Chicago Power Women

Penny Pritzker

Founder and Chairman
PSP Partners

Debra Cafaro

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ventas

DEBRA A. CAFARO is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company and real estate investment trust that owns approximately 1,200 healthcare, life science and senior living properties in North America and the United Kingdom and serves as the primary capital provider to leading healthcare companies. A recognized industry leader, Cafaro set and oversaw execution of a long term strategy that has driven Ventas’s market capitalization to $26 billion at its peak from $200 million since her leadership began in 1999. The Company’s compound annual total shareholder return (TSR) has exceeded 22 percent since January 1, 2000[1]. Widely-acclaimed for her strategic vision, Cafaro has received multiple professional recognitions. In 2016, Cafaro was named one of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (Forbes Magazine); a Top 50 Best-Performing CEOs in the World for four consecutive years (Harvard Business Review); one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for the fourth time (Modern Healthcare) and highlighted in The 70 Elite real estate executives who shaped the industry for the past 70 years (Real Estate Forum). She has been recognized as a Top 25 Women in Healthcare three times (Modern Healthcare); as part of the All America Executive Team (Institutional Investor); and a Top 50 Women in World Business (Financial Times). Cafaro was named as one of the Bankable 21 CEOs in the book Get Rich Carefully by CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer, as one of nine Game-Changers in commercial real estate since 2000 (GlobeSt.com) and as one of the Most Powerful Women in Business (Crains Chicago Business). She was also honored with the Industry Leadership Award by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). In addition to her work at Ventas, Cafaro is broadly engaged across business, public policy, academic, sports and non-profit sectors. Cafaro was named Chair of The Real Estate Roundtable in 2018, a public policy organization that brings together leaders of the nation’s top real estate ownership, development, lending and management firms to address key national policy issues relating to real estate. She is a member of the Business Council; serves on the executive committee of The Economic Club of Chicago and the Boards of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), the University of Chicago, Chicago Infrastructure Trust, Executives’ Club of Chicago, and World Business Chicago; and is on the Board of Trustees for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Cafaro is an owner and member of the Management Committee of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, back to back Stanley Cup Champions in 2016 and 2017. Prior to joining Ventas, Cafaro was President and a Director of an NYSE-listed multi-family REIT, a practicing lawyer for 13 years and a judicial clerk for the Hon. J. Dickson Phillips, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Cafaro received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was named its 2011 Distinguished Alumna, and her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame. She is married and has two children.

Regina Stilp

Founding Principal
Farpoint Development

Regina Stilp has been a visionary force in commercial real estate for more than two decades, developing sustainable, desirable properties that galvanize communities. She embraces projects with a purpose, such as the Bronzeville Lakefront development on Chicago’s South Side and properties in the U.S. Southeast, which infuse hope into areas that will benefit from inclusive economic development. Regina was one of the first employees at Sterling Bay and rose to principal. She was behind the design and execution of some of Chicago’s most architecturally acclaimed developments of the 2000s, including the creation of Google’s Midwest headquarters and the redevelopment of Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios into a showcase global HQ for McDonald’s. Dedicated to diversifying real estate development, Regina prioritizes partnering with minority- and women-owned businesses. At Bronzeville Lakefront, for instance, minority-owned businesses comprise 65% of the project. She serves on the advisory board of First Women’s Bank, one of the few women-owned U.S. banks. She is a member of the CREW Chicago network of women in commercial real estate and the Economic Club of Chicago. Regina is an intrepid traveler: She has set foot on every continent — yes, even Antarctica — and has visited every U.S. National Park. (There are 63, if you’re wondering.) A graduate of the University of Iowa, she lives in Wilmette with her family.

Paula Harris

Principal/SVP
Golub & Company

Paula Harris leads Golub & Company’s Asset and Portfolio Management team in the U.S. A hands-on leader with extraordinary attention to detail, Paula brings value-added opportunities to fruition, driving strong investment returns. Paula is the force behind many property-level and corporate initiatives and programs that become standard operating procedures, achieving some of the highest benchmarks in the industry, as evidenced when she was selected to receive the 2017 CREW Chicago Industry Leadership Achievement Award. Committed to sustaining the company’s reputation by empowering individuals to reach their highest potential, she oversees company-wide engagement programs that infuse the company culture with the motto, “We’re a family business that treats the business like a family.” Paula joined the company in 1975 and also serves as the managing broker for Golub Realty Services LLC.

