Creating a Positive and Growth Minded Company Culture with Nicole White – CLO of Avison Young

Nicole White Real Estate for Breakfast

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by his colleague and guest co-host LaTonya Ellis, and his former law school classmate, Nicole White, the newly appointed Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Avison Young.  Avison Young is a full service global real estate company. Nicole and Phil briefly reminisce about their time as law students at DePaul University, but quickly jump into a conversation about Nicole’s new role as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Avison Young: what it entails, her career trajectory and how the company has grown so fast in such a short amount of time, and challenges for growth and culture in a post pandemic world.

During the episode, LaTonya shares that she too will be taking on a new position as Ice Miller’s Director of Legal Operations and Knowledge Management. She and Nicole acknowledge that there is a degree of uncertainty that accompanies taking on a new role, but they both admit that they are more excited for the chance to leverage their talents in new and different ways.

As their conversation continues, Phil, LaTonya and Nicole discuss the importance of workplace culture and how employees’ priorities have shifted during the pandemic. In particular, they agree that strategic growth and a healthy, flexible workplace culture can help retain employees and sustain revenue.

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As Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Avison Young, Nicole promotes the firm’s corporate culture of trust and integrity through strategic growth initiatives and the overall management of the firm’s global legal affairs. She provides the senior leadership team and Board of Directors with legal guidance to achieve Avison Young’s objectives, including leveraging multidimensional data, technology and consultative solutions that enable clients to achieve their unique and rapidly transforming goals. In addition, Nicole handles complex business matters, mitigates risk and protects the firm’s competitive advantage. She also sits on the firm’s Executive Committee.

Prior to joining Avison Young, Nicole was an attorney for the Allstate Corporation. She earned her juris doctor from DePaul University College of Law and received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Metaverse Real Estate with Colin Laitner of Metis Capital

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In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by his good friend, Colin Laitner, principal of Metis Capital, and General Counsel of Deeter Investments, based in Austin, Texas. During an engaging discussion, Phil and Colin examine the topic of Metaverse real estate – what it is, how it works and its extrinsic value.

Recently, Metaverse real estate has been a hot topic in the news. With a supposed gold rush for Metaverse real estate happening, some early adopters have already invested millions of U.S. dollars in virtual property on platforms such as Axium Infinity, Sandbox and Decentral Land. Phil and Colin discuss these trends, draw parallels between Metaverse real estate and NFTs or “non-fungible tokens,” the relationship of crypto-currency to Metaverse real estate, and assess the potential value of Metaverse property. They also point out the similarities as well as the differences between Metaverse real estate and traditional real estate, and how concepts such as scarcity and human attention can actually drive value.

As an attorney and real estate developer, Colin is knowledgeable about emerging financing methods like blockchain, and he regularly advises clients who are on the cutting edges of new transactional technologies. Colin leverages his extensive background in real estate and tax law to explain how transactions are completed in the Metaverse and how each transaction, including real estate, is taxed.

Colin serves as general counsel and principal of Metis Capital, a commercial real estate development company based in Austin, Texas. Colin’s diverse array of transactional, legal and developmental experience includes sales, mergers and acquisitions, ground-up project development, and ongoing operational roles. Colin has personally overseen over $100 million in transactions for Metis Capital’s parent company, Deeter Investments LLP, and has been responsible for post-closing investor oversight, compliance, tax reporting and financing.

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Colin’s development experience covers all project stages including the initial inception of concept; the feasibility, transactional, legal and planning stages; all build phases from ground up to finish out; the sales and lease processes; and closing. Currently, he is overseeing Metis’ “Sheldon Cove” project in North-Central Austin, which will soon host the largest climbing gym in Texas. He also maintains a legal practice and is licensed in real estate by the Texas Real Estate Commission.


Multifamily Housing with Matt Fiascone of The Habitat Company

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by guest co-host Tyler Kalachnik, a partner in Ice Miller’s Public Finance Group, and featured guest Matt Fiascone, President of The Habitat Company. In recognition of The Habitat Company’s 50th year in business anniversary, the group discusses the history of the company and its full spectrum of offerings in the multifamily housing space from affordable public housing development to luxury condominium third-party management. They dive deeper into current trends in affordable housing, the explosion of LIHTC deals and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Matt’s broad real estate experience, he is able to provide keen insights into managing people, creating culture and running a sustainable real estate business.

Tyler Kalachnik is a partner in and vice chair of the Firm's Public Finance Group. Tyler has served as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, disclosure counsel and borrower's counsel for both long-term and short-term financings involving the pledge of revenues, taxes or a combination thereof. Tyler also has experience in transactions involving letters of credit, standby bond purchase agreements, interest rate and commodity swaps.

