Firm & Investment Strategy | Acquisitions & Development | Investment Committee

Chris is a Principal, President and Chairman of Fairlawn. Chris’ focus involves setting the vision for the Fairlawn platform, as well as developing and executing on the firm’s investment strategies. He has been an active real estate developer since 2002, having acquired, developed and managed over $850 million of multi-family, office and retail real estate throughout the Midwest.

Prior to founding Fairlawn Real Estate and Fairlawn Capital, Chris served as Managing Partner at JSM Real Estate—a family-owned company in Champaign-Urbana. Chris began his career at Accenture Consulting in Chicago building financial IT systems for various clients around the globe. He earned bachelor’s degrees in Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University.

Firm Leadership | Operations | Investment Committee

Gozen is a Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Fairlawn.  Gozen’s core focus area is building a strong operational platform to optimize property and investment performance.  She does this by integrating Fairlawn’s investments, operations and finance & administration functions. She also ensures that the company’s successful management formula and culture are effectively deployed across all locations. As Co-founder, Gozen has been integral in taking the company from fewer than 10 employees and 300 units in 2015 to 150+ employees and 5,500+ units today.

Prior to co-founding Fairlawn, Gozen worked at McKinsey & Company in strategy consulting within the air and travel industries. During her 12 years at McKinsey, she also spent several years managing a global team of industry experts across all travel and logistics industries. Gozen earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with concentrations in Construction Management and Transportation Systems from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Science in Transportation Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Gozen currently serves as a Governing Director on the University of Illinois Foundation Board, and as a member of AppFolio’s Customer Advisory Board.

Firm Strategy | Equity Sourcing | Investment Committee

Jason is a Principal at Fairlawn, serving as its Chief Investment Officer and General Counsel. In these capacities, he is primarily responsible for shaping the firm’s overall strategy, securing equity for new projects, and overseeing the execution phase of Fairlawn’s investments.

Jason has been an integral part of Fairlawn for many years, contributing in various capacities. During this time, he also practiced law as a Shareholder at Meyer Capel, PC, and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, where he served for twelve years, including ten years in the Illinois State Senate. He held multiple Assistant Republican Leadership positions, including Caucus Chair and Caucus Floor Leader, and served as Minority Spokesperson for committees handling the most contentious legislative matters, including the Executive and Judiciary Committees. He is now fully dedicated to Fairlawn, focusing his efforts on driving the firm’s continued growth and success.

In addition to his responsibilities at Fairlawn, Jason serves on the Board of Directors for Advance Illinois, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to education policy, and the Edgar Fellows Program, which fosters bipartisan leadership to address Illinois’ most pressing challenges.

Jason holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University. Prior to law school, he served as an infantry soldier in the Illinois Army National Guard and worked for Ernst & Young, LLP.

Property & Asset Management | Marketing & Sales | Investment Committee

Maggie is the Chief Operating Officer of Fairlawn and is responsible for integrating the operational components of the company including Property Management, Asset Management and Marketing and Sales. Her primary focus is ensuring that Fairlawn is taking the best care of its people, residents and investors, while optimizing the performance of the properties. Having been with Fairlawn since its founding in 2015, Maggie has created and shaped the operational processes that have provided a platform for Fairlawn’s rapid growth.

Prior to joining Fairlawn, Maggie was Director of Marketing & Public Relations for Regency Apartments and managed leasing and marketing for multiple student housing properties at The Scion Group. Maggie also previously served as a sergeant in the Illinois National Guard where she specialized in transportation and tactical operations. Maggie earned a Bachelor of Science in Media Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Finance & Administration | Capital Sourcing | Investment Committee

Joe is the Chief Financial Officer of Fairlawn and is responsible for the management of the Finance and Administration functions within the company. His primary focus is on integrating the core functions of accounting, finance, debt and equity management, human resources, and information technology. Throughout the course of his career, Joe has worked on over $5 billion of real estate and overseen portfolios across the United States. His experience encompasses a wide range of asset classes, with a focus on multifamily, student housing, and senior housing.