Alissa Adler

Senior Vice President
Colliers

I bring more than 30 years of experience to my position as senior vice president of Colliers | Chicago. I specialize in investment sales, as well as debt and equity placement for office properties. In my career, I have executed over $1.2 billion in real estate transactions. I am widely recognized for utilizing my broad real estate knowledge and strong nationwide connections to uniquely serve my diverse client base. Prior to Podolsky Circle’s merger with Colliers | Chicago in 2019, I was managing principal at Podolsky Circle where I was a member of the Middle Market Investment Advisory Team focused on the sale of office and industrial properties. Prior the merger which formed Podolsky Circle, I established Circle Realty Advisors, LLC. As president of the company, I was responsible for all operations and staffing in addition to asset management and investment advisory work for clients. Preceding the formation of Circle, I served as vice president of acquisitions and dispositions at Duke Realty Corporation leading the Midwest markets including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota. I transacted across office, industrial and retail property types and was also a member of Duke’s management committee. Prior to my tenure at Duke, I was vice president of dispositions for Equity Office Properties Trust. In this role, I was responsible for the successful sale of transactions nationwide, including assets in distress and tertiary markets. I also held the position of asset manager for both Equity Office and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Chicago. Asset management responsibilities included CBD high-rise and suburban office, regional malls, neighborhood retail and industrial properties on a national basis.

Betsy Ziegler

CEO
1871

Elizabeth “Betsy” Ziegler is the first female CEO of 1871, now the Number 1 ranked tech incubator in the world. Previous to 1871, Betsy was the Chief Innovation Officer at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, responsible for portfolio innovation as well as integrating technology into the Kellogg educational experience. From 2011 through September 2015, she served as associate dean of degree programs and dean of students. Prior to Kellogg, she served as a principal in McKinsey & Company’s Chicago office where she led the firm’s Life Insurance Operations and Technology practice and co-led its Financial Institutions Operations and Technology practice. Ziegler holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and received a B.A. in economics from The Ohio State University, where she graduated with distinction.

Betsy Traczek

Principal
The John Buck Company

Ms. Traczek joined JBC in 1995 and serves as a Director of Property Management and Principal for the Firm. Ms. Traczek assists with the coordination and implementation of various portfolio-wide initiatives, specifically related to insurance, real estate taxes, customer satisfaction, and security. Additionally, Ms. Traczek is a portfolio manager with oversight of JBC fund-owned properties and third-party facility management assignments. Ms. Traczek serves on JBC’s Board of Directors.

Lisa Picard

President & CEO
EQ Office

Lisa Picard is President and Chief Executive Officer of Equity Office. In this role, Ms. Picard drives the strategic direction and investment execution for the company on a portfolio of diverse office assets within core urban markets. Ms. Picard has a passion for building a culture that uncovers relevant work place trends and market desires that drive office demand. Ms. Picard joined Equity Office in 2016 as its Chief Operating Officer responsible for advancing the Company's organizational vision, technology platform and investment strategies in transforming office investment assets into desired work environments that generate new value. In 2017 she became CEO. Prior to Equity Office, Ms. Picard worked for Skanska Commercial Development US where she served as Executive Vice President establishing the company's strategic development, investment and execution for the Pacific Northwest. She also founded Muse Development in Seattle, worked several years for Hines Interests, and managed several national accounts for pension fund investments in real estate. Ms. Picard received her Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning from Cal Poly and holds two master's degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She lectures on topics at MIT and the University of Washington on design thinking, mindful leadership, real estate innovation and understanding risk in changing markets.

