senior vice president, NAI MLG Commercial
Company: NAI MLG Commercial
Title: Senior vice president
Education: Master’s degree in urban affairs, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Family: "I have five children: Bryce in Chicago, who is a Web site developer; Jeremy in San Diego, who has a master’s in corporate psychology; daughter, Melissa Halleen from Milwaukee who has a master’s in early childhood education who has our first grandchild; daughter, Mia, who just graduated from UW’s medical school and is doing her residency in New York; and Ryan, a senior majoring in classical voice at Chicago’s Roosevelt University."
City of residence: Wauwatosa
Hobbies: Forming redevelopment projects and business and professional associations for economic development. Responsible for forming the Riverworks Development Corp, the Flatiron Business Association in Racine, the Racine County Economic Development Corporation, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA), and the Wisconsin Chapter of SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors). Currently serving as treasurer of the Riverworks Development Corp. Board and vice president of the Wauwatosa Economic Development Corp.; coaching basketball and baseball; and sitting for 2-year-old grandson, Ben.
What are you working on? "As a buyer rep, I’m working on the relocation of the United States Postal Service’s downtown Milwaukee’s processing and distribution center consisting of 775,000 square feet, the sale of the 186,000-square-foot Midas Muffler Plant in Hartford and the sale of the Seneca Foods Canning Plant in Coleman (Marinette County)."
How does the market look to you? "Milwaukee has long enjoyed a very stable industrial market due to its diversification. As numerous companies announce plant closures, just as many companies continue to expand. Vacancy is at about 6 percent, which is the lowest in the USA. However, we do need to improve the industrial and office infrastructure in Wisconsin, including mass transit, rail, ports and public incentives so we can begin to compete with other states when major corporations plan on opening new manufacturing plants."
What was the best deal you’ve ever been involved in? "The sale/partial leaseback of the 224,000-square-foot Leeson Electric plant in Grafton, which sold for $24.82 per square foot, which won Commercial Association of Realtors Award for the Industrial Transaction of the Year (2006)."
