Speaker Profiles

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

NEIL BLUHM
Walton Street Capital - Managing Principal

Mr. Bluhm is one of the founders and President of JMB Realty Corporation, and is a founder and Principal in Walton Street Capital, LLC. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, receiving a BS in Accounting, and is a CPA.  He also graduated from Northwestern University Law School. Walton Street Capital invests in opportunistic real estate in partnership with institutional investors and sophisticated individuals. JMB Realty Corporation, along with its associated entities, is engaged in real estate investment and development.  JMB owns luxury hotels, office buildings, and mixed-use projects as well as Kaanapali Land, LLC which owns and develops land in Hawaii. Mr. Bluhm, through an affiliate family partnership, is in the business of developing and operating casinos in Niagara Falls, Canada, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Des Plaines, Illinois.  He is also an investor in hedge funds and distressed securities. Mr. Bluhm is a Trustee at Northwestern University, a member of the Board of Directors of Northwestern Memorial Foundation of Northwestern Hospital, a member of the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Association, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Art Institute of Chicago, and President of the Board of Trustees of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Panel 1: Post-Crisis Debt & Equity Capital Markets - "To Raise & Deploy"

EDWARD J. RYDER (Moderator)
Pearlmark Real Estate Partners- Managing Director

Mr. Ryder is a Managing Director of Pearlmark and Chief Investment Officer for the multifamily platform. He also serves on the firm's management committe. Since joining the firm in 1998, Mr. Ryder has managed the aquisition of over $1.4 billion of properties, including nearly 12,000 multifamily units and over 2.6 million square feet of office space. Prior to joing Pearlmark, Mr. Ryder spent ten years in commercial and investment banking. For six years, he focused on providing financing and advisory services to REITs and other real estate operating in the investment banking real estate groups at Merrill Lynch & Co and EVEREN Securites (formerly Kemper Securites). During that time, Mr. Ryder worked on $3.8 billion of completed transactions, including initial public offerings for six REITs; private equity and debt placements; follow-on common stock; preferred stock; convertibles; and other financings and advisory assignments. Mr. Ryder earned his undergraduate from the University of South Florida and his MBA from the University of Chicago. He is a member of the National Multi Housing Council and the Urban Land Institute.

AMY DIAMOND
Northwestern Endowment - Managing Director, Private Investments & Real Assets

Ms. Diamond is a Managing Director of Private Investments and Real Assets for Northwestern University’s $7 billion endowment. She joined Northwestern University in 2000 and is responsible for all aspects of the Private Investments and Real Assets portfolios, which includes venture capital, buyout, real estate, and natural resources investments.  Prior to joining Northwestern University, Ms. Diamond was a Vice President and Equity Research Analyst at Prudential Securities and Vector Securities focused on several healthcare services industries. Ms. Diamond began her career as an equity research analyst in the energy group at Dillon, Read & Co. in New York.  She is a CFA Charterholder and received her undergraduate degree in International Finance and Economics from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  Ms. Diamond sits on over a dozen Limited Partner Advisory Boards for the funds in which Northwestern invests.  She is also on the board of LEND, a student-run not-for-profit organization at Northwestern that provides consulting services, training and small loans to Evanston entrepreneurs.

BLAISE KEANE '92
Heitman - Executive Vice President

Mr. Keane’s responsibilities include Portfolio Management and Joint Venture Partner relations for Heitman's large separate account client relationships. Prior to taking on his Portfolio Management responsibilities, he was active in identifying, structuring and executing equity investment opportunities for Heitman's institutional pension fund clients across North America. Before joining Heitman via its merger with JMB Institutional Realty Corporation, Mr. Keane was with JMB Realty Corporation. His responsibilities with JMB included asset management, loan restructuring, property financing, and property disposition activities. Mr. Keane began his career with Ernst & Young, an international public accounting firm. While with Ernst & Young, he served many of the firm's real estate and financial services clients. Mr. Keane is a member of several industry organizations, including The International Council of Shopping Centers, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Keane earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at St. Mary's University of Minnesota and earned his Masters of Management degree at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

SHOBI KHAN
General Growth Properties - Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Khan is Chief Operating Officer of General Growth Properties, the country’s second largest shopping mall owner/developer and real estate investment trust (REIT). Prior to GGP, Mr. Khan served as U.S. Chief Investment Officer at Bentall Kennedy, one of North America’s largest real estate investment advisors, where he also served on the company’s management group and investment committees.  Before Bentall Kennedy, Mr. Khan was Senior Vice President of Investments at Equity Office Properties Trust. While at EOP, he led the underwriting of $16 billion in office REIT mergers, and was involved with EOP’s $39 billion sale to Blackstone in 2007. Mr. Khan has also completed more than $4 billion of single/portfolio acquisitions, developments and dispositions.  He received an MBA from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley.  He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.

JONATHAN POLLACK
Deutsche Bank - Global Head of Commercial Real Estate

Mr. Pollack is a Managing Director and Global Head of Commercial Real Estate for Deutsche Bank, as well as a member of the CIB North America Executive Committee. He is responsible for lending for CMBS, syndication and the balance sheet, as well as special situations including distressed real estate. Mr. Pollack was previously head of CRE Capital Markets in London, where he co-founded the European CRE business in 2001. He joined Deutsche Bank in 1999 from Nomura. Mr. Pollack holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Northwestern University.

Panel 2: Demand Drivers and Development - “What’s Your Trigger?”