Jane Borden

President, Real Estate
Sears Holdings Corporation

Jane S. Borden recently joined Sears Holdings Corporation as President – Real Estate. From 2014-2018, Ms. Borden was Senior Vice President – Real Estate for 24 Hour Fitness, a privately held fitness company with over 450 clubs throughout the country. Prior to that she spent 13 years with Target Corporation holding positions as Senior Director, Asst. General Counsel, Real Estate Law, Director of Real Estate in the property development department and Senior Counsel in the law department, practicing primarily in the areas of commercial real estate transactions and new store development. Ms. Borden began her legal career as an associate attorney with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a frequent speaker for CLE seminars, including the ICSC Law Conference and the Minnesota CLE’s annual Real Estate Institute. Ms. Borden is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas (B.A., 1984) and William Mitchell College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1996) and served as chairman of the board of directors for St. Stephens Human Services, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end homelessness.

Lisa Davidson

EVP, Board of Directors & Chief Diversity Officer
Savills Studley

Lisa Davidson is an Executive Vice President, member of the Board of Directors, and Chief Diversity Officer for Savills Studley. She joined the firm in 1997 and has more than 30 years of experience as an advocate on behalf of commercial tenants in downtown Chicago and the Midwest Region. Lisa has been recognized repeatedly as one of Savills Studley’s top 10% performers nationwide and has executed more than 25 million square feet of transactions throughout her career. An expert in reducing real estate costs for corporate space users, Lisa has a diverse client portfolio that includes tech, non-profit organizations, professional service firms and major corporations. She has executed transactions on behalf of One North Interactive, American Red Cross, Lincoln International, the Chicago Stock Exchange and Morton Salt, to name a few. Recently, Lisa was part of the team representing the seller of the Old Post Office in Chicago for which she was awarded the 2016 NAIOP Transaction of the Year Award. Most notably, Lisa has developed an exceptional practice in the area of early lease restructuring that has helped numerous firms achieve favorable economic terms. Awards and Achievements Lisa was named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Most Influential Broker” list in 2017. In 2016, she was inducted into the Midwest Real Estate Journal’s Hall of Fame. She was a finalist for Service Provider of the Year at the 2015 Real Awards sponsored by Corenet. In 2008, Lisa was a recipient of the 5th Annual Commercial Forum Gold Award for Leasing Office Tenant Representative. Lisa and her team were honored with the prestigious Crain’s/Greater Chicago Food Depository Commercial Real Estate Award for “Office Broker of the Year” in 2002 and 2007. She has been named to YWCA’s Academy of Women Leaders. Lisa has been profiled in the Chicago Tribune and Illinois Real Estate Journal for her outstanding record of success in a predominately male industry and having come from a modest background in Chicago where she is now a leading broker. Lisa is involved in numerous professional and civic organizations. She is a member of CREW, CoreNet and the Chicago Office Leasing Brokers Association (COLBA). She is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and serves on the Leadership Council of Women Tech Founders. She was selected as a Mentor for Chicago Scholars, and is a member of Impact Grants Chicago.

Gwendolyn Hatten Butler

Senior Advisor
Capri Investment Group

Gwendolyn Hatten Butler is a partner at Capri Investment Group, oversees Global Investor Relations, and is on the Investment Committee. Over a more than 35-year career, Ms. Hatten Butler has been involved in a broad range of corporate debt, structured finance, leveraged buyouts, and real estate equity and mezzanine transactions. Ms. Hatten Butler holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from University of Michigan. Ms. Hatten Butler is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and serves as the Chair of the Architects, Construction and Contractors, Engineers, Real Estate, and Mortgages Membership Committee. She is a member of The Chicago Network and serves on the Financial Services Subcommittee. Ms. Hatten Butler is a Commissioner, City of Chicago Community Development Commission. She is on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan and Develop Detroit. Ms. Hatten Butler is on the Advisory Board of the Michigan-China Innovation Center, and on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Securities Professionals.

