S.L. van der Zanden brings over 30 years of commercial real estate experience helping institutional, corporate, and private clients overcome challenges and capitalize on over $2 billion in opportunities. In addition to duties as CEO, he is project executive on the firm’s most significant assignments, providing clients with a direct connection to the project team.

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As Managing Principal of Newcastle Limited, he personally sold over $135MM of his non-profit client’s excess or underutilized real estate assets for redevelopment by identifying the highest-and-best use for each and tailoring a sealed-bid marketing package to secure the highest value. Previously he directed the property management, leasing, financing and asset management functions for a 22-property, 1.6 million-square-foot office and industrial portfolio. In addition, he successfully repositioned REO assets for a life company, resulting in an increase in occupancy from 53% to 96% in 18 months.

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At 29, he founded a firm that acquired/developed mixed-use projects in Chicago’s prestigious DePaul/Lincoln Park neighborhood. Mr. van der Zanden launched his real estate career at VMS Realty, Inc., a private equity firm, and later at the Fifield Companies, where he was responsible for $1.4 billion in hotel, office and apartment acquisitions and syndication.  Mr. van der Zanden began his professional career at KPMG where he audited real estate, banking, and oil & gas limited partnerships.

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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Member & Contributor to the Forbes Real Estate Council

• Member & Past President of Lambda Alpha Land Economics Society

• Co-Founder & Current Member of the Real Estate Investment Association

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EDUCATION

• BA in accounting from Michigan State University

• Certified Public Accountant

• Licensed IL Managing Broker

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EXPERTISE

• Ownership role and investment

• Financial structuring and analysis

• Distressed property turn-around

• Asset & property management

• Urban & mixed-use development