Chicago Retail, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism

As a proud fourth-generation family business leader, Daniel “Danny” Wirtz (47) plays a pivotal role leading and collaborating across sports and entertainment, beverage distribution, real estate, and banking. As Chairman of Wirtz Corporation, Danny carries on the legacy of his father, the late Rocky Wirtz, providing strategic counsel to its diversified holdings. These include the revered Chicago Blackhawks, Wirtz Realty, Breakthru Beverage and banking interests. As the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the Blackhawks, Danny leads the organization with an ongoing mission to reimagine the potential of hockey. As a passionate and lifelong hockey player and fan, he’s been instrumental in leading the acquisition of the Rockford Ice Hogs (American Hockey League) and Chicago Steel (US Hockey League), as well as the continued expansion of Fifth Third Arena, which serves as a state-of-the-art community space and hub for youth hockey development and practice facility for the Chicago Blackhawks. His commitment extends to the United Center as Co-Chair and partner of the United Center Joint Venture alongside the Reinsdorf family. In the last 30 years, the arena has served as the epicenter of sports and entertainment on the West Side of Chicago hosting over 200 events each year and welcoming more than 70 million guests through its doors since opening in 1994. Danny continues to build on the storied legacy started by his great-grandfather Arthur Wirtz - an early builder in the NHL and NBA - in 1935 when he bought Chicago Stadium. Together with the United Center Joint Venture, Danny continues to seek opportunities to lead with intentionality to create meaningful and positive impact as they work to shape the future of the campus. Following his graduation from Boston College in 1999, Danny followed his passion for music and marketing working in the creative agency world in New York and London where he honed his skills around brand, experiential and cultural marketing, and communications. 2006 brought Danny back to Chicago, starting in the wine & spirits industry with his family business, Wirtz Beverage. It was there that Danny learned and grew in the industry, taking on new roles and responsibilities spanning trade marketing, sales, and corporate strategy. In 2016, Danny helped lead the merger with Sunbelt Beverage to form Breakthru Beverage, the third-largest distributor of wine, spirits and beer in the US and Canada. Today, as Co Chairman of Breakthru Beverage Group, he brings his strategic expertise to the alcohol beverage industry while also supporting the industry’s growth and advocacy as a member of the Board of Directors for Wine & Spirts Wholesalers of America. Balancing his corporate responsibilities, Danny is deeply committed to social impact and civic responsibility in the City of Chicago. He serves as Chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation, investing and transforming the West Side of Chicago, honoring the team’s namesake by supporting Native American initiatives in partnership with the Sac & Fox Nation, and growing the game of hockey. He also sits on the Board of Embarc, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming education through experiential learning. In 2013, Danny’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch Banner Studios, an award-winning video production and content studio. He’s also a partner in Varyer, an integrated creative studio and brand advisory agency. Danny resides in Chicago with his wife Anne and two daughters Rosemary and Juniper. His multifaceted leadership, dedication to community, and ability to navigate challenges, helps Danny Wirtz live each day with a purpose to leave a lasting mark on Chicago and beyond.

Since joining the firm in 2002, Dennis has completely transformed BEAR Construction Company’s role as a strategic advisor and partner to clients. Throughout Dennis’s 40+ year career he has worked for Architecture, Development, Subcontracting and General Contracting firms which gives him a well-rounded insight into all aspects of the industry. Through his leadership of the preconstruction & estimating team, Dennis transformed the way BEAR predicts costs and labor upfront in order to see the entire life cycle of a project from start to finish before ever beginning the work. This degree of accuracy allows BEAR to find efficiencies within the work and build in cost and schedule savings for BEAR’s clients. Dennis is an integral part of BEAR’s executive leadership team, providing seasoned and steady leadership across all segments of the company’s operations. Dennis was a driving force behind BEAR’s involvement at the Old Chicago Post Office, the hugely successful renovation of the iconic structure that anchors Chicago’s entrance from the west. Dennis holds a degree in Applied Science from the College of DuPage and is ASPE Certified. Dennis is a member of the Chicago Boys & Girls Club Advisory Committee, a Choose DuPage Board Member and is actively involved with the BEAR Foundation. He has personally helped raise millions of dollars for many of the charities that BEAR supports.

