Greetings and Happy New Year LAI Chicago Region Chapter members!

It is an honor and an absolute privilege to serve as your 2025 Chapter President. I am looking forward to working with the 2025 Board of Directors to bring forth a renewed sense of energy and unique perspective to chapter events, activities and member engagement.  

2025 is signaling to be an unprecedented year of transition and change, and while no one has a crystal ball to know what’s to come, I believe staying rooted in community and fostering connection will be key to maintaining some sense of sensibility and stability in a shifting landscape. Our theme for this year, “Connection Matters, Community Matters”, has proven to be more prescient than when it was originally conceived.

The theme was initially conceptualized to encourage membership to reconnect and support one another amid career shifts and leadership advancements. This is still the case, but it also materialized into raising awareness of “getting back to basics”. Our foundational work in real estate and land use development is about building community–about people– and working to preserve the health, safety, and interconnectivity within the built environment for the community’s use. When we recognize that our professional endeavors are ultimately in service to others, we can remain grounded and steadfast, even amidst times of change. So yes, both Connection Matters and Community Matters. 

Cheers to 2025! Looking forward to sharing some of the exciting things the Board and I have in store for our Chapter!

Sincerely,

Jewell Walton, 2025 LAI Chicago Region Chapter President

As we wind down the final days of 2024, I am reminded once again that this has been an eventful year for our LAI Chapter. In many ways it was a year of planning and preparation. From the start, our board framed a bold and visionary agenda of continued organizational growth. As part of this, we developed and recently adopted a new Five-year Chapter Strategic Plan. We continued the launch of our Member Engagement Committee. And we stood up a new Finance Committee to help ensure our Chapter’s continued financial health.

But in the best LAI fashion, this was also our year of exploring the ways we work together to bring big plans to life. A theme that played out in numerous ways through our packed year of programs – varied and always fascinating, exploring some of the best ideas and projects that our land economics disciplines offer.

And now more than ever, it seems big ideas and big plans are needed to address the challenges we face within our communities and across our nation. It is by now a seemingly intractable truism that we are a nation of divisions. Divisions that have the power to stoke fear and anger and that at times feel like they might tear our communities apart. And when we give in to fear and anger, and rather than working together to solve our problems, retreat into isolation and intolerance, our challenges overwhelm us.

But I remain hopeful. Because when we bring big ideas and big plans to the table – when we plan together and build together – we achieve great things. We see this all around us in the work we do in our fields of land economics.

My hope is that we find ways to move boldly forward together, building dialogues across communities and bridges across our divisions. And that we engage in honest exploration and in the pursuit of truth – the founding values of our LAI society.

And because of this, I look forward to seeing what we can do together in 2025.

Sincerely,

Zach Lowe, LAI Chicago Region Chapter President

LeeAnn Tomas-Foster leads Arcadis’s sales and philanthropic initiatives in the Chicagoland market, aligning local, national and international staff with local needs. Her recent contributions include involvement as a JV Board Member for the CTA’s Red, Purple Line Modernization, Board Member for the Forest Preserve Foundation, initiating member of the Greater Watershed Alliance, Co-Chair March of Dimes Construction and Transportation Committee, and the recent Alliance for Regional Development re-envisioning. Over the years she also participated in the Chicago Central Area Committee's (CCAC) Invest South and West projects, the CCAC 2020 Corridor Revitalization Initiative and the 2019 Central Strategy, the Metropolitan Planning Council’s Drinking Water 1,2,3 Program.

In tandem she has over 28 years of experience in environmental program management, due diligence, and compliance across both public and private sectors.  Throughout her tenure, she successfully managed multi-million dollar programs for City of Chicago agencies, including the Public Building Commission, Chicago Park District and the Chicago Public Schools Environmental Program. Her exemplary work has earned her numerous awards from organizations such as March of Dimes, Friends of the Chicago River, Keep Chicago Beautiful, the National Association of Environmental Professionals, the USEPA, and the Illinois Governor’s office.

Mariah DiGrino concentrates her practice in the areas of land use and zoning, public-private financing, public incentives, historic preservation, and community and economic development, as well as general real estate.

Mariah's practice involves representation of owners, developers, retailers, investors and public-private partnerships on both the local and national levels. She has experience securing annexation, development, zoning and subdivision approvals, negotiating and implementing public-private development and financing arrangements and public incentives, negotiating historic preservation designations and incentives, performing general and zoning due diligence and property evaluation and negotiating and closing real estate acquisitions and dispositions.