DOUG KIERSEY '02 (Moderator)
Dermody Properties - President

As President of Dermody Properties, Mr. Kiersey is responsible for the company’s capital, acquisition, development, and property management activities nationwide. Mr. Kiersey chairs Dermody Properties’/DP Partners’ executive committee. He brings 27 years of experience in development, land and building acquisition, and management and marketing of distribution properties, with extensive experience in 14 U.S. markets. Prior to joining Dermody Properties/DP Partners, Mr. Kiersey spent 17 years in various positions with ProLogis. His most recent role was as Senior Vice President and Midwest Regional Director, where he was responsible for operations and capital development in a region encompassing a portfolio of 84 million sq. ft. in nine markets (Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Toronto). In prior regional configurations, Mr. Kiersey also had Regional Director responsibilities for the New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC/Baltimore markets. Prior to his role as ProLogis Midwest Regional Director, he served as Vice President and Market Officer of the Portland and Seattle markets. During his tenure with ProLogis, Mr. Kiersey oversaw the development of approximately 20 million sq. ft. of distribution space including build-to-suit projects for Unilever, BMW, Home Depot, SC Johnson, LaCrosse Footwear, International Paper, and Bay Valley Foods. Mr. Kiersey served as a member of the ProLogis North America Investment Committee and North America Operating Committee from October 2001 to May 2011. He also worked for 11 years at Cushman & Wakefield in Portland, specializing in industrial and high technology properties. Mr. Kiersey received his BS in Business Administration from Oregon State University and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, where he is a member of the Kellogg Real Estate Advisory Board.

DANIEL McCAFFERY
McCaffery Interests - Chairman and CEO

As Chairman and CEO, Mr. McCaffery has overall responsibility for the executive management, strategic direction and leadership of the company. Mr. McCaffery’s other responsibilities include new business creation and the enhancement and expansion of tenant and financial partner relationships. The firm has developed or redeveloped in excess of $3 billion of urban projects in diverse markets including Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Myrtle Beach, SC, Washington DC, Clarendon, VA and Moscow, Russia. McCaffery Interests’ most demanding challenge at present is the redevelopment of the approximately 500 lakefront acres known as the former US Steel site in the southeast area of Chicago. The firm's projects have won local, national and international acclaim. Among the many award winning projects are the Hotel Burnham in Chicago, the Cork Factory in Pittsburgh and The Market Common in Virginia. Each has been a recipient of an award which is recognized as bearing the highest distinction available in the real estate industry. Receipt of these awards highlights the diverse talents to be found within the company. Mr. McCaffery serves on the Board of The Beach Company, SC; the Board of Regents of Loyola University, Chicago; LINK Unlimited; the Knapp School of Entrepreneurship at the Illinois Institute of Technology; the University of Alberta Foundation; and is a frequent speaker at meetings and conventions of the Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is a member of the ICSC International Awards Jury and an active member of the Urban Land Institute. Mr. McCaffery graduated from the University of Alberta in Canada where he was recently honored as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. He has been married for 42 years to his wife Iris. They have three children, five grandchildren and reside in Winnetka, IL.

MIKE RESCHKE
The Prime Group - Chairman and CEO

Mr. Reschke serves as Chairman and CEO of The Prime Group, Inc.  He founded The Prime Group in 1981 and for the last 30 years, has directed and managed the development and acquisition of over $12 billion of institutional-quality real estate projects across the United States.  Under the direction of Mr. Reschke, Prime and its affiliates became one of the preeminent real estate development companies in the country, having achieved recognition for its dedication to world-class architecture, innovation, and state-of-the-art technology. Recently, Prime completed the $120 million development of a luxury condominium tower at 10 East Delaware and the $430 million redevelopment of 208 S. LaSalle, converting the lower twelve floors of the historic building into a 610-key luxury J.W. Marriott Hotel, which opened to the public on November 11, 2010.  Currently, Mr. Reschke is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

STEPHEN ROSS
AMLI Residential - Executive Vice President, Development

Mr. Ross is Executive Vice President, Development of AMLI and has been with the company since its inception; prior thereto he was with AMLI Realty Co. since 1989. Mr. Ross is responsible for development activities including the origination, structuring and closing of investments in Chicago and other regions. Between 1989 and 1996, Mr. Ross led AMLI’s financing activities. Prior to joining AMLI Realty Co., he was associated with JMB Realty Corporation in Chicago and New York City where he had certain portfolio management and acquisition responsibilities. Mr. Ross received a BS from the University of Rochester in 1978 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1981. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and was a founding Director of the Central Region of the Real Estate Investment Advisory Council. Mr. Ross serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Glencoe, Illinois and recently served as co-chairman of the Village of Glencoe Caucus. Mr. Ross has been a guest lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Business School and at DePaul University.

GREG VAN SCHAACK
Hines - Senior Vice President, Development

Mr. Van Schaack joined Hines in 1985 and has since been active in establishing new development and management opportunities throughout the Midwest. As project officer, he has overseen the development of numerous buildings in the Chicago area including: 300 North LaSalle, a 1.3 million-square-foot, 60-story office tower on the Chicago River; One South Dearborn, a 825,000-square-foot, 40-story office tower located in the Loop Central Business District; Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Corporate Campus, a three-building, 650,000-square-foot project with infrastructure for two additional buildings in Deerfield; 540 West Madison, a 1.3 million-square-foot, high-technology office tower in Chicago's West Loop; 191 North Wacker, a 740,000-square-foot, 37-story office building in downtown Chicago; and Woodfield Preserve Office Center, 600,000-square-foot complex in Schaumburg, IL. Mr. Van Schaack is an advocate for green building in Chicago. LEED certification has been awarded to 540 West Madison, One South Dearborn, Takeda, 300 North LaSalle. He received his BA in Business Administration from Colorado College in 1979.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY