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Our Team
Steve brings more than 40 years of experience in real estate and development advisory services. He leads SB Friedman in providing a broad range of services from visioning and feasibility analysis to financing, strategy and implementation. Steve works closely with public, private and institutional clients to formulate innovative public-private partnerships and development strategies, and advises on the use of financing tools for a wide range of projects. Steve has also been recognized as a thought leader and active participant in civic, professional and educational organizations. He is a Counselor of Real Estate, a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and a full member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), where he has served in District Council and national leadership positions. He recently served as primary editor of the ULI publication “Successful Public Private Partnerships: From Principles to Practices,” and authored sections along with other Council members. Steve is a director of The Civic Federation and of Family Focus, and is on the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Board of Visitors. In 2013, he received the James Felt Creative Counseling Award of the Counselors of Real Estate for his development advisory role on The Shops and Residences of Uptown Park Ridge project. Steve is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative. He holds a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and a Bachelor of Arts from Goddard College in Vermont.
312.424.4260 | email
Tony is a specialist in feasibility, strategy and financial aspects of community and economic development. While at SB Friedman, he has led numerous assignments including TIF analyses and eligibility studies, area revitalization strategies, feasibility-testing for redevelopment scenarios, negotiation and structuring of public-private financing for high-impact projects, and a range of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC)-related services. Tony has participated in the origination of over $1.7 billion of public-private financing (including tax credit, TIF, revenue bond, and gap financing loan transactions) in support of over $4.5 billion of project investment. Of this activity, about 86% took place in low-income and disinvested communities as part of economic revitalization efforts. Tony has extensive NMTC-related experience, including the preparation of multiple successful NMTC allocation applications, securing $899 million of allocation and structuring/closing over $1.2 billion in NMTC transactions. Tony is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative. He holds both Master's and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, Lambda Alpha International-Ely Chapter, and the Council of Development Finance Agencies (for which he also serves as national TIF curriculum advisor and instructor and lead editor of CDFA’s 2009 Advanced TIF Guide).
312.424.4254 | email
Ranadip has deep expertise in real estate market analysis, financial analysis, economic and fiscal impact studies, and urban economic development strategy. He excels in tackling various urban economic issues and delivering research-based implementation strategies to clients. He has led a consulting effort to foster economic development in the manufacturing sector under the Chicago Sustainable Industries initiative, and evaluated the effectiveness of various value capture mechanisms for transit improvements for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Other experience includes a market analysis and implementation of the lakefront area in downtown Cleveland, redevelopment strategies in connection with the Michael Reese Hospital site in Chicago, and a sector-based market analysis and master planning process for the Milwaukee 30th Street Industrial Corridor. Ranadip is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative. He has a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Jadavpur University, India. He is a member of the American Planning Association, Lambda Alpha International-Ely Chapter, and Urban Land Institute.
312.384.2407 | email
Geoff is a real estate and economic development advisor with expertise in public-private finance partnerships, special taxing district (TIF, business district/special service area) establishment, market and financial feasibility, development strategy, and project implementation advisory services. While at SB Friedman, Geoff has assisted Presence Health in securing TIF and New Markets Tax Credit funding to help pay for the relocation of its affiliate, Resurrection University, from Oak Park to Chicago. He has also led numerous market analyses and development strategies for clients throughout the Midwest, including a customized market analysis to account for the development potential to be generated by a transitway in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and development advisory services related to recruiting developers to sites in Lemont, Illinois and Racine, Wisconsin. Geoff is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative. He holds a B.A. in History from Northwestern University, and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the American Planning Association, and serves on the boards of the Illinois Tax Increment Association, Lambda Alpha International-Ely Chapter, and the Presence Health Community Leadership Board for West Town.
312.384.2404 | email
As Senior Vice President, Fran offers customized development advice grounded in her understanding of real estate markets and extensive experience in guiding clients to reach their development and community goals. Her ability to analyze various market scenarios and recommend strategic redevelopment options that work for both the public and private sectors has been key to informing numerous policy and development decisions. She is also skilled in successfully managing the many moving parts of large-scale and complex projects, while considering the big picture goals. Fran’s work includes creating a downtown revitalization strategy in Midland, Michigan for the Michigan Baseball Foundation, providing market analyses and development strategies for the Cleveland lakefront and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and designating a new type of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to generate revenue for $2.1 billion of transit improvements for the Chicago Transit Authority. Fran is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative. She holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Fran is a member of the American Planning Association, Illinois Housing Council and Lambda Alpha International-Ely Chapter, and is active in the Illinois Tax Increment Association.
