CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - How Decisions Are Made by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - Workplace Design Debate by CoreNet Chicago

2025 Economic Forecast With Spencer Levy by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - What End Users Want by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - Sports Entertainment Development by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - AI For CRE: What's Real & What's To Come? by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - ESG In Focus for the CRE Professional by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - Selflove, Selfless Leadership, and Magnetic Cultures by CoreNet Chicago

2024 Economic Forecast with Spencer Levy by CoreNet Chicago

CoreNet Lunch Connect Series - Gen Z Is Here by CoreNet Chicago

The influence of augmented intelligence (AI) on our workplaces, coupled with the emergence of smart cities, signifies a seismic shift in our industry. Futurist Geoffrey Kasselman and workforce strategist Regan Donoghue will offer valuable insight into the latest tech trends while highlighting the skills needed to succeed within the realm of corporate real estate. They will articulate the fundamental impact these changes will have on our lives and environment in order to equip ourselves, and our industry, for the road ahead. Join us to delve into the purposeful potential of this remarkable technology and harness the transformative power of AI in our workspaces and cities.

Vacant or outdated offices are being upgraded to meet the latest demands of the modern workforce, or transformed for other uses that breathe life back into these great buildings. Join us to hear how developers, landlords, and corporate occupiers are making big decisions that will shape the future of our downtown. Can it spark a renaissance? You won't want to miss this conversation, so bet on yourself and make plans to join us by signing up today at Chicago.corenetglobal.org/events or by visiting the link in bio and heading to the Events page. Please bring school supplies for the Sue Duncan Children's Center and support the program's initiatives to help at-risk youth through tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment activities. MODERATOR: Matt Pistorio – President & Founder, Madison Rose; Principal, R2 Companies SPEAKERS: Sheyla Conforte – Principal, Executive Director of Interior Design, SCB Dan Maslauski – Executive Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Amy Preston – Managing Principal, Preston Design and Construction Consulting

Learn more from our expert panel about the challenges that tenants, landlords, and service providers face when looking at the total cost of ownership, as well as the best practices that companies can take to keep up with customer demands. This strategic discussion will help keep you on the industry's leading edge! Moderator: Alexandra Maleh, Director, Cushman & Wakefield Speakers: Matt Mannina, Leasing Manager, Prologis Ben Pugh, Senior Managing Director, Corporate Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield Bill Alexander, Vice President, Global Real Estate and Corporate Facilities, Xylem Inc.

The importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations have exponentially increased in recent years, requiring CRE professionals to adapt and go far beyond simple sustainability. Join us to learn more about topics including Resource Conservation; Climate Adaptation and Risk Mitigation; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; and Health and Wellbeing. Our panel of industry leaders will discuss best practices, address how corporate ESG priorities influence CRE strategies, and teach you how CRE can support ambitious ESG outcomes. Speakers: Aditi Sant – Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate, Otis Worldwide Corporation Charles Hardy – Chief Architect, GSA Emilie Mulcahey – Head of Real Estate, EMEA & Americas, Dyson

CoreNet Chicago has brought together some of the most influential women in corporate real estate to share their histories and wisdom from navigating the industry. Join us to hear from these leaders as they discuss how their mentors have helped them in their growth and encouraged them to take the leap, how they view failures vs. stepping-stones, and how they moved the barrier to entry. Young leaders of all genders can learn from these incredible women, both how to be brave and take risks, and how to succeed in corporate real estate. Moderator: Kelly Fair, Founder and Executive Director of Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring Program Speakers: Erin Butler, Head of Workplace & Real Estate Management at William Blair Cherita Ellens, CEO & President of Women Employed Kim Sauvageau, Real Estate, Workplace Strategy Leader with Shell Sheryl Callahan, Global Real Estate & Facilities for Baxter. Details: Thursday, March 9 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m Maggiano's Banquets, 111 W. Grand Ave

Chicago is always changing, but some things stay the same. Our monthly luncheon series at Maggiano's is back in February! Join us for networking and lively conversation about the economic, commercial, and community factors that are transforming Chicago. How are civic organizations, city government, corporations, and developers responding to changes in corporate real estate? Our panel of speakers will discuss the infrastructure and amenities needed to attract people, how buildings are being repositioned or repurposed, and approaches for reinvigorating downtown as a vibrant, equitable place. Moderator: Dave Broz, Board Member, Chicago Loop Alliance Speakers: Brian Atkinson, Managing Director, Hines Todd Siegel, Senior Vice President, CBRE Guy Trerotola, Head of R+D Platform for the Built Environment, Google