Tyler has participated in financings including single and multi-family housing projects, airports, municipal gas utilities, prepaid natural gas transactions, municipal water utilities, Indiana's State Revolving Fund Program, solid waste disposal facilities, 501(c)(3) organizations  and temporary loan warrants for political subdivisions and school corporations. Tyler also works in the Public Finance Group's rebate calculation practice.

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President of The Habitat Company, Matt Fiascone has led a full range of real estate development and investment activities for more than 30 years. Since joining The Habitat Company in 2011, Matt has been instrumental in strategizing, executing and managing capital events including development joint ventures, recapitalization of existing ventures and acquisitions. Matt has also established new relationships for both debt and equity, as well as strategic partnerships.

As president he leads the creation and integration of the vision and growth of Habitat. During his tenure he has overseen the expansion of the company's footprint and assets under management with a focus on continuously enhancing the company's culture for its team members, partners and residents.

Previously, Matt served as senior vice president for Inland Real Estate Development Corporation, where he originated and implemented real estate transactions involving assets valued at over $1 billion and negotiated and managed equity joint ventures.

Matt serves as vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Inland Bank and Trust and is a member of Lambda Alpha (a Land Economics Honorary Society), the Urban Land Institute and the National Multifamily Housing Council. Matt has been a frequent speaker and panelist for industry events. In addition, he is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin and Missouri.

For more information, please visit https://www.habitat.com/.

Medtail and Tenant Rep National Brokerage with Willie Hoag of Tether Advisors

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and his frequent co-host Jay Augustyn are joined by Willie Hoag, Principal and Co-Founder of Tether Advisors, a real estate advisory company founded in August 2020 during the tumult of the global pandemic.

Tether Advisors works with high-growth businesses to help them achieve national reach and alternatively with developers, REITs and private equity to help them find stable tenants and businesses with strong futures. Tether links brands, developers and private equity to physical locations that fit perfectly in the lives of customers. Tether also focuses on “medtail” – the initiative by medical service providers to bring prevention and wellness services to underserved areas via brick and mortar facilities located in shopping centers and other historically retail-focused properties.

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During the podcast, Willie discusses his background and what led to the creation of Tether Advisors. Willie shared his insight into the changing real estate model with landlords exploring opportunities outside traditional retail and how he can focus on building value for his clients. Willie encourages the Tether team to embrace a long-term approach to client services and to remain keenly aware of trends and technology that will augment or disrupt the businesses that Tether serves. Willie developed his consultative acumen at Mid-America for more than 15 years, where he was a Partner and Director of Tenant Representation for the leading full-service retail real estate firm in the Midwest. In that capacity, Willie educated developers on the benefits of medtail brands, bringing change and success in a space that had long-held misconceptions and stigmas.

At Tether, Willie facilitates the expansion needs and real estate challenges of a dozen tenants throughout the Midwest and nationally. His many national relationships transcend verticals and foster his true passions: solving problems and refining brands, linking experts to the obstacles they may uniquely solve.

For more information, please visit https://www.tetheradvisors.com/.

Sustainable Chicago Real Estate with Cotter Consulting

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by two guests from Cotter Consulting, Founder and President Anne Cotter and Group Manager Deeta Bernstein, to talk sustainability, which is an important and growing characteristic of real estate development.

Phil and Anne first discuss Cotter’s role as an owner’s rep project and construction firm. Being an owner’s rep means Cotter becomes an extension of the client’s staff. Cotter serves clients with projects from transportation and aviation to buildings, as well as those in the energy sector, providing project management and construction management services, and then project control services, which is cost schedule information management and data management. Anne also lets Phil in on her entrepreneurial journey to found and grow this great company as a women-owned business.

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Throughout her 40-year career in the Chicago construction industry, Anne Cotter has provided program, project and construction management services for diverse corporate, public and institutional clients. As Founder and President of Cotter Consulting, Anne built a purpose-driven organization that contributes to project success and provides value to clients through leadership and results. A strategist and groundbreaking industry leader, Anne was the first woman to be named President of the Chicago Building Congress and was the recipient of the organization’s 2018 Award of Honor. She has served on industry Board’s such as Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, Bradley University Civil Engineering & Construction Advisory Council, and is affiliated with the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA).

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As Group Manager for Cotter Consulting, Deeta Bernstein has been helping clients to achieve their project, program and sustainability goals for more than 25 years. She is passionate about accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices to create a more environmentally sustainable world while ensuring project performance. In her role as Sustainability Manager for the Public Building Commission of Chicago’s (PBC) Program Management team, the intersection of her program expertise and her passion for sustainability was instrumental in supporting the $2.6B+ program, which has resulted in close to 100 LEED certified projects to date and has helped to re-frame sustainability expectations in the city of Chicago.