Jaime Faulkner was named President of Business Operations for the Chicago Blackhawks on December 16, 2020. Her bold leadership, passion for analytics and customer-focused strategy has positioned her to be one of the brightest leaders in the industry. She will direct the consumer facing, revenue generating and brand aspects of the future Blackhawks vision. Faulkner brings a unique blend of professional experience in sports and entertainment with a focus on analytics and emerging technology to the Blackhawks. In her role, she focuses on advancing the fan experience and business model while generating new revenue through her oversight of strategy and operations across corporate partnerships, ticketing and customer relations, and integrated marketing communications. A value creator for the business, Faulkner works with a mindset to drive financial performance and drive big picture projects for the Blackhawks. Along with CEO Danny Wirtz, Faulkner also represents the Blackhawks as an Alternate Governor for National Hockey League matters. Faulkner founded the E15 Group in 2013 and served as CEO from its founding. E15 is an industry-leading consulting strategy and analytics company for Compass Group to support its operations and new business growth by creating data-driven transformative strategies to adapt to evolving consumer and market demands. E15 has practice areas that include business strategy, experience strategy, consumer insights, data science and next generation technology. E15's client portfolio includes Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, resorts, live events and technology and entertainment clients such as Amazon. Today, E15 serves over 200 clients in all major North American markets and the UK. With Jaime's leadership, E15 developed consumer-centric commercial strategies designed to drive consumer engagement, revenue, and brand distinction for all clients. The results of these customized strategies include designing and launching a series of first-ever consumer initiatives: fan-friendly pricing in a stadium, fully cash-free venues, frictionless arena marketplaces, and full-building all-inclusive pricing programs. The E15 team also designed new research and guest insight methods to drive enhanced voice of the consumer findings and insights that drove several "future of" projects around sports betting, 365 day a year stadium activation and GenZ engagement. Jaime has also spearheaded the development a network of thought leaders in technology to solve for the key challenges facing the sports industry. Bringing passion and a diverse business perspective to the table, E15 is known for working alongside its clients and partners to push best-in-class results and next generation thinking. For her impact on the industry and development of her team, in 2015, Jaime was named one of Sports Business Journal's Women Game Changers, and she was also named to their 40 Under 40 list in 2016. In 2019, she was named one of SBJ's Sports Power Players of the year, and the following year, she was recognized by VenuesNow recognized as an industry All-Star. She currently serves on the board of directors for both ASM Global and VenueNext. Prior to her time with E15, Jaime was a director in KPMG's Advisory practice. During her tenure at KPMG, she led many large fraud investigations and business strategy projects, using first of its kind analytics and technology. She also consulted for many professional sports organizations, assisting them with optimizing their business with analytics or building strategies around its hospitality services and business partners. A graduate of Baylor University, Faulkner resides in Wilmette. Her husband, Colin is the Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Chief Commercial Officer for the Chicago Cubs and the couple has five children: Avery, Blake, Drew, Maddie and Nolan. Their family doesn't end there, the Faulkners have served as a Billet family for several young hockey players including housing current Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin from 2011-13 and former defenseman at the University of Wisconsin Jake Bunz from 2013-15.