Susan Tjarksen

Managing Director
Cushman & Wakefield

Susan Tjarksen joined Cushman & Wakefield in October 2018 serving as Managing Director of the firm’s multifamily investment sales team in Chicago. Susan co-founded KIG CRE in 2015 which was acquired by Cushman & Wakefield in 2018. She brings more than 30 years of real estate experience working with both private and public investment institutions throughout the country. Prior to brokerage, Susan was a leader in apartment and mixed-use development, having planned, built, designed, financed and delivered projects totaling more than $3.5 billion in revenue. She has also successfully developed and sold 12,000 residential units, 2,500 hotel rooms and more than 2M square feet of retail and office space. Additionally, Susan is the co-founder and chair of Enodo, an AI-assisted multifamily underwriting and valuation platform. She is an active in the commercial real estate industry and her community. Susan is a member of the Forbes Real Estate Council, Roosevelt University’s MBIRE Advisory Board and the Lincoln Park Builders Club of Chicago.

Andrea Zopp

Managing Partner
Cleveland Avenue

In her current role at Cleveland Avenue Ms. Zopp leads the organization’s work investing in and supporting minority and women entrepreneurs and their companies. Previously she served as President and CEO of World Business Chicago, where she led the organization’s mission of inclusive economic growth, supporting businesses, and promoting Chicago as a leading global city. Prior to joining WBC, she served as Deputy Mayor, Chief Neighborhood Development Officer for the City of Chicago. Ms. Zopp has held executive leadership positions at several Fortune 500 companies. She was General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer at Exelon Corporation and served as Senior Vice President General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Sears Holdings Corporation. Ms Zopp also served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Sara Lee Corporation. As the former President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, she led the nationally-recognized organization's focus on expanding economic opportunity in underserved communities. Andrea also served as a federal and state prosecutor, serving as an Assistant United States Attorney and as the first woman and African American First Assistant in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Ms. Zopp currently serves on the board of Relativity a global e-discovery and document management software company and has served on the boards of Urban Partnership Bank and Andrew Corporation. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Chicago State University and also serves on the boards of the Henry Ford Health System, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Black Ensemble Theater as well as the Chicago Police Board. She received her BA in History and Science from Harvard University and her JD from Harvard Law School

Nancy Pacher

Vice Chairman
CBRE

Nancy Pacher, Vice Chairman of CBRE, joined the firm following its acquisition of U.S. Equities Realty in 2014. A former Principal of U.S. Equities Realty, Nancy was the firm’s President and Chief Operating Officer, beginning in 1993, and Director of the Real Estate Consulting and Brokerage Services Group since joining the firm in 1984. An attorney, Nancy has gained national recognition for her representation of major office space users. Nancy has acted as chief negotiator in major lease and lease/equity transactions totaling tens of millions of square feet for office space users throughout the United States. Included as major clients are: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; The Boston Consulting Group; Erikson Institute; Hinshaw & Culbertson; IBM Corporation; Illinois Housing Development Authority; Marsh & McLennan Companies; Polk Bros. Foundation; Shefsky & Froelich; Ventas; Winston & Strawn; and The YMCA of the USA. She has twice received the coveted “Broker of the Year” award presented by Crain’s Chicago Business and has been a finalist four other times. Additional professional accomplishments include: Commercial Property News “Top Brokers,” Crain’s “100 Most Influential Women in Chicago,” Crain’s Chicago Business “Who’s Who in Chicago Business” since 2005, Today’s Chicago Woman 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame, and Midwest Real Estate News magazine’s Real Estate Hall of Fame. Before joining U.S. Equities, Nancy served for four years as a Senior Vice President and Principal of Howard Ecker & Co, a commercial real estate company. She began her real estate career in 1975 as the first woman attorney at the Chicago law firm of Katten, Muchin, Gitles, Zavis, Pearl & Galler (now Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP). Nancy graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University and received her Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University.

