Fairlawn is proud to announce that Gozen Hartman, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Fairlawn, has been appointed to the Board of Advisors for the Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois’s Grainger College of Engineering.
A University of Illinois alumna and co-founder of Fairlawn, Hartman joins a distinguished group of advisors that includes accomplished founders, investors, and technology leaders from Chicago, Silicon Valley, and beyond. The Board of Advisors provides strategic guidance and industry perspective to support the Landuyt Center’s mission of advancing entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture creation among University of Illinois students, researchers, and alumni.
Hartman has played a pivotal role in Fairlawn’s growth since co-founding the company in 2015. Under her leadership, Fairlawn has expanded from fewer than 10 employees and approximately 300 apartment units to a vertically integrated real estate investment, management, and development firm with more than 150 employees and over 6,000 apartment units across Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.
As Chief Executive Officer, Hartman focuses on building and strengthening the company’s operational platform by integrating Fairlawn’s investment, operations, finance, and administrative functions. Her leadership has helped establish a scalable business model while preserving the culture and values that have been central to Fairlawn’s success.
“Entrepreneurship has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my professional journey,” said Hartman. “The University of Illinois played an important role in shaping my career, and I am honored to serve on the Landuyt Center’s Board of Advisors. I look forward to supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and helping create opportunities for students and founders to turn innovative ideas into impactful businesses.”
“Gozen’s leadership, entrepreneurial mindset, and deep connection to the University of Illinois community make her a tremendous addition to the Board of Advisors. We look forward to the insights and experience she will contribute as we support future entrepreneurs,” said Jed Taylor, Executive Director of the Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship.
Before co-founding Fairlawn, Hartman spent 12 years with McKinsey & Company, where she advised clients on strategy within the airline and travel industries and later managed a global team of industry experts serving the travel and logistics sectors.
Hartman earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with concentrations in Construction Management and Transportation Systems. She also holds a Master of Science in Transportation Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to her role with the Landuyt Center, Hartman serves as a Governing Director for the University of Illinois Foundation and as a Board Member for the Chicagoland Apartment Association. She previously completed a two-year term on AppFolio’s Customer Advisory Board.
About Fairlawn
Fairlawn is a vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment, management, and development firm based in Chicago and Champaign, IL, with roughly 6,000 units and $900 million in assets under management. With ambitious plans for continued growth, Fairlawn is focused on expanding its portfolio across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and other targeted Midwest markets.