Join us for an enthusiastic, entertaining, and educational discussion with Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for @cbre. Spencer will share his Economic Forecast for corporate and commercial real estate with an outlook for what is to come in 2023… the good, the bad, and the ugly. To play along with the Jeopardy themed presentation visit: https://chicago.corenetglobal.org/events/podcasts-presentations

How can we leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive intelligent business outcomes? Save the date to join us for a high-speed event as former INDYCAR engineer, race strategist, and data scientist Alex Castrounis shares how AI and machine learning are transforming organizations, industries, and the nature of work. Alex has spent the last two decades advising businesses on how to use data, analytics, and technology to drive business and customer success. He is the author of “AI For People and Business: A Framework for Better Human Experiences and Business Success,” founder and CEO of “Why of AI”, and an adjunct professor of artificial intelligence for Northwestern University's Kellogg / McCormick MBAI program. Alex also ran Andretti Autosport's data science program and helped pioneer the application of AI and machine learning techniques to winning races.

Join us from anywhere for a fun, fully-virtual discussion on the new frontier for commercial real estate – The Metaverse. You will have to opportunity to learn, engage, and experience the Metaverse with our interactive panel. They're ready to share their knowledge, insights, and personal experiences in a virtual campus work environment. We've got answers to all of your questions and beyond about what the Metaverse is, and why it matters for the future of commercial real estate. Speakers: Nishar Fatema - Global Workplace Strategist & Workplace Services; ServiceNow Andrew Hunt – Vieth Director for the Center for Real Estate; Marquette University Henry Massey – Senior Vice President, Workplace Technology & Strategy; Impec Group Eddie Makar – Finalist, CoreNet Global Academic Challenge; Marquette University Jett Smith – Finalist, CoreNet Global Academic Challenge; Marquette University

Join us to find out what's happening in local real estate development and where the Chicago market is headed next. Hear from leading developers as they discuss their diverse portfolios and what unique opportunities they are investing in, both locally and nationwide.

Join us to hear Kevin Thorpe, the Global Chief Economist, and David Hoebbel, Director of Research (Midwest Region), both of Cushman & Wakefield, talk about what's happening globally, nationally, and locally within our industry. You won't want to miss this update as they review how things have changed in the wake of so much economic uncertainty the past couple of years, and discuss important trends that will continue to have an impact at all levels of business.

The pandemic has caused pain for Landlords who have witnessed an exodus of Tenants and now have to compete in a market with historically high vacancies and the rapid advance of remote work policies. Every day, large and visible properties are going back to Lenders. Yet, some investors continue to pay record prices for the right assets. Why? What is going on behind the scenes? Could trouble be looming in the Real Estate Capital Markets? Join our All-Star Panel of Investment Brokers who will shed some light on what is keeping Investors up at night and where the bright spots are going forward.

Work experience is in the spotlight, and well-being has become a driver of employees' decisions to join, stay, leave, and engage. Join us for a lively discussion about what well-being really means, and the workplace strategies to support well-being which will matter most. We'll share new research, fascinating insights, and pragmatic solutions (which go beyond napping pods!). Panelists Tracy Brower - Steelcase Douglas Domenick - Chapman & Cutler Heather Turner-Loth - EUA

We were thrilled to welcome back Spencer Levy, Chairman and Americas Research & Senior Economic Advisor with CBRE, in person at our chapter luncheon February 15th to share his forecasts for the Chicago Real Estate market in the coming year.

We are thrilled to (virtually) welcome back Spencer Levy, Chairman and Americas Research & Senior Economic Advisor with CBRE to share his insights on the implications COVID-19 has on various real estate sectors both in the short and long term.