Karin Kraai

Senior Managing Director, Landlord Advisory Services
NKF

Karin Kraai joined Newmark Knight Frank's landlord advisory division as a senior managing director in 2011. An accomplished landlord representative, Ms. Kraai leads the strategic growth of the office agency practice in Chicago, with a primary focus on the CBD. Ms. Kraai brings 25 years of experience representing real estate owners, users and investors, with expertise across the entire spectrum of asset management, leasing and marketing services, such as repositioning, value-add and long-term hold strategies. Widely recognized for her success with managing and increasing portfolio values, Ms. Kraai is credited for growing portfolios valued in excess of $2.1 billion. Ms. Kraai's prior experience includes a strong track record with Jones Lang LaSalle, Lincoln Property Company and Vornado Realty Trust. As regional leasing director at Jones Lang LaSalle, Ms. Kraai managed the Chicago leasing team, exceeded production goals for the region and was key in winning several additional new assignments. At Vornado Realty Trust, as a player/coach for the Merchandise Mart Properties Division, Ms. Kraai managed the leasing teams in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Boston. The strategy she initiated increased occupancy from 84% to 98% and increased portfolio value 163%. As an entrepreneur, Ms. Kraai created Forest Partners Real Estate LLC, with a focus on strategic team partnering to manage and execute the marketing, leasing and disposition process for portfolios that needed to be repositioned and leased for a hold or disposition strategy. Clients included advisory groups working on receivership and sublease portfolios, niche building owners with unique office leasing challenges, understaffed corporate real estate departments and banks with REO office assets. Select clients include BDT Capital, GE Capital, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, Citigroup, BFGImmoinvest, Overseas Partners Capital Corporation, Equitable Real Estate, Lend Lease, Harris Bank, Unitrin, Dorchester Corporation, Lincoln Property Company, WPP, and Publicis. Ms. Kraai has served on the board for the Goldie Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative for the past seven years and was elected president of the board for 2015-2017. The Goldie Initiative is a 501c3 that provides scholarship funds to selected candidates who exhibit ability and leadership potential. The contenders are then mentored and monitored as they work through their program toward receiving a Masters in Business Administration/Real Estate or a Masters of Science in Real Estate degree. Ms. Kraai was on the board for the City of Hope annual REACH fundraiser for 10 years. She is a member of CREW and COLBA, and a past member of the Greater Chicago Food Depository steering committee. Ms. Kraai is a past nominee for Crain's Leasing Broker of the Year. EDUCATION Ms. Kraai holds an MBA in finance and economics from Loyola University, Chicago, and an undergraduate degree in marketing and economics from Eastern Illinois University. Ms. Kraai holds a managing broker's license in the State of Illinois.

Jeanne Gang

Founder
Studio Gang

Architect and MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang, FAIA, Int. FRIBA, is the founding principal of Studio Gang. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur, Jeanne is internationally renowned for a design process that foregrounds the relationships between individuals, communities, and environments. Her diverse body of work spans scales and typologies, expanding beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries to pursuits ranging from the development of stronger materials to fostering stronger communities. Her approach has resulted in some of today’s most compelling architecture, including Aqua Tower, the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, and Writers Theatre. She is currently designing major projects throughout the Americas and Europe, including the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History in New York; a unified campus for the California College of the Arts in San Francisco; and the new United States Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. A recipient of the 2013 National Design Award (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum), Jeanne was named the 2016 Architect of the Year by the Architectural Review. In 2017, she was honored with the Louis I. Kahn Memorial Award and made an honorary fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Widely published and acclaimed, her work has been exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Museum of Modern Art, and Art Institute of Chicago. She is the author of Reveal, the first volume on Studio Gang’s work and process, and Reverse Effect: Renewing Chicago’s Waterways, which envisions a radically greener future for the Chicago River. Jeanne is a distinguished alumna of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where she was recently appointed Professor in Practice. She lectures frequently throughout the world and serves on various civic and design-focused committees and advisory groups.

Courtney Valenti

Head of Real Estate
Dyson

Vicki Noonan

Managing Principal
Cushman & Wakefield

Victoria L. Noonan leads Cushman & Wakefield in metro Chicago. As Managing Principal, Noonan provides strategic leadership to a team of more than 300 professionals who create holistic solutions for the firm’s investor and occupier clients across the region. Additionally, she shapes the firm’s Chicago growth strategies and recruiting efforts. A Chicago native, Noonan joined Cushman & Wakefield from Tishman Speyer, where she enjoyed a three-decade career and led the firm’s Chicago and Milwaukee leasing teams. As one of Chicago’s most respected commercial real estate executives, her market knowledge, brand-management skills and vision are unsurpassed. Vicki has built her career on a reputation for being tenacious, people-centered and bold. She is a connector of people and ideas, and she’s a person of principle. She believes in the advantages of a varied and empowered workforce and encourages those in the industry to seek out employees who share this ethos. Vicki’s openness, accessible nature and wealth of industry knowledge are guiding forces for Cushman & Wakefield brokers and employees and have left an enduring mark on Chicago commercial real estate.

