Chicago Deep Dish: Investments: Best Asset Classes & Markets To Invest In

Bill Rogalla joined Zeller Realty Group in 2015. As President of Zeller Investment Corporation, he handles oversight of the acquisition and disposition activities of the firm. He leads a team of investment professionals in the identification of targeted markets for investment and all aspects of the transaction process. During his tenure, the firm has acquired approximately $375 million of office assets, which included expansion into Portland and Atlanta. He is a member of the firm’s Management and Investment Committees. With a career spanning twenty-five years, Bill brings a wealth of experience having been involved in excess of $8 billion in acquisitions, dispositions and development projects across the United States. Prior to joining Zeller Realty Group, he was a Partner with GlenStar Properties, a real estate investment firm in Chicago. He led the expansion of the firm’s investment platform outside of the Chicago area with the acquisition of portfolio investments in Texas and Ohio. Prior to GlenStar Properties, he was SVP - Head of Acquisitions/Dispositions, Central Region for KBS Realty Advisors. While with KBS, he directed the acquisition of nearly $3 billion and disposition of $900 million of assets in the Central United States. Notable acquisitions included 300 N La Salle (Chicago), Providence Towers (Dallas), Carlson Center (Minneapolis) and the Opus Multi-State Industrial Portfolio. Prior to opening the Central Region office for KBS, Bill was Director of U. S. Development/Investment for UK based SEGRO plc, where he led the development of $1.5 billion and acquisition of $600 million in projects concentrated in the Central and West Coast regions. He led the firm’s expansion into the biotech/pharmaceutical industry with multiple development projects in San Diego and the Bay Area including the 1.1 million square feet Torrey Pines Science Center, in La Jolla, subsequently sold to Pfizer. Bill received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from De Paul University. He is active as a member and speaker for real estate organizations including Urban Land Institute (ULI) and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) as well as several charitable and civic organizations. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker and CPA (inactive).

Laurie Smith is a Managing Principal of Blue Vista, and the CIO & Portfolio Manager for the firm’s Middle Market equity funds, where she brings over 30 years of commercial industry experience. Laurie also sits on Blue Vista’s Management, Middle Market Equity and Debt Investment Committees. Prior to Blue Vista, Laurie was Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at Strategic Capital Partners, the managing member of a discretionary fund with approximately $750 million in assets. Prior to that, Laurie spent eight years at GE Commercial Finance Real Estate in Chicago, where she held several positions including Region Manager and Senior Relationship Manager in the North American Equity Holdings group and was responsible for sourcing over $1 billion in Middle Market equity deals from joint venture relationships. Prior to GE, Laurie held senior positions at Julian Toft & Downey and was the Branch Manager for the Chicago office of General American Life Insurance (now part of MetLife). Laurie earned an MA in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a BA in Political Science from Goucher College.

Tom leads capital procurement and financing of CRG’s residential developments and acquisitions. He joined the firm in 2021 after nearly 10 years at McCaffery Interests, where he financed assets and development projects worth over $1 billion in value. In his previous role, Tom led a team responsible for planning, underwriting and financing urban mixed-use developments. He focused on acquiring land and value-add properties, structuring equity investments in joint venture development projects and providing advisory services on real estate investment strategies for institutions, pension funds and high net worth individuals. Prior to that, Tom was a Managing Director at McKinley, Inc. There he was responsible for asset management and client relationships for McKinley’s third-party management assets. He also lead a team through due diligence, repositioning and financing of multifamily assets in the McKinley’s owned portfolio. Tom began his career at Borders Group, Inc. where he worked in several finance and real estate positions. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Economics & Management from Beloit College, where he was a Rhodes Scholar nominee, and holds an MBA with High Distinction from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two kids.

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.

Jason Schwartz, Principal with Syndicated Equities, joined the firm in 2010 as a net lease broker. He developed experience in commercial real estate acquisitions and investment sales, representing 1031 exchange clients, high net worth individuals, and institutional investors. In 2013 Jason began working directly with Syndicated Equities for their own acquisitions. This included underwriting potential properties, putting together marketing materials and investment summaries, and working with lenders to secure financing. Today, Jason continues to manage the net lease brokerage division for investors interested in owning outright while simultaneously working on the acquisition side for those investors interested in partial ownership.