Co-Working Survivor: Who Will Be Voted Off the Real Estate Island? Will shared office forever replace the dedicated branch office? How do different co-working sites compare to one another and how are co-working firms reinventing themselves? How would they sustain an economic downturn? We hear from our panel of co-working experts who will share their experiences, how their organizations are differentiating themselves, and what their plans are for ensuring success in the future. Moderator: Rick Page – Former Senior Vice President, US Bank Speakers: Jeff Bowron - Area Vice President, IWG Beth Moore - Head of Broker Development, WeWork Angela Morris - VP of Operations & Finance, Hana (a subsidiary of CBRE) Mallory Sallet - Enterprise Business Development Manager, Industrious Lindsey Tsukiyama - Regional Director of Operations Midwest, Convene

Join us as we return to Maggiano's on January 30th for an impactful economic forecast presented by CBRE's Spencer Levy. Spencer is Chairman of America’s Research and Senior Economist Advisor for CBRE. Mr. Levy is a frequent speaker for many other industry groups including NAIOP, ICSC, ULI and CREW. Since the beginning of time, people have been trying to predict for the future. But predicting the future is difficult because it’s a moving target and outside forces such as ideology, politics, and money can change expectations. However, YOU can help influence the outcome. This program will explore how CRE professionals can work with forecast data to help their clients understand what it means to be agile in their businesses and real estate strategies. We will explore how variables such as geopolitics, commercial real estate occupiers, taxes, and rising interest rates are evaluated alongside the trends of densification, agility, and of course, the race to retain and recruit top talent, to shape the way we plan for the future.

How is augmented and virtual reality changing the face of real estate development & design? Is this a fad or is it here to stay? Are furniture manufacturers using this? If so, how, where, and why? Moderator Stacy Scopano, Chief Technology Officer at Skender Panelists Daniel Dy Buncio, Co-Founder and CEO of Via Technik Mike Prefling, Vice President of Insights and Innovation at Ryan Companies US, Inc.

How will transgender equality change plumbing codes? How do inclusion efforts really "include"? Should we start changing the way we think about workplace design? What changes will impact the face of commercial real estate and the workplace and what should we be thinking about in order to plan for the next 10-15 years? Speakers Pam McElvane - Diversity MBA Daniel Kedish - Zurich Christopher Chwedyk - Burnham Nationwide Moderator Michelle Silverton - Inclusion Nation

With September traditionally the month of hurricanes, floods, and a reminder of 9/11 – how does the commercial real estate industry prepare, prevent, and respond to these type of volatile events? This September we will be discussing how to best prepare for these type of emergencies. Speakers Stephen Fink, Practice Leader, Financial Services, ESD Tim Nowell, Director of Security, Capital One JoAnn Ugolini, Senior Director of Threat + Violence Risk Management, Hillard Heintze

How is the legalization of marijuana going to change the face of real estate? Is there discrimination in real estate when cannabis companies are involved? Have tax laws changed so that money can be transferred across state lines? Is there any correlation to the repeal of prohibition? In June, we had a conversation led by knowledgeable experts in the cannabis industry. Moderator: Gina Santangelo – Senior Project Manager, ACRE Project Management Panelists: Wendy Berger – President & CEO, WBSE Kevin N. Lea – President, Fuse Insurance LTD Dominic Sergi – CEO, Clear Height Properies and Co-Founder/Board Member, Cresco Labs Kevin Li, CEO, Nurtured Spaces

With the ability of technology to not only report on activities but also analyze and predict usage, how much information is too much? When vendors own the data housed on their platforms, what privacies are they signing away? What benefits are they gaining? Join us for an informative discussion led by experts in the predictive analytics field. Speakers: Nick Lawrence, Head of Sales, cohesionIB Paul Laurent, Associate Director, Protiviti Tara Vanderloo, Vice President, Customer Success, Sensei Labs

Is sustainability still relevant? How is it changing? Is the city supporting these certifications and are companies still pursuing them? How does sustainability affect tenants working in these types of “green” spaces? Moderator: Emma Cox, Manager, North American Sustainability, McDonald's USA Panelists: Susan Heinking, Vice President of High Performance & Sustainable Construction, LEED Fellow, NCARB, AIA, Pepper Construction Dave Hubka, Director of Program Development, LEED Fellow, LEED AP O+M, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, Rivion Amy Jewel, Senior City Advisor, LEED AP O+M, Chicago Institute for Market Transformation John Mlade, LFA, WELL Faculty, LEED Fellow, Senior Project Manager, Sustainable and Healthy Environments, Wight & Company

What is your biggest “M” moment? Is it Move, Money, Mentor, Movable Challenge, or Monster-deal? A panel of well-regarded females from the commercial real estate industry will be giving their perspectives on how the real estate landscape has changed for women over the past few years. Moderator: Renae Bradshaw, Vice President, JLL Panelists: Stacey Barrins, Sr. Vice President - Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Mariah DiGrino, Partner, DLA Piper Maria Kontil, Senior Portfolio Manager, BMO Financial Group Vicki Noonan, Managing Principal - Chicago Market Leader, Cushman & Wakefield