Patricia Kelly

President
TCF Commercial Banking

A. Gail Sturm

Executive Vice President
ProTen Realty Group/CORFAC International

As Executive Vice President of ProTen Realty Group, Gail Sturm specializes in professional portfolio advisory services, build-to-suit, brokerage, and consulting and representation for the real estate needs of corporate clients. In her professional career as a commercial and industrial real estate leader with more than $3.5 billion in sales and leases completed during her 39 year career, Gail continues to explore new ways to increase productivity driving profitability for her clients. Previously, Ms. Sturm was President of a National Real Estate firm. While there, she was instrumental in shaping the company’s structure and developing its philosophies. She held several executive positions with esteemed real estate companies representing ownership’s interests giving her an added perspective to closing the deal. She is often quoted “ real estate is about people” and yes location”. As the first women to be elected as President of COLBA, the first women to be hired as an industrial broker at Rubloff and a founding member of Chicago CREW, Gail is a trail blazer. Ms. Sturm is a member of the Rocky Mountain Institute and its “Green Development Services.” She co-authored “Seeing the Light,” an article illustrating the impact of new lighting opportunities on lowering energy cost to tenants. She was a featured speaker at the 2003 Annual Crew Network Convention in San Francisco, “Energy & Real Estate – Adding Value in a Changing Market Place.” In addition, in 2007 she served as the moderator of a panel discussion on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design regarding neighborhood development (LEED-ND). Education and awards: BBA (Marketing/Management), St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame; Licensed real estate broker in Illinois and Colorado; Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International Gail Sturm is a founding Executive Board Member and serves as Board Chairman of the Luster Learning Institute NFP. She is also an Executive Board Member of Athletes Against Drugs, Chairman of Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Vice Chairman of Lake Forest Symphony, Advisory Board Member of Arzu , Resource Board Member of the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago and Board Member of the Transportation Management Association of Lake Cook. In addition, Ms. Sturm is actively involved with the Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicago Theological Seminary Visiting Committee.

Robin Loewenberg Tebbe

Chief Marketing Officer
Magellan Development Group

Robin Loewenberg Tebbe is chief marketing officer of Magellan Development Group and is proud to be a part of her family business. In this role, she oversees corporate advertising, public relations, marketing, community affairs and special events. She also serves as president of Magellan Property Management, an affiliate of Magellan Development Group. Magellan is based in Chicago with developments nationwide and has been a team-member on projects in Chicago as well as Austin, Boston, Miami, Minneapolis and Nashville. Magellan is the developer of the 28-acre Lakeshore East community in Chicago. The $5 billion development is one of the largest master-planned communities in the United States and includes 10,000 residences, shopping, dining, hotels, a private school and a six-acre public park. Projects built in Lakeshore East include The Lancaster, The Shoreham, Tides, Aqua, Coast, The Village Market and the Vista Tower, slated to be Chicago’s third tallest building is projected for completion in 2020. She has been actively involved in many professional organizations as well as charitable and community service. Tebbe is a current Board member of Chicago Architecture Biennial, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, Magnificent Mile Association and The Arts Club of Chicago. Her civic involvement includes Northwestern Brain Tumor Institute Advisory Council, The Art Institute of Chicago Committee on Architecture and Design, The Costume Committee of the Chicago History Museum and The Sustaining Fellows Program Committee. She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum and The Economic Club of Chicago. Tebbe has previously provided leadership on the boards of Museum of Contemporary Art Women’s Board as President, Latin School of Chicago Alumni Association as President and Trustee, Chicagoland Apartment Association, Children Affected by AIDS in Chicago; and was a Chair of Chicago Youth Programs Capital Campaign. In 2017, Loewenberg Tebbe received the Golden Vest Award from the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

