Real Estate and Development | Real Estate
Chairman and CEO
Mandel Group | Milwaukee
Barry Mandel is the founder and longtime leader of Milwaukee-based Mandel Group, one of Wisconsin’s largest multi-family residential real estate development firms. Some of its notable projects include The North End near downtown Milwaukee, the 36-story University Club Tower condominium building in downtown Milwaukee, Park Lafayette Towers on Milwaukee’s East Side, Taxco Apartments under construction in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, The West and SoNa Lofts in West Allis, Echelon Apartments in Wauwatosa, LightHorse 4041 in Shorewood and Beaumont Place in Whitefish Bay.
The company also has apartment buildings in downtown St. Louis, suburban Minneapolis and suburban Des Moines, Iowa.
Outside of the firm, Mandel has helped fund the Associates in Commercial Real Estate program at Marquette University, which works to increase minority representation in the industry. He also sponsored the “I Have a Dream Foundation,” which provides wraparound services and scholarship funding for economically disadvantaged students and their families, from first grade to their first job.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?
"Lifeguard - make a safe and enjoyable swimming environment and save lives if necessary."
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career?
"'Always do what's right because it's right.' - Trammell Crow"
If you could have dinner with any two business leaders, who would you choose and why?
“Four Seasons Hotels founder Isadore Sharp. The Four Seasons brand is iconic in the hospitality industry. From a cold call, he invited me to visit with him in Toronto. I learned and was inspired by him in just three hours on how hospitality, technology and apartment industries are merging to create a living experience well beyond shelter alone. He also is a mixologist by recognizing that every minute of every day you can turn a lemon into lemonade for your customer.”
What are some of your favorite destinations/places to visit?
"(1) Africa: the people, the cultures, and the animals provide an enriching and unique experience. (2) The 'old road' from Delhi to Agra (India) is a life-changing experience, a kaleidoscope of images and experiences, where the one 'rule' is 'there is no rule.'"
What’s your hobby/passion?
"Swimming has always been a safe harbor that has positively impacted my life, calmed my mind, body and soul, and at the same time contributed to my physical health and wellness. Every time I swim, I feel renewed with more positivity, strength, and confidence."
What is your favorite Wisconsin restaurant and what do you order there?
"Impossible to pick a favorite as my favorite chefs share part of themselves as they create, in many cases, a work of art. Whether it is a perfectly cooked egg or a multi-course meal, it is the love and passion of the chef that I most appreciate in a meal."
If you could take a one-year sabbatical, what would you do?
"Hold my wife Eileen's hand and experience places we have never been."
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome?
"Reconciling that perfection is an aspiration, and being content with the best you and your company can do at any given time may be the highest standard you can achieve."
What advice would you give to a young professional?
"Your most important asset is your reputation. Invest in it every day!"
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months?
"It is the same each day, serving those that work with me, providing them resources so they might achieve their highest potential in their career and as a person."
What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better?
"I wish I had an answer to this question. It is myopic to think one change could make any place better, except for a 'magic wand' that would instill mutual respect for one another, where everyone would do unto others as you wish they would do unto you. The 'golden rule' is at the core of humanity."
As you enter your office, what would you choose to be your walk-up or theme song and why?
"Each associate's favorite song that uplifts their spirits and strengthens their character."
Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you?
"The ACRE Program at Marquette University has been my most satisfying philanthropic cause. 288 graduates over the years that have increased Black and Brown participation in the real estate industry and/or created new careers that were enhanced by their ACRE experiences."
What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?
"I spend the majority of my career mitigating risk accordingly on a daily basis, taking measured risks. The biggest risk I have taken is sponsoring the 'I Have A Dream' Foundation-Milwaukee partnering with Milwaukee Academy of Science. We plan to take 105 economically disadvantaged first-graders and their families from 1st Grade to first job, with a two-generation approach providing wraparound services to enhance family stability and significantly enrich each student's educational experience. I am so humbled by the path ahead, yet so invigorated by those that wish to join our journey."
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
"Contentment."
What has you most excited about the future?
"Sowing seeds to make the world a better place for everyone."