Building upon the resounding success of the breakout session at the CoreNet Global Summit in Boston, we will repeat the dynamic panel which presented the story of the relocation and transformation of the McDonald’s HQ: The what, where, why & how McDonald's came to be downtown. Speakers: Scott Phillips, Director, Workplace Management, McDonald's Corporation Tish Kruse, Principal, Director of Strategy, IA Interior Architects Cara Rooney Fields, Designer, IA Interior Architects

David Bowie said it best when he sang, "Ch Ch Ch Changes....". In a lively conversation moderated by Bill Bergman, Director of Research for Truth in Accounting, our speakers representing different industries and generations will discuss how corporate real estate decisions are made and debate whether or not these decisions are based on generational biases. Is cash king? Is it location-location-location? Or are there other important factors that drive these decisions? The program will begin with a brief, 10-minute “state of the financial union address” and then move into an exciting panel discussion. Speakers: Bill Bergman, Director of Research, Truth in Accounting Patrick Sullivan, CFO, HomeChef Kyle Sauers, CFO, Echo Global Logistics

With multiple headquarters and large-scale corporate relocations in 2018, Chicago is a destination of choice for corporate relocations because of the business-friendly climate, diversity, talent pool, academia breadth, transportation, innovation, arts/culture and quality of life. This program explores what lies ahead, and how Chicago can continue this vibrant growth trajectory. Speakers: Dennis Vicchiarelli, Executive Vice President of Business Development, World Business Chicago Steve Stratton, International Director, Chairman Headquarters Practice Group, JLL Paul Abrahamson, Director of Workplace Services, Grant Thornton

The Wilson brand has long served as the connector between an athlete and his or her true potential. Wilson’s new headquarters in downtown Chicago articulates, celebrates, and activates this legacy in the city’s dynamic urban fabric. Discover the driving forces that led to a major corporate downtown move and how curiosity, inspiration, and branded environments can connect the passion for sports to the needs of a robust business. Eric Gannon, Project Lead and Principal at Gensler and Wilson’s Molly Wallace, will be sharing the process that fortified the iconic brand’s return to downtown Chicago. Speakers: Molly Wallace – Director of Special Projects & Consumer Innovation, Wilson Sporting Goods Eric Gannon – Studio Lead & Principal, Gensler

September 13th luncheon featuring the topic, “Hang on to Top Talent” – how an emphasis on continuous onboarding using technology and the workplace environment can guarantee employee engagement and retention. Moderator Christine Dansereau - Research Knowledge Manager, Perkins+Will Speakers John Golden - Entrepreneur and Founder/Principal, Table XI Adam Stoltz - Managing Director – Workplace Experience & Strategy, Transwestern DeJeana Chappell – Sr. Managing Director, Workplace Strategy, Savills Studley

Prompted by a recent CoreNet Global Leadership Summit in Atlanta, the program will provide updates on CoreNet Global and CoreNet Chicago with emphasis on the initiatives that are in process. For the members in attendance, ways in which to get involved will be discussed. For the guests in the room, the program will underscore the benefits of becoming a member. Participants & Topics: David Kamen, CoreNet Global Chairman: CoreNet Global update and initiatives Committee Updates from Membership, CRC, University Outreach, Learning, Young Leaders and Sponsorship: How to get involved with CoreNet Top Ten Networking Tips: How to Boost Your Network Moderator: Tony Smaniotto, Pepper Construction & Chairman, CoreNet Global Chicago Chapter

Studies show that only 28% of employees feel like their employer is fully utilizing their skills and only 13% of employees are 'highly engaged' while 26% are 'actively disengaged' while at work. Please listen as our speakers will address the causes for this disconnect and provide techniques to improve engagement and the employee experience, resulting in improved business performance. Speakers Elizabeth Dukes, Co-Founder & CMO, iOffice Vik Bangia, Founder and CEO, Verum Consulting, LLC