Patricia Aluisi

EVP & COO
MB Real Estate

Meredith O'Connor

Chairman & Executive Managing Director
JLL

Meredith is an International Director and member of the JLL Executive Committee. Meredith provides expertise through a diverse array of experience in tenant representation, business and economic incentives, zoning and land use, acquisitions and dispositions, strategic consulting, financial analysis and development services. Meredith also serves as the client relationship manager for Toyota Motors North America, Aon Corporation, and Alight Solutions’ global portfolio. Currently, Meredith represents Toyota Mazda Joint Venture on the site selection, labor analytics incentives advisory work for the $1.6B assembly plant in Huntsville, Alabama. She also represents the Obama Foundation on the site selection and project management of President Obama’s $700M Presidential Center in Chicago. Recently, Meredith lead the Bank of America regional headquarters relocation of approximately 1M+ square feet into a new development at 110 North Wacker and 540 West Madison in Chicago. ConAgra Foods on the relocation of their Global Headquarters from Omaha to Chicago where more than 1,000 employees will occupy approximately 200,000 sf in the Merchandise Mart. Recently, Meredith represented: Toyota on the relocation of their North American headquarters from Torrance, California to Plano, Texas (7,000 jobs and 2.1 million-square-foot build-to-suit); Mercedes Benz USA on the relocation of their North American headquarters from New Jersey to Georgia (1,000 jobs and $35 million incentives package); and Zurich N.A. on a 700,000-square-foot build-to-suit and $100 million incentives package in Schaumburg, Illinois. Meredith served on the founding team of 1871, a digital startup community located in Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago. She also served on the founding team for the development of UI Labs and the Board of Directors of mHub. EXPERIENCE Prior to joining JLL, Meredith was the Managing Director at World Business Chicago (WBC), where she led the targeting and management of corporate relocation and expansion projects for domestic and globally based companies. Meredith led business development for the region’s technology landscape and served as a principal public–private liaison for corporate technology and entrepreneurial tech leadership. WBC is a public–private economic development corporation chaired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and comprising over 50 top executives from many of Chicago’s leading companies. During Meredith’s tenure, WBC was repeatedly recognized and awarded as one of the top international organizations in its field. Meredith led notable relocations of headquarters for major operations for Boeing, NAVTEQ/Nokia, CDW, CareerBuilder, Motorola Mobility/Google, United Airlines, Wrigley, PepsiCo, GATX and RR Donnelley. In addition, Meredith spent more than 10 years as Deputy Commissioner with the City of Chicago, where she founded a new unit in the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to advocate for science and technology-based economic development. Meredith authored changes to the Chicago Building Code to allow for compliance of new technologies. EDUCATION AND AFFILIATIONS Meredith earned an M.B.A. in finance from Loyola University Chicago Graduate School of Business. In her personal life, Meredith applies the same focus and determination that she exercises in business to her family and community. Meredith also serves on more than a dozen local associations and charities. She and her husband Dan have five children.

Xuan Fu

Managing Partner
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Xuan Fu is a managing partner with SOM's Chicago office. In 1994, Fu started her SOM career as a technical coordinator before assuming the position of a project manager in 2004. As an expert in the Asian market, she has worked on a range of international projects including master plans, commercial buildings, mixed-use developments, retail, hospitality, and convention and exhibition center projects. Fu has broad experience in design, technology, and management, with a particular focus on projects that have complex programmatic and technological requirements. Fu promotes SOM’s highly regarded reputation of sustainable design in architecture and planning. She believes that architects have a social, environmental, and economic responsibility to sustainable design. Focusing on these responsibilities allows her to pursue design opportunities available to the designer, developer, and client, which increase the value of a project. As a managing partner, Fu directs the architects and engineers to interpret the program, vision, and goals that the client sets forth. Fu strives to reconcile a balance between the client’s goals for a project with the coordinated design excellence of SOM’s multidisciplinary teams to realize project solutions that are appropriate to local culture. Fu’s portfolio consists of a wide variety of projects including Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, Canary Wharf in London, Plot 16 in Moscow, Samsung Tower Palace III in Seoul, Chemsunny Plaza in Beijing, Guangzhou Pazhou Village Redevelopment Parcel 4 Project in Guangzhou, and the Zhongshan International Convention and Exhibition Center.