The Hospitality Industry and COVID-19 with Scarlett Hotel Group

In this episode, host Phil Coover and Jay Augustyn of Ice Miller LLP are joined by Zio Pekovic and Rob Sadoff of Scarlett Hotel Group, a hotel owner and operator based in Chicago, to discuss the hospitality industry and its challenges in the face of COVID-19. Despite these challenges, Scarlett Hotel Group maintains a growth mindset, exploring distressed investments and creditor advisory opportunities. Scarlett Hotel Group proactively and transparently implemented procedural and practical changes in hotel operations and infrastructure to safeguard guest and employee health and safety in response to COVID-19.

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Mr. Zio Pekovic is a co-founder and principal of Scarlett Hotel Group. During his career, Mr. Pekovic has cultivated strong relationships with owners, brokers and financial institutions throughout the country and internationally, allowing him to identify both on- and off-market opportunities for investors. His focus includes identifying and analyzing potential hotel investments and structuring joint-venture partnerships with private equity funds, endowment funds, family offices and private investors. Mr. Pekovic is also involved in asset management and investor relations and is responsible for third-party management and receivership opportunities.

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Mr. Rob Sadoff is a co-founder and principal of Scarlett Hotel Group where his focus is in the investment and development of hotel real estate assets. Since the formation of his new company in 2017, Mr. Sadoff has managed the execution of each transaction for the company’s portfolio of owned hotels. His expertise in deal structuring, franchising, financing and legal oversight provides the team with the confidence to execute and close on each transaction. Additionally, Rob’s strong business reputation of high ethics has been the catalyst for the addition of new capital and joint venture partners.

Jay Augustyn is a Partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Practice. He represents clients in all manners of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing and joint ventures. Jay also advises investors, developers and entrepreneurs in fund formation and investment matters with respect to the federal Opportunity Zone program and other federal, state and local programs to improve efficiency of project financing.

For more information, visit https://scarletthotelgroup.com/.

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The Fulton East Project by Parkside Realty, Inc. Chairman and CEO Bob Wislow

In the latest episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by living Chicago real estate legend Bob Wislow. Phil and Bob discuss the properties managed and developed by Parkside Realty throughout Chicago, including the ground-up development of Fulton East – a 12 story commercial building including 5,000 square feet of retail, 3 levels of enclosed parking and 8 stories of office space. The top is crowned with an 8,000 square feet outdoor space. Fulton East is the nation’s first office building designed to deliver health-focused operating solutions for the post-COVID-19 business environment, and is receiving national publicity and attention. Each of the 10,605 square foot floor plans enable flexible, custom planning options to accommodate safe social distancing. State-of-the-art wellness features include a hands-free elevator system and air and surface disinfection systems housed within a beautiful glass and steel grid exterior design that fits the historic district where the property is located.

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Bob Wislow is chairman and CEO of Parkside Realty, Inc.

In 1978, Bob Wislow and Camille Julmy founded U.S. Equities Realty which they, together with Nancy Pacher, grew to be Chicago’s largest, privately-owned commercial real estate services firm. U.S. Equities has been responsible for a number of major projects including the development of the Harold Washington Library Center, Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Center For Care & Discovery and Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago, Poetry Foundation and John Stroger Hospital for Cook County; co-development of One Financial Place , Grand Plaza and The Cook County Hospital Headquarters and Clinic Building;  and the redevelopments of the John Hancock Center, Willis Tower, 20 North Michigan, and 840 N. Michigan in Chicago; as well as overseeing the development of Compuware’s Headquarters in Detroit, Bank Boston’s Headquarters in both Argentina and Brazil, 618 S. Main in Ann Arbor, and in partnership with Clayco Centene’s Headquarters in St. Louis.

In Spring 1999, U.S. Equities was retained by Millennium Park Inc., (the group representing the Park’s private donors) to oversee the design, engineering, fabrication and construction of Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge, Anish Kapoor’s monumental Cloud Gate sculpture and Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain. 

In addition to development and project management services the firm provided tenant representation, asset and property management, leasing, real estate consulting, and financial and investment services. Its Chicago headquarters, directly across from Millennium Park, housed original works of art, including paintings, prints and sculpture by over 150 artists. Through its annual Artist in Residence program, the company commissioned artists to create original, limited edition books related to the cities where the firm did projects. 