Julie Giese is President of the Chicago Street Course, spearheading a bold initiative to bring NASCAR racing to downtown Chicago in July 2023. Prior to her role in Chicago, Giese served as President of Phoenix Raceway, a role she held since 2018, overseeing the promotion and operation of the modernized facility that is a top motorsports and entertainment destination in the Phoenix market. Previously, Giese oversaw the marketing efforts for NASCAR’s 13 race track properties in her role as NASCAR Vice President, Track Marketing. She also previously served as the Managing Director of Business Operations for International Speedway Corporation’s (ISC) Design & Development, leading the coordination between ISC’s 13 race tracks, internal corporate departments and the Design & Development team on the Company’s significant capital investment and redevelopment projects. In January 2017, she began her tireless work on the design and project management of the $178 million modernization project at Phoenix Raceway. Joining ISC in 2001, Giese has taken on roles with increasing responsibility, from Director of Public Relations at Watkins Glen International to Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Daytona International Speedway where she spent 12 years overseeing all aspects of consumer marketing, branding, creative, advertising, digital, public relations and event entertainment for the “World Center of Racing”. Giese played a leading role in the redevelopment of the Speedway, managing the marketing and branding of the project as well its opening in 2016. In 2019, Giese was recognized as a Forbes Women in Sports to Watch, SportsBusiness Journal Game Changer, AZ Business Magazine’s Most Influential Women in Arizona and is also a 2019 Cynopsis Top Woman in Sports recipient. Giese, a native of Wisconsin, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Marketing Communications.

Brandon is a highly experienced and respected thought leader in the fields of real estate and hospitality consulting. As a Principal at Johnson Consulting, he leads the Sports & Entertainment, Tourism, and Higher Education practice areas, bringing over 15 years of expertise to his work. Brandon’s specializations include market and financial analysis, financial modeling, market research, data analytics, and structuring public-private partnerships. He has advised clients on economic and fiscal impact analysis and has assisted professional sports teams, cities, and communities in their application for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and other public funding strategies. Brandon’s expertise has led to the successful development of numerous sports, entertainment, tourism, and mixed-use oriented projects totaling over $3+ billion in value. Some of his notable projects include serving as the lead consultant on the economic impact analysis for the recently approved $800 million new Ryan Field at Northwestern University, an economic impact and TIF projection analysis for a new $124 million Tidewater Stadium in Pawtucket, RI, and a massive $1 Billion theme park and ancillary mixed-used entertainment district within the Midwest. Locally, he is currently serving as a development advisor to DuPage County as they investigate the feasibility of developing a sports tourism complex within the County. Brandon’s extensive knowledge and experience in strategic planning and creative funding strategies have made him a valuable asset to his clients. His ability to provide comprehensive due diligence and precise analysis has empowered decision-making for clients, ensuring the success of many major developments throughout the US. As a thought leader in his field, Brandon continues to shape the future of real estate and hospitality consulting, providing innovative solutions and expert guidance to his clients.

As Chief Development Officer, Adam Tritt spearheads our portfolio of development projects and oversees the construction, design, development, tenant coordination, and CAD teams. In this role he is responsible for the company's long term development pipeline in excess of $3 billion, leading strategies to achieve $200 million in capital growth. Adam previously served as the Executive Vice President of Development for Brookfield Properties' retail group. He began his career with the company in 1999 as an analyst in the development group. Adam earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania as well as bachelor's degrees in real estate and finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth (Liz) Holland is the Chief Executive Officer of Abbell Associates, an eighty- year old private real estate investment, development and management company with an approximately 5.5 million/sf portfolio, comprised of shopping center, office, and enclosed mall properties. Liz is responsible for overseeing all business and legal matters, including development, financing, leasing, capital and construction projects, and investor and tenant relations. Active in the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Liz served as the worldwide Chairman (2016- 17). In addition to ICSC, Liz is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) - Commercial & Retail Council - Blue. Liz is a Trustee of Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) and a board member of: VICI Properties, Inc. (VICI); Village Bank & Trust; and The James Campbell Company, LLC. Prior to joining Abbell, Liz was a Senior Staff Attorney with the National Bankruptcy Review Commission, a Congressional commission charged with making recommendations to amend the Bankruptcy Code. Previously, Liz was a restructuring and business reorganization attorney with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York. Prior to becoming an attorney, Liz was a fixed income portfolio manager at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York. Liz currently serves on the board of The Primo Center for Women & Children. She also served for many years on the boards of Lighthouse Academies; Uptown United; and 1,000 Friends of Iowa.

