Returning To Chicago: Bringing Back Tourism, Companies, & Residents

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  Samir Mayekar

  Deputy Mayor, Neighborhood & Economic Development

  City of Chicago

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  Peter Borzak

  About Peter College: George Washington University Professional Experience: Balcor Company 1984-1987 First Dearborn Properties 1987-1990 Plymouth Court Properties 1990-1995 Pine Tree Commercial Realty 1995-Present Aggregate Pine Tree Portfolio: 78 Shopping Centers, $1.01 Billion Organizations: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Chicago (Mentor) YPO (Real Estate Network Chair 2012-2014) ICSC ULI NAREIM Deerfield AYSO Deerfield Youth Baseball Association Boards: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago Standard Club of Chicago Harold Eisenberg Foundation George Washington University Center for Real Estate Advisory Board Marquette University Center for Real Estate Advisory Board Deerfield Park Foundation

  Pine Tree

  CEO

  Peter Borzak

  CEO

  Pine Tree

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  Collete English Dixon

  Collete English Dixon has more than 30 years in investment management with a focus on commercial real estate investing. Prior to her current role at Roosevelt University, she was Executive Director - Transactions for PGIM Real Estate (formerly known as PREI), a business unit of Prudential Financial, and co-leader of PREI’s national investment dispositions program. In that role, she oversaw the sale of more than 200 investment properties located throughout the US, with a total value of more than $8.7 Billion, on behalf of PREI’s investment funds. Prior to her role in dispositions, English Dixon was responsible for sourcing more than $2.75B of wholly-owned and joint venture real estate investment opportunities in the Midwest markets covering all property types, including office, rental and for-sale multi-family, hotel, industrial and retail properties. Collete’s experience also includes property development and asset management. In her current role, English Dixon is the Executive Director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University where she is oversees all aspects of the undergraduate real estate major and the MSRE/MBA-RE degree programs. She is the first African American woman leader of a higher-education real estate program in the US. She is a member of the administrative team for the Heller College of Business and is also the program director for the university’s Hospitality and Tourism Management undergraduate and graduate degree programs. She is a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Nominating Committee for Marcus Millichap, Inc., a member of the Board of Directors for Broadstone Real Estate Access Fund and a member of its Audit and Governance committees, a member of the Advisory Board for Waterton Associates, LLC and a member of the Board of Directors for Community Investment CorporationChicago and the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation. She is a Past President of CREW Network, a Past Chair of the CREW Network Foundation, and a Past President of CREW Chicago. She is also a Global Governing Trustee and member of the Americas Executive Committee of ULI.

  Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate, Roosevelt University

  Executive Director

  Collete English Dixon

  Executive Director

  Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate, Roosevelt University

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  Dan Rosenbloom

  Dan is a Managing Director, Head of Investments, at Cadre. In this capacity, he manages Cadre’s Investment Team and is a member of the Investment Committee. Dan oversees Cadre’s sourcing, underwriting, private-market real estate equity structuring opportunities and asset management. Prior to Cadre, Dan led the Acquisitions team at GEM Realty Capital, wherein he was a member of the Investment Committee for GEM Realty Properties and GEM Realty Securities. Previously, Dan was a Vice President at Fortress Investment Group, with a focus on acquisitions and originations of equity, mezzanine debt, and other subordinate debt secured by real estate and operating companies. He also worked in J.P. Morgan’s Syndicated & Leveraged Finance Group and at Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL). Dan received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

  Cadre

  Managing Director, Head of Investments

  Dan Rosenbloom

  Managing Director, Head of Investments

  Cadre

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  Justin Behm

  Justin Behm serves as vice president of interiors at Leopardo, one of the nation’s largest contractors. In his role, he is responsible for strategy and operations, as well as developing new business relationships while working closely with clients and project teams to consistently deliver an integrity-driven and client-focused approach to work. Leopardo’s interiors market was founded 25 years ago and has completed more than $1 billion and 7.5 million square feet in construction to date. Justin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and sales from Northern Illinois University. He lives in Downer’s Grove with his wife Vicki and their two kids, Evie and Beau. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf, watersports and spending time with his family.

