiting, scheduling initiatives, and leading the Chicago office’s efforts for the Firm’s volunteer and charity outreach.

Gene Leone

Partner - Pircher, Nichols & Meeks

Eugene J.M. Leone, P.C. joined the law firm of Pircher, Nichols & Meeks in 1986 and is the managing partner of the firm's Chicago office. Gene focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate, including joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financings and workouts and has represented some of the most recognizable names in real estate. Gene has a track record of leading, structuring and executing complicated deal transactions for a broad universe of investors, including private equity, entrepreneurs and public companies. Gene frequently speaks on a variety of real estate topics. Gene has served as a lecturer at several conferences sponsored by Law Seminars International and Bisnow. HONORS & AWARDS Gene has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2008. Gene’s favorite transactions include: The $1.05 billion acquisition of eight regional malls in a joint venture format. This may have been my last opportunity to work alongside Phil Nichols, one of the giants of the real estate bar, on a mind-numbingly complex deal. The acquisition of the ground lease interest underlying the Drake Hotel in Chicago. Three heavyweights formed a venture to reposition a wonderful piece of real estate. Post-closing challenges galore! The acquisition of a 1,000 acre lakeside resort in Delavan, Wisconsin. The purchase included the resort, golf course operations, vehicles, concessions, liquor licenses, an airfield and Indian burial mounds. We went from letter of intent to closing in 32 days to capture the high season! One of the earliest public-to-private transactions - the acquisition by merger of Chateau Properties to create the largest privately-held owner of manufactured housing. A gratifying opportunity to collaborate with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The sale and leaseback of a Burger King franchise in Chicago, Illinois. It took all of our talents to complete the diligence, purchase, lease, financing and venture documents on a transaction having a $2.5 million gross asset value. The ground-up development of Union Tower in Chicago, a 320,000-square foot office property. The successful acquisition, development, lease-up, financing and sale led to a follow-on project, Congress Center, a 550,000-square foot ground-up development in Chicago’s west loop. The restructuring of an investment in 110,000 acres of timberland in northern Ontario, Canada. Successful reorganizations involving troubled assets and contentious parties are always gratifying! The assemblage and acquisition from multiple sellers of the real estate comprising the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois. A tribute to nine years of perseverance and relationship-building! The acquisition and simultaneous financing of a ninety-six property portfolio of industrial assets having a gross asset value of $2.8 billion. It was a true firm effort - both before and after closing.

Colin Hebson

President | Founder - The Hebson Team

Colin Hebson has worked as a broker in the Chicago area’s real estate markets since 2000, and since that time he has grown his business to become one of the region’s most productive real estate experts, with over one billion dollars in sales to his name. He specializes in high-end properties and premier developments within the River North neighborhood and the greater north side, and has built a reputation among his clients as a professional who knows how to close great deals. His talent for connecting people encompasses not only his knack for bringing together buyers and sellers, but also building a dedicated sales team that regularly exceeds the competition in service and results. Colin is also an oft-quoted authority on the Chicago real estate industry, having been featured in numerous publications and media outlets, including Realtor Magazine, Chicago Agent, Illinois Realtor, HGTV, the Chicago Tribune, and more. He is the recipient of numerous industry awards, and has been honored as a Top Producer by the Chicago Association of Realtors in 2010, 2012, and 2015. Outside of his real estate career, Colin keeps himself busy with his family and doing work for local charities. Residing in Evanston with his wife and three young boys, he regularly coaches his sons’ many sports teams, and helps out at the Wolcott School, Camp Out for Kids, and his local chapter of PAWS.

Bill Montana

Managing Director - Brown Gibbons Lang & Company | Real Estate Partners

William (Bill) Montana is a Managing Director of Brown Gibbons Lang Real Estate Partners where he is the co-leader of the national Multifamily Real Estate Group with his business partner, Christopher Sackley. Mr. Montana is a seasoned veteran with 26 years of specializing exclusively in the development of acquisition and disposition strategies for owners and investors of multifamily properties. His depth of specialization and market knowledge enables him to provide a highly efficient and effective process, ultimately leading to certainty of execution, maximized returns and wealth preservation. During his career, William has sold over 34,000 apartments throughout the Midwest with well-known firms such as Cushman & Wakefield, Draper and Kramer and Grubb & Ellis.

Tim Anderson

CEO - Focus Development

Michael Slovin

Vice President I National Field Sales and Operations - Xfinity Communities