312.424.4253 | email
Lance specializes in market and financial feasibility analysis, economic development strategy, and public-private partnership finance. Since joining SB Friedman, Lance has focused on applying his data-driven technical capabilities to evaluate development opportunities, guide the use of public incentives, and inform land use decisions. He regularly advises public and private sector clients regarding highest and best use, the location of catalytic projects, and implementation strategies to achieve development goals. Lance’s experience includes delivering a market and financial feasibility analysis for two subarea plans in Chicago, developing a strategic plan for market-based real estate investment in downtown Midland, Michigan, and preparing a pro forma review and TIF capacity analysis for a high-rise development in downtown Milwaukee. Lance holds a Master of Real Estate Development degree from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning and Development, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a member of the Real Estate Investment Association and Urban Land Institute.
312.424.4255 | email
Ryan is a specialist in tax credit finance, nonprofit real estate, and community development. At SB Friedman, he is deeply involved in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC)-related assignments, where he structures complex financial transactions, underwrites proposed projects, and conducts asset management and compliance monitoring for NMTC programs controlled by the cities of Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. He also assists nonprofit clients access NMTC financing by marketing projects nationally to community development entities and investors. His previous experience includes analysis of smart growth development in metro Atlanta, econometric forecasting for real estate markets across the country, and real estate asset management in Shanghai, China. Ryan holds a Master of City and Regional Planning, with concentrations in land and economic development, from Georgia Tech, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in finance, from Boston University. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute.
312.424.4258 | email
Grace serves as Marketing Director of SB Friedman. She has over 13 years of experience in marketing and communications for both professional service firms and not-for-profits. Grace collaborates with the senior management team to develop and carry out marketing strategy, and identify new business development pursuits. She is also responsible for managing all proposal and qualifications submittals, and leading the firm’s branding across all marketing and communications platforms. Grace received a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters and French Studies from Wesleyan University (CT). She is a member of the American Planning Association.
312.384.2423 | email
Caitlin has a background in community and economic development, public-private development finance, and urban planning. She specializes in market analysis and redevelopment strategy as well as special district eligibility studies/designation. Her experience at SB Friedman includes conducting market analyses for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the City of Yankton, South Dakota, and Sarpy County, Nebraska; and TIF/Business District designations and reporting for the Cities of Chicago and Milwaukee, and numerous municipalities in Illinois. She also provided market-driven insight and analysis to the Village of Schaumburg to help create an implementable land use plan for the Motorola Campus. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Caitlin worked for the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District as a policy and planning researcher, where she conducted market and financial analysis to determine feasible financing models for their public realm improvements. Caitlin holds a Master of Science in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a dual Master of Business and Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning from Clark University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wheaton College (MA). She is a member of the Urban Land Institute.
Thomas has a background in finance, economic development and entrepreneurship. His experience includes analyzing market conditions for seed-stage companies in central New York and managing a mixed-use development grant in New York’s Southern Tier. He has also been involved in facilitating international development by establishing businesses in rural Rwanda, while working with ThinkImpact, a global social enterprise. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Thomas contributed to downtown and neighborhood business district revitalization efforts while interning at the Binghamton Economic Development Office. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management, with a concentration in Financial Engineering and a minor in Economics, from Binghamton University.
Rob has a background in forming strategic public-private partnerships, managing nonprofit and community-based organization capacity-building programs, and running community and economic development initiatives. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Rob worked for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s New York City office where he managed the compliance and reimbursement of about $2.5 million in funding for nonprofit and community-based programs. In this same role, Rob also worked closely with a variety of New York City agencies to secure New Markets Tax Credit financing and the NYC Industrial Development Fund capital for projects focused on economic development and investment in the City’s low-income communities. Rob holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus on Urban Development and Sustainability from Baruch College, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Legal Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Caitlin supports the firm in all aspects of marketing and business development, including assisting the Marketing Director with managing all proposals and qualification submittals. Before joining SB Friedman, Caitlin worked as a Business Development Coordinator for a not-for-profit healthcare association in Denver, where she was responsible for the implementation of large-scale conferences and sponsorships. Prior to that, she spent several years as a Public Relations and Marketing Associate for an interior design firm in Chicago. Caitlin received her Bachelors of Science in Journalism at the University of Kansas with an emphasis on Advertising and Strategic Communications.
