Opening Remarks

• 

  Craig Bernstein

  Craig Bernstein is a Managing Partner of OPZ Bernstein, a subsidiary of The Bernstein Companies, a Washington, DC based real estate investment management firm. Mr. Bernstein has more than 20 years of experience in real estate, including acquisitions, dispositions, construction, development, financing, asset management, property management and leasing. Mr. Bernstein is responsible for establishing OPZ Bernstein’s strategic initiatives and overseeing the Fund’s investor relations. As one of the nation’s leading Opportunity Zone experts, Mr. Bernstein has contributed to stories for The New York Times, Associated Press, Washington Post and CNBC. Mr. Bernstein is a frequent speaker at Opportunity Zone events including the Global Institutional Real Estate Forum, Washington, DC Building Industry Association, Washington, DC Economic Partnership, Bisnow, The ASD Summit and The New York Riverside Experience. Prior to founding OPZ Bernstein, Mr. Bernstein was the Chief Investment Officer of White Star Investments, a prominent single family investment office in Bethesda, MD. During his 10 year career at White Star Investments, Mr. Bernstein oversaw a diversified portfolio of privately held real estate, private equity, alternative investments, and marketable securities. Mr. Bernstein focused extensively on allocating capital to external managers, and leading the firm’s manager selection and due diligence processes. Prior to joining White Star Investments, Mr. Bernstein was a Director at Cushman and Wakefield. One of the youngest Directors in the firm’s history, Mr. Bernstein’s clients included TIAA-CREF, TA Associates, Lerner Enterprises and the B.F. Saul Companies. Named as a member to the Inaugural Bisnow “Top 35 under 35” list, Mr. Bernstein has also served on the Board of the Greater Washington Commercial Association of Realtors (GWCAR) and the Board of Hillel at the University of Maryland. Mr. Bernstein resides in Potomac, MD.

  OPZ Bernstein

  Managing Partner

  Keynote

  Craig Bernstein

  Managing Partner

  OPZ Bernstein

The 2019 Chicago CRE Market Forecast

Your Guidebook to Investing, Developing, Designing and Building In 2019

• 

  Eugene Jones

  Mr. Jones has a 35-year record of strong leadership experience in public housing operations, new construction, capital construction, resident services, accounting and finance, auditing and maintenance, and Housing Choice Voucher programs. He currently serves as president and chief executive officer at Atlanta Housing, the southeast region’s largest public housing authority, serving more than 25,000 families, seniors, veterans and those with disabilities. He has served in top leadership positions in eight major cities in the United States and Canada, including Chicago, where he was president and CEO of the nation’s second largest housing authority from 2015-2019. Prior to Chicago, Mr. Jones served as president and CEO of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation from 2012-2014. He also served as executive director of housing authorities in Detroit and Indianapolis, and held key roles in housing agencies in Kansas City and San Francisco.

  Atlanta Housing Authority

  President & CEO

  Eugene Jones

  President & CEO

  Atlanta Housing Authority

• 

  Seth Singerman

  Seth Singerman is the President and Managing Principal of Singerman Real Estate, LLC (“SRE”), an opportunistic real estate investment firm that has deep experience executing complex transactions and unlocking embedded value through the ownership of properties, real estate loans and operating companies. SRE focuses on investments in both debt and equity across all major asset classes, including office, industrial, retail, hotel, and multifamily, in addition to secondary real estate asset classes such as senior and student housing. Mr. Singerman has led and sourced over $2.5 billion of investments. In addition to his direct investment experience, Mr. Singerman has a public-private crossover background as he helped lead the formation and development of a long-short real estate securities hedge strategy. Mr. Singerman is on the Advisory Board for the Center for Real Estate and Finance at Cornell University; the Board to the Real Estate Applied Security Analysis Program at the University of Wisconsin; and Next Generation Board Member of the United States Holocaust Museum. Mr. Singerman received his MBA with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance from Northwestern University and his B.S. with a concentration in Real Estate and Finance from Cornell University.

  Singerman Real Estate

  President & Managing Principal

  Seth Singerman

  President & Managing Principal

  Singerman Real Estate

• 

  Jason Lewis

  Jason Lewis is a Portfolio Manager for the Trumbull Property Fund (TPF) for Real Estate US, a business which forms part of Real Estate & Private Markets within UBS Asset Management. Jason has over 15 years of real estate investment management experience having completed over $4B in transactions and serving roles in acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, portfolio management and performance measurement. Prior to joining UBS, Jason was the Head of Portfolio and Asset Management for CA Residential, a national multifamily developer. For 13 years of his career, Jason worked with Capri Capital Partners, where he was Partner, Head of Asset Management, Co-Head of Investments and a Member of the Investment Committee. Jason was the Portfolio Manager for the firms largest separate account and its flagship multifamily closed-end fund vehicle. Jason earned a BS in Mathematics from Morehouse College, and an M.B.A from Columbia Business School, and he is a member of the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC), ULI and NCREIF.

  UBS Realty Investors

  Portfolio Manager

  Jason Lewis

  Portfolio Manager

  UBS Realty Investors

• 

  Nicole Pecoulas

  Nicole Pecoulas is a member of Barings LLC’s Commercial Mortgage group and is responsible for placing portfolio mortgage financing on commercial property through various products; including low leverage loans, multi-property portfolios, A/B structures, bridge loans, construction to permanent loans, mezzanine financing, and acquisition facilities. Prior to joining Barings, Nicole worked as a Vice President and Producer with NorthMarq Capital, a national mortgage brokerage company, where she placed both debt and equity. Nicole began her career in commercial real estate in 1988 with Heitman Financial, a pension fund advisory firm. While at Heitman, Nicole worked in the leasing, management, asset and portfolio management for distressed properties and dispositions departments. Nicole earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with and Economics major from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

  Barings Real Estate

  MD, Senior Investment Officer, Core Mortgage

  Nicole Pecoulas

  MD, Senior Investment Officer, Core Mortgage

  Barings Real Estate

• 

  Jay Augustyn

  James “Jay” Augustyn is a partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Practice. He focuses his practice on real estate transactions, including development, financing, sales and dispositions. Prior to rejoining Ice Miller in 2018, Jay was a real estate partner at a large Chicago law firm. Jay represented a self-managed integrated commercial real estate investment and asset management company organized as a public real estate investment trust in the acquisition and disposition of over one hundred industrial, warehouse and office properties in the U.S. He also represented a credit and asset based investor in the acquisition, disposition and financing of over thirty hotel properties in the U.S. and a sovereign wealth fund in connection with the acquisition of hotel properties in Bal Harbour, Florida; Washington, D.C. and Miami, Florida. From 2008 to 2012, Jay was an attorney at Ice Miller LLP. Jay earned his juris doctor, cum laude, from the University of Illinois School of Law in 2008. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan in 2000, where he participated in Naval ROTC. Upon graduation, Jay first served as a main propulsion division officer aboard USS NASSAU (LHA 4). Jay then went on to act as Navigator and Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS CAPE ST GEORGE (CG 71), where he was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2004, Jay was assigned to the Navy Operational Support Center Chicago, where he served as Training Officer and Executive Officer for two years before completing his active duty.

  Ice Miller

  Partner

  Moderator

  Jay Augustyn

  Partner

  Ice Miller

Opportunity Zones 101

Everything You Need To Know To Capitalize On This New Community Development Program

• 

  Scott Goodman

  Farpoint Development’s founding Principal, Scott Goodman, is an innovative real estate leader who cares deeply about how a development relates to the community it sits within. For 30+ years, Scott Goodman has successfully helped neighborhoods and buildings thrive by retaining the integrity of the neighborhood while making a culturally unique home for businesses and people. Goodman focused on launching Sterling Bay in the mid-1980s, a firm that grew to national acclaim under his drive for innovation. He deployed a visionary approach to revitalizing existing commercial buildings and new developments in unexpected locations. He implemented strategies like warehouse loft office space and the condo/commercial subdivision of buildings. These concepts in adaptive reuse stood out in the world of commercial development. As a leader, Goodman brought together a team that infused artistry, architecture, and experience into each development. Over the years, he championed major projects for such prestigious clients as Google, Sara Lee, and gogo, bringing deep insights into how people and office tenants experience and benefit from a development within a community. After Sterling Bay, Goodman sought to transition to a more streamlined operation that was even more responsive to client and community needs. His focus on investor relations, procurement of financing and equity and transaction structuring serve as the foundation for Farpoint Development. Under Goodman’s guidance, Farpoint has been defining and delivering notable Chicago projects, from the purchase and enhancement of Prairie Shores in the Bronzeville community to the development of the 100-acre Bronzeville Lakefront, a mixed-use district championing life sciences and health innovation in Chicago. Goodman’s insight and sense for real estate reinvention come from a diverse education, background, and sense of commitment to a cause. Goodman’s Bachelor of Science in Economics was earned at the University of Michigan. Additionally, he received an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. As his career accelerated, he served as the former Board Chair of the PKD Foundation and Heartland Alliance and is a current Board Member for both prestigious organizations. His membership in the Chicago Economics Club offers insight to his fiscal acumen as well. Goodman’s long-standing leadership, attention to detail and deep building experience are what make his projects stand out from the others, making them many of Chicago’s celebrated icons, both current and future.

