CRAIN’S CUSTOM CONTENT BEN AZULAY JEFFREY BRAMSON Principal Senior Managing Director MOST INFLUENTIAL Bradford Allen HFF Since joining Earlier this Bradford year, Jeffrey Allen in 2004, Bramson was Ben Azulay recognized by COMMERCIAL has been a NAIOP Chicago significant for his role in contributor the team that to the success and growth of sold Chicago’s Old Main Post the company, supporting the Office. It’s among the highest- REAL ESTATE firm’s research and recruiting profile of the 88 deals valued efforts and mentoring new at more than $7 billion that he’s brokers—all while overseeing been involved with over the last the firm’s tenant representation three years. Other highlights BROKERS department. Over the last include the $467.5 million sale of three years he’s represented AMA Plaza in Chicago, the $185 GrubHub, MedSpeed, and million sale of 500 W. Adams Foley & Mansfield in Chicago- in Chicago, the sale of the IN CHICAGO area headquarters expansions. Riverway campus in Rosemont, He also represented Walton and the sale of the four-building Isaacson in securing a new Corporate 500 office park in Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Most Influential Commercial Real Estate Brokers in Chicago, a lease in the Loop, and Blue Star Deerfield. Notable clients include special custom content section from Crain’s Custom Media. Properties in the purchase of Intercontinental Real Estate a 26,000-square-foot office Corp., John Hancock Real Estate, The 60 entries featured alphabetically in these pages (with teams grouped together on the last three) building in the South Loop—also CBRE Global Investors, Cabor represent an impressive cross-section of the Chicago-area commercial real estate sales community, arranging for Baderbrau Brewing Properties, Lincoln Property many of whom have practiced with distinction for decades. to lease the entire property. In Co. and AEW. Bramson’s been February Azulay was named honored as a CoStar Power Every one of the profiles in this section is drawn from the nomination materials submitted, no broker co-vice president for the central Broker multiple times. Away from paid to be featured, and the Crain’s Chicago Business newsroom was not involved in the creation of this region for TCN Worldwide, an work, he is an active member of content. alliance of top independent the Realty Club of Chicago, the brokerage firms serving more Economic Club of Chicago and Because this honor is bestowed only upon brokers for whom nominations were submitted, this year’s list than 200 markets. In this Urban Land Institute. is not comprehensive. But we trust that as this Most Influential list becomes a new tradition in the Chicago capacity, he enhances regional real estate community, the pool of potential honorees will continue to grow. Meanwhile, enjoy reading initiatives while encouraging about the achievements of what is a truly impressive first class, and please join us in congratulating them. collaboration within the region and globally. He is an active supporter of Ramah Wisconsin and American Friends of the CUSTOM MEDIA Hebrew University. CRAIN’S A DIVISION OF CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS MICHAEL CAPRILE BOB CHODOS MELISSA COPLEY DEBBIE CORSON MIKE COSTANZO Vice Chairman Vice Chairman Vice Chairman Vice Chairman Business Broker, Real Estate Broker CBRE Newmark Knight Frank Newmark Knight Frank ARA, a Newmark Company Jameson Commercial Michael When Bob Melissa Debbie Corson With an Caprile is Chodos joined Copley has is one of educational a founding Newmark over 30 years the original background member of Knight Frank in of commercial founding in biology CBRE National 2016 as a vice real estate partners of and television Partners, a chairman at its experience ARA. Over production, team of 50 Chicago office, with the past three Mike Costanzo investment sales and support he brought more than 35 years expertise in managing strategic years, she and her team have spent the first 26 years of his professionals in five logistics of real estate brokerage and relationships, providing portfolio closed approximately $3 billion in career in the hospitality industry, hubs across the United States advisory experience, including planning, and negotiating multifamily sales. Major Chicago operating saloons throughout that deliver strategy and over 13 million square feet in large, complex transactions on transactions include the sale of Chicagoland. In 2001 he shifted execution to local, regional and completed assignments valued behalf of corporations and law Stonebridge of Arlington Heights gears to become a broker— national industrial property at more than $7 billion. His firms. Her recent transactions for $105 million; Park Grove and of both businesses and real clients. With nearly 40 years of noteworthy deals included U.S. include a 90,000-square-foot Mansions Apartments for $92 estate—for bars, nightclubs investment sales experience Cellular (331,000 square feet), headquarters lease at Chicago’s million; and Tapestry of