  Leopardo

  Vice President, Interiors

  Justin Behm

  Vice President, Interiors

  Leopardo

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  Wesley Prato

  Wesley Prato, CPA, is an audit partner in the Firm’s Commercial Real Estate Industry Practice. Based in CohnReznick’s Chicago office, he has 15 years of experience in public accounting, providing client services in the areas of audit, review, and other financial reporting needs. This experience includes working with developers, hospitality owners and private equity investors of companies in the commercial real estate industry. Wes specializes in the commercial real estate and hospitality industries serving both real estate operators and real estate investment funds. He is responsible for planning the engagements, supervising staff, and coordinating all fieldwork. Other responsibilities on these engagements include determining audit scope, selecting procedures to be applied, establishing budgets, reviewing work papers, identifying audit issues, communicating with clients, and preparing financial statements or reports. In addition, Wes takes an active role in working with his clients to plan and brainstorm on ways to get the next project from concept to development. Wes has participated nationally within the Firm in developing audit programs and techniques specifically tailored to auditing commercial real estate and hospitality entities. He has also leads internal training classes on commercial real estate and often speaks on panels focused in the industry.

  CohnReznick

  CPA, Partner

  Moderator

  Wesley Prato

  CPA, Partner

  CohnReznick

Chicago Market Update

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  Maurice Cox

  Maurice D. Cox was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and confirmed by the City Council on October 16, 2019. Celebrated for his experience merging architecture, design and politics through multiple public, private and elected positions, Cox is responsible for leading DPD's economic development, planning and zoning functions while fostering community-improvement initiatives throughout the city. His primary focus is under-invested neighborhoods on the South and West sides. In his previous capacity as director of planning and development for the City of Detroit, Cox created a new, resident-centered planning and development department and led innovative urban planning and revitalization strategies that championed the equitable redevelopment of neighborhoods that fostered population growth and new mixed-use, mixed-income investment. Cox was formerly the design director of the National Endowment of the Arts under President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, where he represented the federal government for architecture and design matters and served as an advisor to more than 120 mayors on urban design issues. He also served as mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, from 2002 and 2004, following six years as a City Councilor. As an elected official, Cox implemented numerous community visioning processes and strategic planning initiatives that resulted in Charlottesville’s consistently high ranking as one of the most livable cities in the United States, as well as the smallest city in the country to maintain a AAA-bond rating for excellence in fiscal management. He also chaired the city's Housing and Development Authority Commission, Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization, and Mayor’s Taskforce on Urban Housing Policy. Cox is a former professor at Syracuse University, the University of Virginia and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design; a former associate dean for community engagement at Tulane University; and former director of the Tulane City Center in New Orleans. He also practiced architecture for 10 years in Florence, Italy, where he met his wife and raised their two children. Cox has been named by Design Intelligence as one of the "most admired design educators in America" and by Fast Company magazine as one of “20 Masters of Design” in the United States. A native of Brooklyn, he has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Cooper Union in New York City and an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. He continues his 30-year tradition of walking and biking to work from a home he shares with his wife on the Near North Side.

  City of Chicago

  Commissioner, Department of Planning and Development

  Maurice Cox

  Commissioner, Department of Planning and Development

  City of Chicago

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  John O'Donnell

  John O’Donnell founded Riverside Investment & Development Company (previously operating under O’Donnell Investment Company) in 2010 and was an early executive member of The John Buck Company, ultimately becoming the President and Chairman of the Investment Committee. Mr. O’Donnell left The John Buck Company in 2010, after 28 years at the firm. During his career, Mr. O’Donnell has managed development or redevelopment in excess of 40 million square feet with capital transactions in excess of $10 billion, which includes eight Chicago office buildings. John has a BBA from Loyola University, and a MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, and has a CPA certification.