Joe started his career in accounting and financial reporting functions before focusing on portfolio management, asset management, and capital strategy. Joe is a Certified Public Accountant, earned an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Real Estate from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Natalie is the Corporate Operations Manager at Fairlawn.  She serves as the Asset Manager for our platform, ensuring the company’s health and continuity of operations. As part of this, Natalie works on a wide range of corporate initiatives from ensuring our most important procedures are properly documented, to overseeing and analyzing the financials of the management company.  She has over 10 years of property management experience and has had the pleasure of working at Fairlawn since its founding in 2015.

Natalie has worked in the Accounting field for over 20 years, and has also served as business manager for a chain of restaurants. Natalie holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Project Management | Construction | Development | Renovation

BJ is the Senior Director of Project Management for Fairlawn and is primarily focused on the overall management and oversight of construction projects within the organization.  His role involves leading the Construction & Project Management team, developing project strategies, and delivering projects that meet the company’s quality, program, and budgetary standards. BJ also supports the company by conducting due diligence inspections, consulting on capital budgeting, scope of work preparation, contractor negotiations, and insurance claim risk management. He is experienced in managing renovations, fit-out construction, and ground-up development in both commercial and multi-family real estate.

Prior to joining Fairlawn, BJ spent 10 years in the insurance industry as a structural and real property adjuster where he investigated, analyzed, and estimated property loss/damages and negotiated claim settlements. BJ earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Laura is the Director of Accounting for Fairlawn and is responsible for the success of the Accounting team and its many functions, as well as participating in financial reporting, budgeting, tax return preparation, treasury management, and investor relations.

Laura has 20+ years of experience in the accounting profession and has been working in Real Estate since 2015, serving in Director and Controller roles.  Prior to settling in real estate, Laura’s accounting experience spanned a broad range of industries including architecture, oceanography, and government contracting.  Laura is a licensed CPA and holds degrees in Accounting and Theatre.

Asset Management / Pricing / Financial Analysis / Facilities Management

Adam is the Director of Asset Management for Fairlawn and is primarily responsible for optimizing the performance of the student, commercial, and residential portfolios. His role involves revenue strategy, expense management, budget execution, and overseeing key initiatives. In addition to running the Asset Management department, Adam also oversees the Facilities Management team.

Prior to joining Fairlawn, Adam spent 10 years in the management consulting space working on key projects across multiple sectors. In addition, he spent six years in real estate with a focus on Senior Housing. He earned his MBA from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts from Wabash College.

Human Capital Strategy / Talent Acquisition / HRIS deployment / Policies & Compliance

Sandra is the Head of Human Resources. Her core focus is on identifying and executing Human Capital strategies to support the growth of Fairlawn. She leads a team that is responsible for all phases of the employee life cycle including talent acquisition, performance management, and employee relations. She is also accountable for the effective utilization of the HRIS system, payroll processing system, and other technical tools that support the company.

Prior to joining Fairlawn, Sandra spent 15 years in HR Consulting and Outsourcing, first as the owner of her own consulting firm, then as the Division President for the HR Consulting group at Connor & Gallagher OneSource, and finally as the Director of Human Capital Management Consulting at RSM. Sandra is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and carries multiple senior HR certifications. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

Lauren is the Director of Marketing and Sales for Fairlawn and is responsible for the marketing and brand strategies for the company and its portfolio of properties. Lauren also focuses on Fairlawn’s public relations strategy and leading property onboarding marketing efforts to ensure smooth transitions and high visibility for each property under Fairlawn’s management.

Before joining Fairlawn, Lauren served as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Regency Multifamily for over five years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and an MBA from the University of Illinois.

Christy is the Director of Acquisitions of Fairlawn and is responsible for leading the acquisitions team. Based in Chicago, she is focused on fueling the company’s continued expansion throughout the Midwest. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in identifying and securing residential real estate acquisitions and development investments totaling over $1 Billion. Christy has experience across a wide range of asset types, including multifamily, student housing, senior housing, hotels, office, and industrial.

Christy started her career in property management, working on hotels and office buildings before transitioning to investments, where she has focused primarily on multifamily, student housing, and senior housing. Christy graduated from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.