Glenview and restaurants. Since then in commercial real estate, he’s Kimberly Clark (175,000 square Willis Tower on behalf of GATX for $81.4 million. Clients over the he’s closed more than 150 concluded transactions with an feet), Perkins & Will (60,000 Corp., a 30-year client of hers. It last three years have included transactions in Lincoln Park, aggregate value of more than square feet) and McDermott was her third headquarters lease UBS, JP Morgan, Kensington the Gold Coast, Wrigleyville, $12 billion. His specialty is the Will & Emery (50,000 square for GATX. For the past year, she Realty Advisors and Marquette Bucktown, Lakeview, Lincoln acquisition and disposition of feet). He also brought to NKF a worked closely with McDermott Properties. In August, Real Square, the South and West institutional industrial/office and longstanding commitment to Will & Emery, providing Estate Forum named her one Loop, River North, River East transportation infrastructure- community service—in particular, portfolio strategic planning of its Women of Influence. She and River West. He’s carved out related investments. With an work with the American Red and transaction execution. She recently became a partner with a niche with his knowledge of understanding of financing Cross. In 2005 he spearheaded recently completed transactions SVP (Social Venture Partners), a licensing, which he considers the strategies and commercial an effort among the Chicago for the firm in Paris, Brussels nonprofit philanthropic network root of all his deals. Significant real estate—its cycles, trends real estate community to raise and Seoul and is currently active that mentors other Chicago- recent closings involving both and participants—he and his nearly $1 million for New Orleans on their behalf in several U.S. based nonprofits to tackle social businesses and real estate team have closed investment residents affected by Hurricane cities. She frequently mentors challenges and end poverty in include Bar DeVille, $2.3 million; transactions for high-profile Katrina. In late August he colleagues and new real estate the Chicagoland area. She’s also Wrightwood Tap, $1.4 million; institutional owners of real tapped those same skills again, professionals. With three of her involved with the House of Bread, Deluxe Diner, $1.3 million; and estate on both a regional and launching an effort with many NKF colleagues, she hosts yearly a day shelter that provides Wellington’s, $715,000 – all in national level. In 2015, the team of the same people that raised leadership integration events to meals 365 days a year, and the the city of Chicago. His record completed transactions totaling more than $1 million for victims celebrate, recognize and support Furhman Foundation, a program of sales and consistently solid 324 million square feet with an of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. women leaders in their business to treat disease through nutrition. advice has placed him in the top aggregate value of $23.3 billion. community. 1 percent of brokers. Away from work, he’s active with the Urban Land Institute and Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. CRAIN’S CUSTOM CONTENT LISA DAVIDSON SEAN DELANEY PETER “PETE” EVANS JAIME M. FINK SEAN FOGARTY Executive Managing Director First Vice President, Investments President - Eastern Region, Managing Senior Managing Director Managing Director Savills Studley Marcus & Millichap Partner - Chicago Office HFF HFF Moran & Company For 16 of her Based at A 20-year Sean Fogarty 20 years with Marcus & Peter Evans commercial has closed Savills Studley, Millichap’s Oak has worked in real estate more than Lisa Davidson Brook office, the real estate veteran, Jaime $7.3 billion in has been Sean Delaney industry for M. Fink is commercial recognized specializes in more than credited as one real estate as one of the the sale of self- 28 years, of the driving transactions firm’s top 10 percent performers storage properties throughout specializing forces in his firm’s rapid rise in within the last three years. nationwide, executing more the Midwest. Since joining the in the multifamily sector for the downtown real estate scene. Highlights of the 99 deals include than 25 million square feet of firm in 2004, he’s facilitated more two decades and representing Under his leadership, HFF’s sales the $237 million sale of North transactions throughout her than 100 transactions totaling clients in some of the Midwest’s in the Chicago area went from Harbor Tower in Chicago in May career. An expert in reducing over $500 million. Since 2014 most exclusive apartment zero in 2004 to $15 billion less 2016; the $146 million sale of real estate costs for corporate alone, he’s closed more than 50 transactions. His previous than 14 years later. The most One East Delaware in Chicago in space users, she has a diverse deals totaling more than $333 experience as a multifamily loan recent large transaction was September 2016; the $125 million client portfolio that includes million.