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S.L. van der Zanden
Managing Principal and CEO

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.

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.

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.

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

EDUCATION
  • BA in accounting from Michigan State University

  • Certified Public Accountant

  • Licensed IL Managing Broker

EXPERTISE
  • Ownership role and investment

  • Financial structuring and analysis

  • Distressed property turn-around

  • Asset & property management

  • Urban & mixed-use development

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