  Riverside

  CEO

  John O'Donnell

  CEO

  Riverside

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  Thomas McElroy

  Mr. McElroy founded Level-1 Global Solutions, LLC in 2001-present and is a member of the Mayor’s Office of Technology Advisors and The Chicago Community Trust. Level-1 is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) licensed, certified, and registered in the City of Chicago, County of Cook, and State of Illinois. Thomas McElroy is the founder and president of Level-1 Global Solutions, LLC. Since the firm’s first project at the New Cook County Hospital in 2001, Level-1 has been a timely, reliable, and costeffective resource in meeting the City of Chicago’s infrastructure needs. Mr. McElroy prides himself and his company on building and maintaining stellar relationships with Level-1 customers and team members – relationships built on mutual respect, trust, open communication, and the successful meeting of shared goals. Mr. McElroy and his executive administrative, program management, and technology officers remain involved in each and every Level-1 project. Maintaining a complete open-door policy, they are available and accessible to clients and technical teams leads alike to provide executive guidance, decision-making, and escalation services as needed. Level-1 is a Technology Systems Integrator with a wealth of experience embedded in our core capabilities of providing technology systems integration and the design, implementation, and management of interoperable technology infrastructure, communications, security and audio-visual systems. We offer successful project experience within the federal, local and private industry sectors. Level-1 has received numerous accolades regarding our project performance via client reference letters. Key Clients Chicago Public Schools: Data Center Move and Relocations services for the Board of Education; Network and Security Camera Infrastructure support; Local Area Network System Improvement; Audio Visual Equipment and Installation services; Web Filtering services City Colleges of Chicago: Audio Visual Equipment and Installation services; Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services; City of Chicago: Department of Aviation & City of Chicago O’Hare Modernization project (OMP) United Airlines, Willis Tower: Operations Center Power Protection and AV Infrastructure project Cook County/Department of Homeland Security: Power Protection for County-Wide Security Camera Installation Cook County Juvenile Detention Center: Telecommunication Infrastructure support State of Illinois: Statewide Unified Communications Implementation.

  Level-1 Global Solutions

  Principal & CEO

  Thomas McElroy

  Principal & CEO

  Level-1 Global Solutions

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  Lee Kiser

  Lee Kiser is Principal and Managing Broker of Kiser Group, the leading multifamily brokerage firm in greater Chicagoland. He remains an active broker, with personal career transaction volume greater than $4 billion. Lee is an active contributing writer to Forbes.com; serves on the Leadership Council of The Preservation Compact; and mentors for both The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University and The Eisenberg Foundation. His personal interests include hiking and performing with his band.

  Kiser Group

  Principal and Managing Broker

  Lee Kiser

  Principal and Managing Broker

  Kiser Group

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  Molly Phelan

  Molly is a partner in the Chicago Office of Siegel Jennings, a national property tax law firm. As a litigator and trusted advisor, she collaborates with Owners, Asset Managers, Acquisition teams and Tax Departments to identify, create and execute property tax reduction strategies. She becomes a member of her clients’ management team. Her goal is to maximize and protect the full potential of real estate assets, minimize related tax liabilities, and resolve disputes with tax authorities and government entities. Molly’s client experience ranges from family owned 1031 portfolios to national commercial investment funds, including special use properties such as hospital campuses to multi-million-dollar manufacturing facilities. Her comprehensive understanding of the commercial real estate market was developed in part through her time as a real estate broker in the Chicago area prior to starting her legal career. Molly regularly represents clients in hearings before review boards, local assessors’ offices, the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, and the circuit courts.

  Siegel Jennings

  Partner

  Moderator

  Molly Phelan

  Partner

  Siegel Jennings

Capital Markets Round Up: Who Is Investing In Chicago?

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  Doug Lyons

  Doug Lyons is a Managing Principal of Pearlmark, with responsibility for the firm's capital markets and debt investment activities. He is also a member of the firm's Investment and Management Committees. Prior to joining the firm in 1996, Mr. Lyons was Vice President of Equity Institutional Investors, Inc. where he was responsible for merchant banking activities. Previously, he worked in the New York Real Estate Capital Markets groups for Bankers Trust Company and Merrill Lynch & Co. Mr. Lyons earned a BA from Amherst College and a MBA from Harvard University. He is a member and Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and a member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA). In addition Mr. Lyons is currently or has been a Trustee or member of several non-profit boards, including the Loomis Chaffee School, Lycee Francais de Chicago and St. James Cathedral.