  Farpoint Development

  Founding Principal

  Scott Goodman

  Founding Principal

  Farpoint Development

• 

  Tim Hennelly

  As President of Ryan's Great Lakes region, Tim provides overall leadership and direction for the Ryan development, design, construction and property management divisions. With more than 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, Tim has a well-established track record of performance in site selection, planning and design concepts, financial packaging, managing construction coordination and lease or sale negotiation.

  Ryan Companies

  President-Great Lakes Region

  Tim Hennelly

  President-Great Lakes Region

  Ryan Companies

• 

  Matt Reilein

  Matt Reilein is the President and CEO of National Equity Fund, Inc. (NEF). NEF is one the nation’s leading nonprofit syndicators of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and a major lender and investor to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing. He leads a team of 170 industry experts who work to create and preserve affordable housing across the country. Previously, Matt was Managing Director of Community Development Banking at JPMorgan Chase. Matt is Board Chair of the Chicago Community Loan Fund, and serves on the Boards of the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

  National Equity Fund

  President & CEO

  Matt Reilein

  President & CEO

  National Equity Fund

• 

  Steve Glickman

  Steve is Co-Founder and CEO of Statt, a venture-backed, big data and AI policy and regulatory intelligence platform based in Washington, DC and Austin, TX. Steve was previously the Co-Founder and CEO of the Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan economic policy ideas and advocacy organization, which was the architect for the $100B Opportunity Zones program. Earlier in his career, Steve served in the Obama-Biden Administration, including for the National Security Council and National Economic Council in the White House. He also held the role as Chief of Staff for the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. Steve previously practiced law as Majority Counsel to the U.S. House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee, as well as an Honors Program Attorney in the Justice Department and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Steve received his B.A. and M.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University, J.D. from Columbia Law School, and LL.M., with highest honors, from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  Statt

  Co-Founder and CEO

  Steve Glickman

  Co-Founder and CEO

  Statt

• 

  Grant Uhlir

  As a Co-Regional Managing Principal of Gensler’s North Central region, Grant brings a strategic design focus coupled with proven senior leadership, client relationship and project management acumen, and industry-leading expertise in highly complex projects. Grant previously served as a leader of the firm’s Critical Facilities practice and has more than three decades of design experience in corporate headquarters, mixed-use developments, and adaptive reuse and repositioning projects across the globe — including the world-renowned Shanghai Tower, for which he served as project director. He is currently leading the 2.8 million-square-foot redevelopment of Chicago’s Post Office. Grant is a Trustee and past president of the AIA Chicago Foundation Board and is also a past president of AIA Chicago. He is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and a Product Council Member with ULI Chicago. Grant received his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University and studied architecture and urban studies at the University of Bath, England.

  Gensler

  Regional Managing Principal

  Grant Uhlir

  Regional Managing Principal

  Gensler

• 

  Mike Nardini

  As First Vice President, Mike is a member of our Urban Advisory Group nationally and leads the Solutions Platform. With more than 20 years of professional experience in multi-million dollar development ventures, Mike offers CBRE clients single point responsibility for advisory services on urban real estate. As a licensed real estate broker and architect, with an MBA in Urban Economics and Real Estate, Mike’s expertise crosses all the product types necessary for complex mixed-use and land development advisory.

  CBRE

  First Vice President

  Mike Nardini

  First Vice President

  CBRE

• 

  Chad Richman

  Chad Richman is a Partner in the Real Estate Practice Group, and has significant experience in a broad range of real estate, finance, transactional, and general business matters. Chad’s real estate practice includes acquisitions and dispositions, development, leasing, fund formation, venture structuring, and complex financing involving all types of real estate uses. Chad has specific expertise in secured loan purchases and sales, foreclosures, and workouts. Combining an extensive business asset transactional practice with commercial finance expertise and clever negotiation tactics leads to immediate positive client outcomes in an array of dealings. Chad also regularly represents publicly and privately held companies on a wide spectrum of structuring and operational issues. Prior to joining the Firm, Chad participated in the development of a mixed-use property in downtown Chicago, and also practiced at one of the largest law firms in the world. In addition, he served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Ronald A. Guzman in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

  Freeborn & Peters​

  Partner​

  Moderator

  Chad Richman

  Partner​

  Freeborn & Peters​