March’s CoreNet Luncheon hosted 10 thought-provoking, thought-leading speakers from commercial real estate and other related industries. Each speaker was allotted a 3-minute time frame to discuss any topic they wish; the audience, decided who the “winner” was at the end of the program. What is Your Awareness IQ? - Steve Monaco - Monaco & Co Cost Segregation & Tax Laws - Michele Pasquale - Meridian Financial Danger of Remote Work - Drew DePriest - Comfy Corporate Storytelling - Christian Wicks - C & W Services Industry Diversity Challenges - Collete English Dixon - Roosevelt Effective Communication, Leadership and/or Empowerment in the Workplace - Lillian Harris - Inspirational Speaker Employee Experience & Brand Intersection - Julie Maggos, Director of Experiential Graphic design - IA Bold Questions in CRE – Tim Swanson - Skender The End of Mega; How Craft Product & Customization are Changing RE and the World - Christine Beaudoin - JLL

The upper Midwest states are increasingly winning business attraction on the local, national and global stage. Join CNG Chicago Chapter and a distinguished panel of Economic Development ‘C’-Suite Executives who are making a major impact on our economy and our real estate.

Future proofing is a strategy companies are beginning to explore. Companies like Barry Wehmiller, Next Jump, Cummins Inc., GoDaddy and others are investing in resilient cultures as the hedge to an unpredictable future. Measuring employee experience is a new trend to understanding the health of organizations. Happiness has become a new metric for assessing employee experience. Listen to a panel who has invested the last two years researching the future of resilient culture. Their research will be released in May in the book The Healthy Workplace Nudge. Come and learn personal strategies to build personal resilience. Companies have relied on economic forecasting as a hedge to the future. The unpredictable nature of markets, social trends, political events and technology require a new strategy - resilience.

Data centers have become a prevalent part of today's society and a critical component to most company's business and real estate portfolios. Please join us in this panel discussion to learn more about how data centers and the cloud are disrupting the corporate real estate portfolio and why they are the lynch pin to powering modern business. Executives from TransUnion, Boston Consulting Group and Google will be joining us to discuss their experiences in planning and procuring data centers, recent trends in the industry, and what tips you need to know when your organization is developing a data center strategy

The current workplace is made up of many generations of professionals – from Baby Boomers, to Gen X, to Millennials; all of whom view their workplace differently. How has it evolved over their careers? What are the themes they are seeing today? What is important to each generation? It’s important to consider each generation when imagining the “ideal” workplace and we hope this session will give better perspective(s) into what that workplace looks like from all generational lenses.

Brand exists in the mind of the customer. We do our best to shape it over time. Part of the challenge is ensuring consistency through all experiences with your brand. This panel of experts speaks on examples of using space to further the brand, what has worked, as well as what they have learned through bringing a brand to life through space.

There are many threats to ‘legacy commerce’; however, the opportunities that are now available are endless. Join us to hear from industry experts about some of the largest logistics companies in the world and what they are doing to pivot during this ‘disruptive’ time in the e-commerce space.

The Coca-Cola Company has spent several years renovating their corporate headquarters. While the team transformed the public spaces of the Atlanta Office Campus, the corporate real estate group expanded its role beyond the strategy, design and construction of the main campus to developing and operating effective, engaging workplaces for associates all over the world. The newly-formed global organization, rooted in a commitment to employee engagement and the Coca-Cola brand, is now applying a regional strategy model toward creating a network of 21st Century workplaces where teammates feel inspired, engaged and productive. The workplace is a strategic asset, and this global approach offers the opportunity to find value while also developing a consistent, predictable and engaging experience in all office locations. Speakers Jeff Pitts - Director, Global Workplace Strategy and Planning, Global Workplace Strategy and Operations, The Coca Cola Company Julie Seitz - Global Director, Global Workplace Strategy and Operations, The Coca Cola Company

The CoreNet Global Academic Challenge at last October’s summit asked 46 teams of students from around the world to think seriously about how employers can attract, retain and motivate the next generaton of talent. Come learn how the University of Illinois team won the competition. Nancy Harris, a respected and accomplished leadership coach and HR consultant, will also offer corporate perspectives regarding the U of I team’s concepts. Moderator: Steve Monaco, Managing Principal, Monaco & Company Speakers: Nancy Harris, Founder of Restart Consulting Nick Bartholomew, Master’s Candidate in Urban Planning U of I Esther Cho, Senior in Architectural Studies U of I Joseph Tuczak, Senior in Economics and Statistics U of I Logan Walker, Senior in Architectural Studies U of I

How does the Fed feel about the U.S. economy in 2017? After this election year, learn how this might affect the local and national economy? Join us for this annual program sharing insights for the upcoming year, featuring key economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Speakers:
 Rick Mattoon - Senior Economist and Economic Advisor
 Scott Brave - Senior Economist and Economic Advisor
, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago