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Mike Brennan is President CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: FR) the nation’s largest provider of diversified industrial real estate. Mr. Brennan was a co-founder of First Industrial which has grown six-fold to more than $4 billion in total market capitalization since its initial public offering in 1994.
Mr. Brennan was the architect of First Industrial’s operating platform and strategy which has enabled it to become a leader in industrial supply-chain reconfiguration work serving the needs of Corporate America. Under his direction the Company has assisted many of the nation’s largest industrial real estate users in completing complex multi-market supply chain reconfigurations and has attracted investment partners including the California State Teachers’ Retirement System UBS Wealth Management the Carlyle Group and the Kuwait Finance House. Since the beginning of 2005 the Company has attracted nearly $4 billion of co-investment capital capacity.
Mr. Brennan has orchestrated more than $10 billion in industrial real estate transactions in the course of his 25-year career. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO in 1999 Mr. Brennan served as First Industrial’s Chief Operating Officer. Before joining First Industrial Mr. Brennan was a President and Partner in The Shidler Group. He was also a founding investor of Tri-Net Property (formerly NYSE: TRI) and Bermuda-based reinsurer CGA. He began his career as an Investment Specialist with CB Commercial.
Often sought as an industry expert on industrial real estate Mr. Brennan has appeared on CNBC CNNfn and Bloomberg Television. Mr. Brennan is a prominent leader in the real estate community and is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Policy & Planning Committee; the President’s Circle Real Estate Roundtable America’s leading public policy advocate for commercial real estate; the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts; and the Young Presidents Organization. Mr. Brennan was named Commercial Property News’ Industrial Property Executive of the Year in 2000 and one of Irish American Magazine’s Top 100 Business Leaders in America in 2003.
Under his direction The Guide to Classifying Industrial Property Types was written. The only book of its kind the guide presents a precise classification system for industrial properties and provides an in-depth review of the characteristics and evolution of the industrial property sector. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) acquired the rights to the guide and collaborated with First Industrial on a second edition which is currently available through ULI.
Mr. Brennan earned his Bachelors Degree in Finance from Notre Dame University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE: BEE) an industry-leading owner and asset manager of high-end hotels and resorts. He is a Toqueville Society member and also serves on United Way’s Leadership Council. He is a campaign cabinet member of the Association House one of Chicago’s oldest charities serving the needs of immigrants and new citizens. Mr. Brennan is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library Foundation which provides on-going funding through its endowments and annual fundraising for collections book acquisition and a variety of community-based programs that contribute to the excellence of the Chicago Public Library. | 