Fairlawn, a Champaign- and Chicago-based real estate investment, management, and development firm, is pleased to announce the strategic appointment of Lisa McNamara as Vice President of Accounting, underscoring the company’s continued investment in institutional-quality financial leadership as it scales. This hire enhances Fairlawn’s ability to deliver sophisticated reporting, disciplined governance, and strategic financial insight across its growing portfolio. McNamara will serve on the Senior Leadership Team and report directly to Joe Duffy, Chief Financial Officer.
McNamara brings deep experience operating within institutional real estate platforms, most recently serving as Senior Vice President – Portfolio Controller at LaSalle Investment Management’s Custom Accounts group, where she oversaw multiple funds totaling approximately $2.5 billion in assets under management. Her earlier leadership roles at ST Residential and LivCor further strengthened her expertise in navigating sophisticated ownership structures and high-volume portfolio accounting. In addition to her 20 years of accounting experience, McNamara holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Illinois.
“Lisa’s depth of experience, technical expertise, and leadership in accounting make her an outstanding addition to our Senior Leadership Team,” said Joe Duffy, Chief Financial Officer of Fairlawn. “As we continue to scale our platform, her ability to build strong, disciplined, and forward-looking accounting operations will be critical to supporting our long-term strategy.”
“Fairlawn’s entrepreneurial spirit, combined with its commitment to institutional-quality operations and continued growth creates a strong foundation for the future,” said Lisa McNamara. “I look forward to enhancing the accounting platform, supporting our investors and partners, and contributing to the next phase of the company’s expansion.”
As Vice President of Accounting, McNamara will guide Fairlawn’s accounting strategy and operations across its diverse portfolio of residential, commercial, and student housing assets. Her responsibilities include overseeing multi-entity accounting functions, strengthening internal controls and reporting processes, and delivering timely financial insights to support executive decision-making and continued growth. She will be located in Fairlawn’s Chicago office.
About Fairlawn
Fairlawn is a vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment, management, and development firm based in Chicago and Champaign, IL, with roughly 5,750 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. For additional information about Fairlawn, please visit Fairlawn.com.
