We are proud to share that Gozen Hartman, CEO of Fairlawn, has been elected as a Governing Director of the University of Illinois Foundation Board. The announcement was made during the Foundation’s annual meeting held in November.
Gozen graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Grainger College of Engineering. She also holds a master’s degree in transportation engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Before her university years, Gozen attended The University of Illinois Laboratory High School.
Gozen’s deep ties to the community and her alma mater are reflected in her professional and personal accomplishments. She began her career at McKinsey & Company in strategy consulting within the air and travel industries. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to co-found Fairlawn, a thriving real estate investment, management, and development firm headquartered in Champaign and Chicago. In addition to supporting the University through financial contributions, Gozen’s dedication to the University of Illinois is also represented through Fairlawn’s strong operations in the student housing market on the University of Illinois campus. Fairlawn’s student apartment portfolio, Smile Student Living, currently includes over 3,700 beds with two new developments also underway.
In her new role as Governing Director of the University of Illinois Foundation Board, Gozen will help guide the Foundation’s mission to advance philanthropy in support of the University of Illinois System. Her expertise in leadership, strategic planning, and community development will be invaluable to the board’s efforts.
“The University of Illinois has shaped me in so many ways, dating back to 1980 when my parents took jobs in the College of Engineering and moved us from Istanbul, Turkey, to Urbana, Illinois,” said Gozen. “It is my absolute honor and privilege to serve my alma mater in this way.”
Gozen and Chris Hartman join UIF President & CEO Jim Moore, UIF Senior Director of Board and Donor Engagement Pattie Smith-Phillips, and UIF Board Chair Dick Osborne at the 2024 Foundation Weekend Welcome Reception.
Fairlawn is a vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment, management, and development firm based in Chicago and Champaign, IL, with roughly 5,600 units and $700 million in assets under management. With ambitious plans for continued growth, Fairlawn is focused on expanding its portfolio across Illinois, Indiana, and other targeted Midwest markets.
