News from The Real Estate Center

Real Estate Professionals Volunteer Time as Mentors

Commercial Real Estate Forecast Conference

Alumni Host Networking Event

REFF Utilizes Real Estate Faculty

Real Estate Professionals Volunteer Time as Mentors

Each year, the Real Estate Center sponsors a mentoring program for graduate and undergraduate real estate students. The program, which runs from October through April, allows students to engage directly with prominent Chicago real estate executives on a one-on-one basis. Each mentor volunteers his or her time and commits to a monthly, two-hour meeting with the assigned student. Real Estate students are enthusiastic about the mentor program as they receive invaluable career advice from professionals who have established themselves in the industry. Recognizing that time is a commodity, the Real Estate Center wants to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of the mentors who share their time and expertise with our students. The mentors for the 2011-2012 academic year are:

Rena Pulido, Principal, Investor Relations, ARES Management
Neil Freeman, Chairman and CEO, Aries Capital*
Andrew Wilson, Vice President, Aries Capital*
Ted Notz, Senior Vice President, Associated Bank*
Jay Marling, Managing Principal, Capright Property Advisors
Doug Johnson, Managing Director, Auction Services, CBRE
Matt Wurtzebach, Vice President, Commercial Mortgage Production, Draper & Kramer
Matt Arminio, Director of Marketing and Analytics, Elmdale Partners
Christy Lockridge, Regional Director, GE Capital
Meredith O'Sullivan, Director, Financial Services, GGP
Shobi Khan, Chief Operating Officer, GGP
Doug Nieman, Managing Director / Senior Vice President US Commercial Real Estate, BMO Harris*
Mary Ludgin, Director of Global Investment Research, Heitman
Adam McGaughy, Executive Vice President, Jones Lang Lasalle Hotels
Bob Flannery, Chief Operating Officer, JRG Capital Partners
Andy Corsini, Partner, KPMG*
Michael Episcope, Principal, Origin Capital Partners*
Jim Keledjian, Principal & President, Pathway Senior Living*
Sheila Crawford, Assistant Vice President, PNC Bank*
Craig Sieben, Founder and President, Sieben Energy Associates
Lori Wittman, Vice President Capital Markets, Ventas*
Rick Cavenaugh, President, Whiteco Residential

*Sponsors of the Real Estate Center

Commercial Real Estate Forecast Conference

On January 24, 2012 the Illinois Real Estate Journal, together with the Real Estate Center and SIOR, will mark the 10th anniversary of producing a Commercial Real Estate Forecast Event. It is the longest and largest running event of its kind in the Chicago area.

The Annual Commercial Real Estate Forecast Event is an outstanding opportunity for networking and sharing information:

Agenda
8:15 am: Sam Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, and Debra Cafaro, chief executive officer, Ventas, Inc. and Sustaining Sponsor of the Real Estate Center

General Sessions
9:05 am The state of the commercial market in Chicago

9:50 am Legal issues impacting real estate

10:40 am Real estate financing and investment trends moderated by Susanne E. Cannon, the Douglas & Cynthia Crocker Endowed Director of The Real Estate Center at DePaul University

11:30 am Breakout Sessions
* Downtown office market
* Suburban office market
* Industrial market
* Retail and hospitality market
* Investment market moderated by Susanne E. Cannon
* Multifamily housing market

The conference will be held at the Marriott Chicago Downtown 540 N. Michigan Ave. Registration and networking begin at 7:00am and the program runs from 8:00 to Noon. The registration fee is $99.

Alumni Host Networking Event

DREAA is partnering with DePaul Basketball to host a networking game experience at the Allstate Arena. This will be an opportunity for DREAA members based in the greater Chicagoland area to connect and catch the DePaul Blue Demons in Big East action. DREAA has secured a private party deck to both watch the game and be able to socialize with fellow members. Food will be provided along with your ticket to the game. Come and take advantage of this occasion to network with all of our city and suburban based members while watching the Blue Demons grab another Big East victory!

Venue: Allstate Arena - 6920 Mannheim Rd, Rosemont

Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Time: 7:30PM - 9:30PM

Cost: $40*

Register here.

*Optional round-trip transportation from loop is $30 and can be purchased during registration.

Real Estate Finance Forum Utilizes Real Estate Faculty

The Real Estate Finance Forum (REFF) hosted an economic forecast event at DePaul University on January 11th which featured presentations by Susanne Cannon, Chairman

of the Department of Real Estate and Charles Wurtzebach, the George L. Ruff Visiting Professor in Real Estate Studies.

Summary points include:

1.   Employment has bottomed out and has begun to rise slowly.
2.   Commercial real estate values hit bottom in 2009-10. Sharp rebound since,
      2012 likely to be less robust.
3.   New development will begin in multi-family and industrial in 2012. Other
       sectors in future - retail and office.
4.   Regional Bank failures will continue through 2012.
5.   Banks will continue to focus on workouts and maintaining cash reserves.
6.   Stabilizing NOI's will offer banks confidence to lend and work out.
7.   Significant capital has re-entered the core market, more will be necessary to
       recapitalize entire commercial real estate.
8.   Real estate recovery is tied to private sector job creation.

Join the Conversations on the Real Estate Center Social Networking Websites

You no longer have to wait for our monthly newsletter to be up to date with the Real Estate Center. The Real Estate Center has recently joined the social networking movement on both Facebook and LinkedIn. Consider joining these groups to receive up to the minute information about the Real Estate Center.