Caitlin Ritter serves as the Research Director at Transwestern’s Chicago and Rosemont offices, where she spearheads research initiatives and produces comprehensive local market reports. With two decades of experience, Caitlin has collaborated with commercial real estate services, consultants, government entities, as well as nonprofit and market-rate multifamily investors and developers. She holds an architecture undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in urban planning with a concentration in economic development, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Additionally, she is an active member of the Regional Economy Committee for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Gordon Ziegenhagen joined Draper and Kramer in 2004 and has managed many facets of the firm’s real estate projects.  He currently leads residential development and capital projects for the firm.  Mr. Ziegenhagen has focused his efforts on Chicago’s south side, delivering much-needed retail, mixed-income and workforce housing to the community.

Prior to joining Draper and Kramer, Mr. Ziegenhagen spent 10 years as a management consultant; managing large re-engineering projects across a range of industries.

Mr. Ziegenhagen holds an MBA and BA (Accounting) from Michigan State University, a Certificate in Construction Management from DePaul University and is an Illinois Licensed Real Estate Broker.  He is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and  Southside Builders Association and has served on a number of steering committees and task forces supporting Chicago’s Bronzeville community. He is a former neighborhood organization President and longtime Church volunteer.

Erin Aleman (Al-le-mahn) has served as executive director for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) since 2019. She brings more than a decade of accomplishments developing transportation and land use policies to the agency and its implementation of ON TO 2050, the region’s long-term comprehensive plan to help northeastern Illinois’ 7 counties and 284 municipalities improve quality of life using strategies that address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and more.

Prior to joining CMAP, Erin served as vice president of Metro Strategies, a policy and advocacy consulting firm, and held various leadership positions at the Illinois Department of Transportation. She has a master’s degree in urban planning, is a certified mediator, a strategist for the Obama Foundation Scholars Program, a member of the American Planning Association, Lambda Alpha, and the Women’s Transportation Seminar, as well as vice chair for the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors.

Kirk Dillard has served as the chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors since June 2014.  Chairman Dillard is a lifelong resident of the region and has been a rider of public transportation for more than 50 years, riding CTA buses and trains since early childhood, and now is a regular rider of Metra. Chairman Dillard most recently oversaw the development and adoption of Transit is the Answer, the new regional transit strategic plan that puts forward an Action and Advocacy Agenda that offers improvements to the system and options to ensure sustainable funding and played an important role in regional advocacy efforts that culminated with the 2019 passage of Rebuild Illinois, the largest capital bill in Illinois history.

Dillard served as a Republican senator from Chicago's western suburbs in the Illinois State Senate for nearly 20 years. Prior to serving as senator, Chairman Dillard served with distinction as Chief of Staff to former Governor Jim Edgar and as Legislative Director to former Governor James Thompson.

Audrey Wennink is a senior director at the Metropolitan Planning Council where she leads transportation policy efforts and coordination with other facets of planning including affordable housing, land use, and the environment. Her transportation research and advocacy efforts include improving the sustainability and equity of the transportation system, pursuing sustainable funding for transportation in Illinois, integration of performance-based planning methods into transportation practice, and advancing equitable transit-oriented development. She has overseen development of multiple transportation policy reports at MPC including Reconnecting Communities, Toward Universal Mobility, and Transit Means Business. She holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from Colby College and a Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a fellow of the University of Chicago’s Harris School’s Civic Leadership Academy.

Dr. Sriraj’s research focuses on understanding the transportation system (both the hard and the human) as well as its impact on many dimensions of quality of life. During his academic career, he has generated more than $30 million dollars in research leading to more than 125 academic products in terms of journal articles, reports, and presentations. He has also conducted extensive research on public transportation systems as well as in the areas of stakeholder engagement. The goal of his research is to incorporate multiple perspectives into the planning process using a mixed methods approach. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. He has served in leadership positions with the Transportation Research Forum (Vice President), Council of University Transportation Center (President), and is a governor’s appointee to the Board of the Illinois International Port District (Vice Chairman), and the High Speed Rail Commission for Illinois.

EVENT INFORMATION

It was a beautiful evening celebrating our awardees and inducting our amazing 2024 class!

We invite you to look at the event photos [here].

The LAI Chicago Region Finance Committee was tasked by the Board of Directors to review the financial health of the organization. Part of the committee's work included an evaluation of the organization to address recurring deficit budgets since COVID (lower active membership, higher event costs). While LAI International dues were increased in 2024, it has been four years since our local chapter has increased dues. The Finance Committee recommended, and the Board has approved, a new tiered dues structure for 2025. While there will be a slight dues increase for for-profit and retired chapter members, a new category has been created for members of public, nonprofit and XBE*-certified companies (see graphic).  *An XBE is a business enterprise owned by recognized minorities, women, veterans, or socially and economically disadvantaged persons. LAI International will send out dues reminders in November according to the categories above. Therefore, we request that you self-identify the membership category that best aligns with you. Please click [here] to complete this form by 5:00 p.m. on October 15, 2024.  If we do not hear back from you by this date, you will automatically be placed in the Full Dues (for-profit) category. If you have any questions, please contact the LAI office at 773-804-8592 or one of the LAI Board of Directors.

In our Chapter’s programming this year, we’ve explored the ways we work together to bring big plans to life.  We’ve done this together in myriad ways – at our luncheons, over dinner tables in member homes, and in our summer tour of a catalytic residential development project in Bronzeville. 

We’ve explored complex topics that demand big solutions - such as addressing missing middle housing, building for climate resilience, and preserving history through historic places.  And we still have more to dive into, including, at our final luncheon of the year in November, the future of regional transit. 

Along the way, we’ve networked and socialized together, making business connections, renewing old friendships, and forging new ones. 

As a society, too, we’ve made great progress this year.  We explored new and engaging programming formats.  We initiated a strategic plan update to chart our course to the future.  We dedicated ourselves to increasing the value of membership by forming a new member engagement committee.  And we took significant steps towards securing the long-term financial strength of our organization by creating a new finance committee. 

I’d like to express how proud I am of these accomplishments and thankful to our board, our committee members, and numerous other volunteers for their commitment and hard work. 

Zach Lowe
LAI Chicago Region Chapter President

View the presentation shared at this year's Annual Meeting for discussion highlights. 

Distinguished Chicago Region Chapter Service Award

Todd J. Cabanban is the recipient of this year's Distinguished Chicago Region Chapter Service Award for his command of the commercial real estate market in communities across metropolitan Chicago and for expanding the way we view ourselves, our purpose, and our potential through innovative chronicling and promotion of both the International and Chicago Region Chapter’s programming and people.

Todd J. Cabanban, one of the founding Principals of Cabanban, Rubin, & Mayberry Commercial Realty, has demonstrated a sure command of the metropolitan Chicago commercial real estate market over a 34-year career. Over his successful career in Retail Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Mr. Cabanban has built a reputation for doing excellent work and providing value to all his clients such as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, BP Amoco, Cash America, Panda Express and Starbucks. Todd started his career at Hiffman Shaffer & Associates and later helped to build two significant retail commercial real estate firms, Zifkin Realty & Development and his current firm of 12 years Cabanban, Rubin & Mayberry.

Todd is a long-standing member of the state committee for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Todd is also an active member of Lambda Alpha International’s (LAI) Chicago Region and has served in leadership as a past President of the Chapter as well as a past chair of the communications committee for International. Todd is also a member of the prestigious Realty Club of Chicago where he is currently serving as the current President of the organization.

His civic duties include being appointed by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle to serve on the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC). Todd graduated with a BA from Indiana University and lives in the city of Chicago with his family.

Robert J. Piper Distinguished Leadership Award

Linda Goodman is the 2024 Robert J. Piper Distinguished Leadership Award winner for providing expert market analyses helping to advance important development projects while sharing her inspirational commitment to the built environment by mentoring and teaching numerous emerging leaders in land economics.

Linda Goodman is President of Goodman Williams Group, where she specializes in analyzing market trends and creating development strategies for public- and private-sector clients. Through numerous real estate cycles, she has analyzed opportunities for residential, retail, office, and industrial projects.

Helping to strengthen retail corridors and downtown business districts has been an important component of Ms. Goodman’s consulting practice. She has assessed commercial development opportunities in Chicago neighborhoods on the north, south, and west sides. In the suburbs, she has teamed up with urban planning firms to develop plans for a variety of transit-served downtowns, including Wilmette, Evanston, Glenview, Barrington, Elmhurst, Naperville, Worth, Cicero, Maywood, and University Park.

Ms. Goodman has contributed to dozens of real estate market analyses for the City of Chicago under the Planning Now program. Her analyses have involved site-specific residential and commercial development proposals as well as plans for corridors and neighborhoods. Goodman Williams Group has completed several commercial and residential market studies of the Loop for the Chicago Loop Alliance. They were also part of the team working for the State of Illinois on the sale of the J.R. Thompson Center and for the CTA on the Red Line Extension Plan.

Prior to co-founding Goodman Williams Group in 1993, Ms. Goodman was a Project Manager in the Corporate Advisory Services Group of Rubloff, then a full-service real estate firm. Ms. Goodman began her career at Real Estate Research Corporation (RERC), a national real estate consulting firm.

Ms. Goodman is a long-time active member of the Chicago Region Chapter of Lambda Alpha International, an honorary land economics society. She was inducted into LAI in 1989 and served on the Board as the Vice President of Programs in 2009 and Membership in 2010. In 2011, she was elected President of the chapter.

2025 Board of Directors

LAI Chicago Region Chapter welcomes the class of 2024, a highly qualified group of individuals. They were inducted at the New Member Initiation & Awards Banquet on Wednesday, October 9. 

Meet the class of 2024.