  Pearlmark

  Managing Principal

  Doug Lyons

  Managing Principal

  Pearlmark

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  Todd Linehan

  Todd Linehan is a Senior Mortgage Banker and Vice President with KeyBank Real Estate Capital Markets in Chicago, Illinois. He currently works in multifamily loan originations covering KeyBank’s institutional clients with a focus on the Midwest. He is responsible for permanent student housing, multifamily and manufactured housing loan production in this region, with an emphasis on agency lending (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA), as well as life company placement and CMBS. Todd is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

  KeyBank Real Estate Capital

  Senior Vice President

  Todd Linehan

  Senior Vice President

  KeyBank Real Estate Capital

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  Heidi Smithson

  Heidi Smithson is the Executive Vice President and Director of Commercial Real Estate of First Midwest Bank. She oversees a team of colleagues responsible for originating, structuring, closing and servicing commercial real estate loans. Her focus is on all investment property types, which include multi-family, office, industrial, retail and construction lending. Heidi has more than 25 years of banking experience. She is a former Director and Treasurer of the First Midwest Bank Charitable Foundation. Heidi currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North Suburban division of Junior Achievement, where she works with elementary students to teach them about financial literacy. She is also a member of CREW Chicago, is a past President of the Real Estate Finance Forum, and a previous Board member and Commercial Chair of the Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association. Heidi has an MBA from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Iowa.

  First Midwest Bank

  EVP and Director of Commercial Real Estate

  Heidi Smithson

  EVP and Director of Commercial Real Estate

  First Midwest Bank

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  Erik Foster

  Erik is a Principal of Avison Young and the Practice Leader of the firm’s Industrial Capital Markets Group. He oversees a national team providing asset advisory, disposition, equity sourcing, development capitalization and sale-leaseback services to a wide range of institutional and privately held commercial property owners across North America. With more than 20 years of experience and $4 billion in transactions, Erik has built a strong track record in the industrial, healthcare and office property sectors. He frequently is selected to advise institutional investors on sales of multi-market portfolios and individual asset assignments throughout the U.S. and internationally. Erik often is called upon to provide market commentary to national, regional and local media outlets and is a frequent speaker at national commercial real estate industry events.

  Avison Young

  Principal, Capital Markets Group​

  Moderator

  Erik Foster

  Principal, Capital Markets Group​

  Avison Young

Changes In CRE Brought On By New Trends In Construction & Design

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  Scot Pepper

  As president, Scot is responsible for setting Pepper Construction Company's mission and vision and allocating the resources required to achieve its goals. Scot provides strategic oversight and support for every area of the company, making sure Pepper teams in Illinois and Wisconsin have the right opportunities and tools in place to excel. He joined the company in 1989 after earning a bachelor's degree in industrial technology with a concentration in building construction from the University of Wisconsin/Stout. Since then Scot has served in a variety of roles including overseeing Illinois operations, safety, marketing and Integrated Construction Services. Scot serves the community on the boards of the Metropolitan Planning Council and Harper College Educational Foundation.

  Pepper Construction

  President

  Scot Pepper

  President

  Pepper Construction

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  Randy Fifield

  Randy Fifield blazed a trail many women chose not to pursue. With a design-forward, yet practical approach for creating spaces that felt and worked better for people, Randy set herself apart from competition in the industry. She partnered with her husband Steve in 1999, and together they completed multiple successful development projects including an $80 million renovation of the Chicago Civic Opera House, and the $800 million K Station development with 2,145 units in five apartment towers in Chicago’s up-and-coming West Loop. Randy now oversees the design, marketing, and execution of development projects across key markets. She has been honored by the LA Lakers and Comerica Bank as Business Woman of the Year in Los Angeles. In Chicago, Randy was Connect Media’s 2017 Women in Real Estate Honoree, was the recipient of the 2017 Women in Construction Woman of the Year Award and has been honored by Chicago Business Journal and Crain’s as a notable female executive. Randy attended Northwestern University. She serves as a board member of Northwestern Prentice Hospital and Children’s Memorial Hospital. Randy and family have donated The Fifield Family Labor and Delivery at Northwestern Prentice Hospital and the Fifield Family Bridge at Lurie Children’s Hospital.