For over a decade, Todd Siegel, Senior Vice President with CBRE, Inc. has specialized in leasing retail space in high-rise Class A office buildings, urban storefronts and mixed-use developments throughout Chicago and across America’s high-street retail markets. His expansive knowledge of market fundamentals and retail drivers enable him to develop and implement top tier strategies to assist his clients with the procurement of quality tenants for the development, redevelopment and repositioning of their retail assets. His depth of services also extends to design consultation, merchandising, opinion-of-value, property evaluation, target marketing, tenant analysis/selection and complex lease negotiations. As a specialist in urban retail development and consultancy, Todd has successfully planned and implemented numerous challenging, high profile retail and mixed-use projects, including the development located at 730 North Michigan Avenue and the redevelopment of 400 Post Street on the northwest corner of Union Square in San Francisco. Mr. Siegel currently represents the retail component on several of the country’s highest profile assets including, 980 North Michigan Avenue, 646 North Michigan Avenue, 444 North Michigan Avenue, The Tribune Tower, Fortress’ Miami Central Station and Blackstone’s $500 million retail redevelopment of the Willis Tower - Chicago. Internationally, Mr. Siegel is overseeing the retail development of Santiago Chile’s most recognizable urban mixed-use project, Territoria Apoquindo. In 2013, Todd collaborated with CBRE’s New York office to complete Chicago’s most high profile transaction of the year–the representation of Eataly’s 65,000 SF Chicago Flagship. In 2017, Mr. Siegel and partners secured and completed a transaction for the largest Starbucks in the world–45,000 SF on North Michigan Avenue for the company’s prolific Chicago Roastery–only 1 of 4 globally. As an industry expert, Todd is regularly featured in The New York Times, Crain’s Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune, Heartland Real Estate News, and Northern Real Estate Magazine. He has been a speaker before prestigious industry groups, including the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Chicago Convention, and the Chicago Appraisal Institute (CCAI). An active participant in the community, Todd served as Chairman for the 2013 Greater Chicago Food Depository’s 25th Annual Real Estate Gala, an event that generated over$1,050,000 to fight local hunger. Prior to joining CBRE, Todd worked with a boutique real estate firm in New York, NY.

Adam Firsel is the founder and managing principal of Core Acquisitions. Adam started Core with the intention of creating a full service and fully integrated commercial real estate organization. With Adam’s storied career including investment banking, development, property management, and acquisitions, he brings a wide range of roles and diversity of experience to Core business and culture. Adam graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelors of Business Administration majoring in real estate and urban land economics. After college, Adam was a real estate investment banker with GMAC Commercial Mortgage in Denver, Colorado. In 2003, Adam moved back to his hometown of Chicago to become the Director of Finance & Development for Mid-America Development Partners. Adam then joined Crossroads Development Partners as a Principal and subsequently became the Director of Acquisitions for Next Realty. In 2011, Firsel formed Core Equities, LLC which focused on property management, leasing, receiverships, acquisitions, and development. In 2014, Adam renamed the company to Core Acquisitions, LLC when he partnered with Core’s other Principal, Bradley Joseph, to focus primarily on value-add acquisitions, property management, and development projects. Through a career that has allowed Adam to succeed in many roles, he has focused expertise in development & construction management, project analysis, and asset management among other skill sets. Adam has been involved with the complete life cycle of many complicated and successful projects in all property types including retail, office, hotel, mixed-use, apartments, and industrial. The transaction types have been note purchases, auctions, joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and traditional arms-length transactions. All said, Adam has been the managing principal on over 25 projects in the last 6 years, and in his career has been involved on the principal side in over one hundred projects totaling over two billion dollars of project cost and millions of square feet of real estate.

Matt Tillman is a licensed Architect supporting the Hospitality & Entertainment team at HFA. Matt shares the responsibility for concepting, programming, designing, document production, contract writing, and code analysis. He brings 13 years of industry experience, including construction administration, to his role at HFA and has been essential to designing the concepts for well-known companies in sports entertainment, fast casual dining, and arcade/sports bar industries.