Christine has a background in policy analysis, econometrics, and economic and community impact evaluation. She excels in quantitative analysis and project management– skills that she honed in her previous experience at Northwestern University where she managed projects for the Board of Trustees and developed data visualizations for the program review process. Christine holds a Master of Public Administration, with concentrations in social policy and nonprofit management, from Syracuse University, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan.
Elizabeth has a background in community and economic development, development finance, and urban planning. Since joining SB Friedman, her work has included evaluating the financial feasibility of mixed-use projects throughout the Midwest, as well as creating an in-house database with detailed underwriting metrics for development projects. Elizabeth was previously a Portfolio Management Associate at the Chicago Community Loan Fund, where she supported the management of a $45+ million loan portfolio and oversaw the compliance and social impact reporting of for-profit and not-for-profit clients. She is currently completing her Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree, as well as a Geospatial Analysis and Visualization Certificate, at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology from Pacific Lutheran University.
Isaiah brings a background in finance, investment operations and economic research to his position in asset management within our New Markets Tax Credit practice. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Isaiah specialized in the analysis and lifecycle management of various derivative and fixed-income investment products. He has experience creating detailed reports on financial activity, writing economic commentary, and servicing loan portfolios for trading desks at previous firms. Isaiah graduated with Honors and Highest Distinction from Indiana University-Indianapolis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Africana Studies. As a part of the university’s Olaniyan Scholars Program, he completed undergraduate research on barriers to entry for minority entrepreneurs in the state of Indiana – with a focus on professional service, retail and construction firms.
Caren specializes in urban economics, land use planning and real estate development. Prior to joining SB Friedman, she worked with the New York City Economic Development Corporation on a variety of land use projects including a neighborhood rezoning in Upper Manhattan and a site redevelopment on Staten Island. Caren also spent time working as a Mayoral Fellow in the Chicago Mayors Office where she was involved with the launch of the Retail Thrive Zone Program and prepared preliminary research for the Industrial Growth Zone Program. Caren holds a Masters in Regional Planning from Cornell University with a concentration in Economic Development Planning, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning from Miami University.
Michael has a background in economic impact analysis, transportation policy and planning, and economic development. His experience includes conducting feasibility studies on large-scale transportation projects in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as well as creating platforms to analyze various Pittsburgh economic development indicators such as entrepreneurship and energy efficiency. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Michael worked at the American Postal Workers Union in Washington, DC, where he performed cost analyses on their vast transportation and logistics network. He also worked as an intern at the Pittsburgh Department of City Planning where he spearheaded a bicycle/pedestrian data collection and analysis program in support of data-driven, long-range infrastructure planning. Michael holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Ethan has a background in urban planning, public-private finance and real estate analysis. His experience includes conducting a market analysis for transit-oriented development in Chelsea, Massachusetts as well as securing EB-5 foreign investment eligibility for community enterprises in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Ethan was a graduate fellow with the City of Minneapolis where he analyzed implementation strategy for an innovation district near the University of Minnesota. Ethan holds a Master in Urban Planning, with concentrations in Real Estate Development and Urban Design, from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Economics from Washington University in St. Louis. He is a member of the American Planning Association.
Estefany has a background in economic development and housing policy research. At SB Friedman, her work has included an eligibility study and tax projections related to the use of tax increment financing and a fiscal impact assessment to help inform potential annexation of unincorporated areas in Cook County, Illinois. Prior to joining the firm, Estefany contributed to an economic growth strategy for an Opportunity Corridor in Cleveland, Ohio within her role at RW Ventures. In that capacity, she analyzed public data products and created visualizations to communicate key demographic, housing and occupational trends. Estefany holds a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Duke University. She is a member of Women in Planning and Development in Chicago.
Ryan’s background is in urban planning, community and economic development, housing, and policy analysis. His experience includes housing market research, policy analysis, plan implementation, land use, and physical planning. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Ryan was the Research and Policy Analyst at the Institute for Housing Studies [IHS] at DePaul University. In this capacity, he analyzed housing market indicators maintained at IHS to advise community development organizations on policy and program development that addressed challenges in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Ryan holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a focus in economic development and a Bachelor of Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati. He is a member of the American Planning Association.
Brock has a background in economic development and planning research, with a focus on data analysis and GIS. While at SB Friedman, he has assisted in compiling and cleaning data to formulate the boundary, PIN list and taxpayer mailing list for a proposed 3,300-acre Transit TIF in Chicago as well as creating maps for the TIF plan. In his past work with the Nebraska Bureau of Business Research, he modeled the expected economic impact of a proposed library and cultural arts center. Brock graduated with Honors and Highest Distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute.