• Established Chicago headquarters office.

• Created new service councils to coordinate member office offerings in the areas of BioTech/Life Sciences, Industrial and Retail real estate.

Identified and pursued retail real estate portfolio acquisition opportunities.  Developed relationships with retailers for co-acquisition and co-development. Utilized network of brokers, developers and lenders to unearth portfolio prospects. Assessed relevancy of acquisitions beyond real estate investment to brand expansion.  Structured acquisition methodology, hired service providers to execute deals and negotiated key contracts.

• Investigated over 50 companies and identified acquisition targets through announced dispositions, bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions.

• Developed 34 leads from key contacts in the brokerage, legal, economic development and financial communities.

• Created alliances and managed relationships with acquisition partners.

• Identified and pursued 7 portfolio opportunities, resulting in 4 executed transactions with annual sales of $8M.

Sold outsourced services to and coordinated with 5 Divisions and 38 Regions to create strategies in anticipation of relocations and store closings. Directed the activities of providers, Trammell Crow and CB Richard Ellis, in the property management and disposition of marketable excess property portfolio nationwide. Managed and trained a staff of service providers. Developed strategies and established policies for programs to create revenue beyond restaurant operations.

• Developed and implemented the expansion of a trial outsourcing program.Increased program participation from 28% in pilot to 77% in the program’s initial year. Negotiated a 15% decrease in fixed contract costs with service provider to reflect lower administrative costs.

• Reduced McDonald's ownership risks and expenses by achieving a 48% reduction in Accounts Receivable.Ensured budget compliance for program expenses of over $1million.

• Directed negotiations and strategies yielding over $17 million in transactions value. Exceeded plan for both deal quantity and quality in dollar value, reduced cycle time and attainment of targeted disposition price.

• Negotiated a contract with Citibank to establish a Chicago region ATM program. Collaborated with Treasury department anddivisional personnel to establish nationwide cashless strategy.

Developed process improvements and performance measurements to align the Department with overall corporate strategies.Reviewed all deals handled by eight field Asset Managers to assure financial measurements were met and real estate tenure retained. Toured markets; reviewed and analyzed under-performing new store openings; and developed strategies, with a team of experts, to improve profitability.

• Directed strategies on transactions for McDonald’s restaurants on leased property in 10 regions covering over 990 sites.  Supervised two field Asset Managers handling portfolios of 140 deals protecting over $190 million in sales and exceeding plan for cost minimization by 22%.

Acquired and disposed of owned and leased properties required to support Illinois Bell’s business objectives. Ensured compliance with lease provisions and oversaw the financial administration of the $17 million annual rent obligation for a 200-property lease portfolio of over 2 million square feet. Managed the administration of property interests in 12 million square feet of owned space, by conducting studies that determined potential cost savings and occupancy strategies.

• Created and implemented, as Co-chair of a committee of five, strategies to: 1) centralize Ameritech’s five regional real estate transactions departments; and 2) coordinate the outsourcing of people and work.

Prepared tariff filings for exchange service products and collaborated on associated interdepartmental product teams in the identification and development of products. Interpreted tariffs for exchange and coin usage and access services.

• Coordinated and implemented a $45 million exchange service rate case throughout Illinois.Facilitated activities of 25 departments and 75 individuals, assuring successful staggered cutover to new rate plan without loss of service.

• Developed the strategic response to lawsuit to handle a $25 million refund to customers and maintain revenue from Public Coin services.

ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS

Board Member:        Family Focus (1993-Present)
                                American Institute of Wine and Food, Chicago Chapter (2000-2002)
                                Latin American Bar Association (1987-1992), Vice President (1988-1989)
                                Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago (1988-1990)
                                Latin School of Chicago Board of Trustees (1994-1997)
                                Alumni Association (1990-2000)
                                Stanford Club of Illinois (1987-1995)
                                Chicago Work Ethic (1989-1992)