JANINE O'BRIEN, MCRE, LEED GA
Senior Vice President - Marketing and Leasing
Zeller Realty Group
312-291-3503
Jobrien@zellerrealty.com
Specialty: Tenant and Landlord Representation - Office Properties
CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES
In 2008, with over 20 years of commercial real estate experience, Janine joined Zeller Realty Group to direct the leasing effort within the Chicago portfolio of properties, while raising the level of influence of the Chicago leasing team. Since joining Zeller, O’Brien, together with her team, has focused on developing and implementing specific initiatives for each of the four (4) assets represented within the Zeller portfolio with impressive results. Beginning at 401 North Michigan Avenue, the team completed approximately 150,000 square feet of new lease transactions, coupled with the sizable expansion of an existing tenant, all in the wake of the onset of economic uncertainty, stabilizing the asset at 98 percent leased. Simultaneously, the team developed a marketing campaign designed to reintroduce and reengineer the leasing effort at 500 North Michigan Avenue leading to a near 12 percent growth in occupancy, stabilizing the asset a record high of approximately 90 percent for the first time in recent history. At Old Orchard Towers, the team has secured leases stabilizing this asset at a new high of 93 percent. Further, prospective activity has increased tenfold at 2245 Sequoia Drive, Aurora IL, as O’Brien has been working closely with City Officials to garner both city and state tax incentive to provide much needed enticement to lure tenants to this burgeoning suburban office market. With agency leasing and marketing, tenant representation and land acquisition/disposition experience, Janine is a recognized leader in the Chicago commercial real estate community and is exceptional at identifying the client’s key objectives, uncovering opportunities, and then closing the deal. Ms. O’Brien is a strong motivator and manager of human resources and an articulate communicator whose diverse skill sets includes budgetary evaluation, and all phases of construction, legal issues, and financial transactional analysis.
CAREER SUMMARY
From 1986 through the present, Ms. O’Brien developed successful leasing and marketing programs for a wide variety of commercial properties and corporate clients. Most recently while at Zeller Realty Group she served as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Leasing of the Chicago portfolio of properties which include: 401 North Michigan Avenue, 500 North Michigan Avenue, Old Orchard Towers and 2245 Sequoia Drive. Prior to her experience with ZRG, Janine represented ORIX Real Estate Capital, Inc., at Pointe O’Hare I in Rosemont, IL. As a result of completing six lease transactions in roughly 12 months, occupancy in the property increased from 73 to 95 percent. Additionally, Janine represented both "ORIX" and the purchaser in the disposition/acquisition of the 5 acre parcel of land at the corner of River Road and Higgins Road for a sale price of roughly $12,000,000.00. While at Jones Lang LaSalle as Leasing Director of 444 N. Michigan Avenue, she completed 22 lease transactions in 13 months, and was named as a finalist in the 11th Annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards: Property Representative of the Year. Throughout her career, Janine has directed successful leasing and marketing programs for such renowned corporations and owners of real property such as Normura Securities, Equitable Real Estate, Miller Global Properties, LLC, IBM Corporation and ORIX Real Estate Capital, Inc., to name a few.
EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Ms. O’Brien earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Janine is a lifetime member of Cambridge Who’s Who Registry of Executives and Professionals recognized and honored for scholastic and business achievements. Further, Janine is a licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker. In 2010 Janine received her MCRE and LEED GA.