After nearly four decades of success in Chicago, Wislow and his partners merged their firm into CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services firm, in the summer of 2014. At the time, U.S. Equities leased and managed 17 million square feet of Chicago property, including Willis Tower, 2.5 million square feet of office and retail space along Michigan Avenue, Union Station, Metra Market, and six Illinois tollway oases. The successfully merger brought more than 400 U.S. Equities employees under the CBRE flag. 

In August 2019, after five successful years with CBRE, that includes projects like the World’s largest Starbucks Roastery on Michigan Avenue, Wislow and Julmy formed a new, boutique real estate venture called Parkside Realty Inc. The real estate veterans will maintain their portfolio and develop new projects, such as Fulton East, a 12-story, 90,000-square-foot office and retail building under construction at 215 N. Peoria Street, in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market.

A native Chicagoan, Wislow is known by friends as a dedicated heli-skier, road biker and fly fisherman, an avid arts supporter and longtime dedicated steward for civic engagement in Chicago. He has, or is serving, on the boards of many organizations and institutions, including the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Rush University Medical Center, Civic Committee, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Civic Consulting Alliance, CHICAGO Symphony Orchestra, Columbia College, North Central College and the Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Wislow has been honored with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Lifetime Achievement Award, the NAIOP Chicago Award for Excellence, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) Legacy Award.  

For more information on the Fulton East project, visit https://fulton-east.com/.

Dee Brown, CEO of the P3 Group, Inc. – Changing 60,000 Pound Anchors on Nuclear Submarines – and Other Public-Private Partnership Development

Phil is joined in this episode by Dee Brown, CEO of The P3 Group, Inc., a commercial real estate, boutique development and consulting firm that specializes in business and community development through the creation of P3's: public private partnerships.  Dee explains that The P3 Group’s projects are atypical, meaning that they generally take on modestly sized building projects, which most P3 companies shy away from—due to the complexity of the deals and efforts needed to coordinate these types of municipal projects.  For instance, Dee’s first public private project was changing 60,000 pound anchors on a nuclear submarine. 

Phil and Dee discuss the benefits of a company like The P3 Group, with its multi-faceted background of team members that include legal, real estate and construction experts.  Dee goes on to discuss an exciting project that The P3 Group recently received an award for – an 80,000 sq. ft. regional public safety facility for police, EMS, and other governmental emergency responders.  It will be designed to withstand extreme inclement weather, no-power, and no water!  Tune in to learn more.

Dee Brown

Dee Brown

As Chief Executive Officer Dee Brown has a 26 year record of real estate sales, development, management, and  success overseeing all phases of  multi-million dollar construction, infrastructure, water/sewer, and  environmental projects for government and private-sector clients. His experience includes managing personnel of up to 200 people in highway/bridge improvements, asbestos abatement, real estate sales and development, solar installations, and a variety of other projects. Dee is backed by strong credentials and a proven history of on-time, on-budget, and high-quality project completions.

Learn more about the P3 Group here:  https://thep3groupinc.com

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Large Scale Development and Geographic Expansion with Matt Katsaros of CA Ventures

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Joining Phil Coover on this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast is Matt Katsaros, SVP – Acquisitions of CA Ventures’ subsidiary—CA Residential. CA Ventures is one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the Midwest, and does about $1.5 Billion in real estate development every year.  Matt and Phil discuss the history of CA Ventures from its initial niche in student housing to a current portfolio of multiple asset classes and real estate services. Matt shares trends in residential real estate development and investment markets across the U.S.

Founded in 2004, CA Ventures is an international real estate investment management company headquartered in Chicago, IL, with offices in Denver, CO, and London. The firm found initial success focusing on off-campus student housing and has delivered almost 50,000 units (or beds) of student accommodation across 40 major university markets. Today the portfolio is diverse spanning multiple asset classes including student, senior and other residential real estate, as well as industrial and office markets.

You can find out more about CA Ventures here:  https://ca-ventures.com/ 

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

Follow-Up Call with Colin Laitner

Phil’s friend Colin Laitner (Deeter Investments / Metis Capital) comes back on the podcast as a follow up to Episode 4 to let us all know the resolution of his company’s real estate lawsuit between the Nook and the Westin regarding the Westin’s claim that the Nook’s awesome sound was infringing on its use and enjoyment of its property.  It is an interesting discussion of litigation strategy, finding common ground in a multi-dimensional negotiation, and realizing value in the midst of a contentious real estate litigation.   This episode is an experiment on using an Uber conference call to connect people across the country, and as such, please excuse the audio quality.

Check out the subject of this podcast, The Nook, here.  http://www.nookamphitheater.com/

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests, SATC Solution Center L3C, or Schenk Annes Tepper Campbell Ltd. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.