  Randy Fifield Modern Living

  Founder

  Randy Fifield

  Founder

  Randy Fifield Modern Living

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  Chad Huber

  Chad Huber is a Vice President of Operations for W.E. O’Neil’s Chicago region. In addition to his responsibilities providing day-to-day operational oversight for the company, Chad serves in the Project Executive capacity for some of W.E. O’Neil’s most complicated projects throughout Chicago. Most recently, this includes the conversion of the upper floors within the historic Daniel Burnham-designed Continental and Commercial National Bank Building at 208 S. LaSalle from office space to a luxury hotel property. He is also leading the team that just broke ground on a new hotel off Michigan Avenue, the RIU Plaza. Chad is an expert in guiding clients and project teams through the intricacies of building complicated hospitality projects, and applies lessons learned from all of his projects to continuously improve W.E. O’Neil’s construction practices.

  W.E. O’Neil Construction

  Vice President of Operations

  Chad Huber

  Vice President of Operations

  W.E. O’Neil Construction

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  Roger Heerema

  As Managing Principal of Wright Heerema Architects, Roger Heerema has a proven track record of designing highly successful buildings and interiors throughout Chicagoland and across the country. His portfolio of award-winning work includes redevelopment projects, ground-up buildings, build-to-suits, and master plans. He has worked closely with investors, developers and property managers for over 30 years with a long-lasting goal of designing outstanding work spaces that excite and impress tenants. Roger received his Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois. He has provided leadership to the WHA project team since joining the firm in 1996 and continues to implement a comprehensive architectural and design approach that integrates functionality and client needs. He is active in professional affiliations and supports various local non-profit organizations including the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

  Wright Heerema Architects

  Managing Principal

  Roger Heerema

  Managing Principal

  Wright Heerema Architects

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  Dustin Smith

  With over 15 years of experience providing risk advice and consultative services to contractors and real estate owners/developers, Dustin brings expertise and experience in risk adjusted financing vehicles. With a focus on supporting the development and strategy of the Real Estate and Construction Groups, Dustin provides counsel to other related NFP entities delivering a seamless cross border service platform for clients domestic and abroad. Through the efforts of supporting the Real Estate and Construction Groups, he works towards market and product development, talent growth, and market relationships. Dustin is well versed across all lines of insurance providing senior level support with risk financing strategy, negotiation, design, and execution across the spectrum of operational and development activities as well as brokerage services, including casualty, property and builder’s risk, surety, professional and environmental liability, project-specific programs, and alternative risk finance. Prior to joining NFP, Dustin served as a Broker and Client Executive for JLT with a focus and specialization in the Real Estate and Construction Industries. Dustin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, and received his Masters of Business Administration and Certificate in Financial Analysis and Valuation from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Dustin has also earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designations.

  NFP

  SVP

  Dustin Smith

  SVP

  NFP

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  Michael Abbatemarco

  Mike specializes in commercial real estate property tax consulting, ensuring that real estate assessments are fair and equitable for clients, and advising on the property tax implications of new acquisitions. In his role, he is responsible for overseeing the entire property tax appeal process for Cook County, Illinois, and several Midwest states, which includes compiling market research, constructing valuation analyses and direct capitalization models, filing appeals, and negotiating settlements with local assessing officials. Mike has extensive experience handling various property types, including office and medical office buildings, freestanding retail, shopping centers, hospitality, multifamily, assisted-living facilities, industrial buildings, and parking facilities. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, national retailers, public and private REITs, and independent landlords.

  Ryan

  Principal, Commercial Property Tax

  Moderator

  Michael Abbatemarco

  Principal, Commercial Property Tax

  Ryan