The Marquette Companies was founded in 1983 and is celebrating twenty five years of providing extraordinary returns to its investors safely. The three Managing Directors of the Marquette Companies are Rick Harb, Nick Ryan and Bruno Bottarelli. There are eight (8) active companies that operate under the Marquette Company banner. They are:

MPI (Marquette Property Investments) is the apartment development arm of the Marquette Companies. MPI develops mixed use communities from the ground up including rental communities, For Sale Condominiums, office and retail space. MPI owns approximately fifteen hundred (1,500) apartments.

MLI (Marquette Land Investments) which purchases raw land, entitles that land and then sells the improved land to the country's largest home builders.

MAA (Marquette Apartment Acquisitions) is the apartment acquisition arm of the Marquette Companies.

MCI (Marquette Condominium Investments) provides an exit strategy through condominium conversion for Marquette Company apartment communities as well as fee income business for new condominium developments and conversions for outside third party owners.

KMP (Kensington Marquette Partners) is a joint venture that was formed in 1994 to purchase apartment communities on behalf of pension fund and other institutional clients. KMP typically does apartment acquisitions and provides its clients both day to day property management and asset management services.

KMF (Kensington Marquette Formation Capital) is a joint venture designed to purchase independent senior housing and assisted living communities for institutional clients across the nation. KMF currently has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

TBC (Town-Builders Collaborative) focuses on the creation of Traditional Neighborhood Developments, New Economy Towns across the nation. The TBC also creates "destination communities" of retail/parking/residential product lines around universities to increase the economic base and desirability for students.

MMI (Marquette Management Inc) is the property management arm of the Marquette Companies.

MMI currently operates in four states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri).

MMI currently manages approximately 9,000 apartments in approximately twenty seven separate apartment communities. Approximately 1,500 units are owned by the Marquette Companies while approximately 7,000 units are managed for third party owners on a fee basis.

MMI employs approximately 280 employees to operate its communities and the home office services.

MMI was patterned after four of the country's most successful companies. Marquette's three partners took from Nordstrom's their passion for delivering unparalleled customer service, from Mc Donald's their decentralized operating style and insistence on systemic operating processes; from Southwest Airlines their fun philosophy and their legendary treatment of employees and from Disney their ability to create magic through their physical environments and treatment of customers.

Known for delivering legendary five star customer service to its residents and employees, The Marquette Companies have also been at the forefront of innovation and creation in the real estate industry through programs such as its We CATER Service Program and SmartRent which provide residents a palette of concierge services as well as a means to prepare for future home ownership

MMI also operates MSAM (Marquette School of Advanced Management) which offers approximately forty (40) classes on both a personal and e-learning platform to employees and their family members. Employees can enroll in a certification program that provides certification levels for advancement and compensation increases.

Finally, MMI has won numerous industry and business related awards (62 and counting!) including the Champion of Industry Award for Innovation in Real Estate Management and two of the National Apartment Association's Paragon Awards for Property Excellence.

Our People

Rick Harb – Managing Director
Bruno Bottarelli – Managing Director
Nick Ryan – Managing Director
Darren Sloniger – Acquisitions
Trevor Ryan – Project Manager
Bryan Bernicky – IT Developer
Dave Walsh – Staff Administrator
Christina Putman – Training and Development Coordinator
Mindy Helms – Human Resources
Sandy Hohenstein – Controller
Wendy Sass – Accounting
Mary Gort – Accounting
Mary Herrold – Business Developer/Marketing
John Eifler – Vice President
Lori Casey – Business Developer
Mike Beckner - Business Developer

Principles of Management

Advanced Management is a "Body of Knowledge" that was initially designed by the three partners at Marquette Management as a means to create extraordinary value on their properties. During the past seventeen years, this body of knowledge has increased as the practical application of these guiding principles has been tested on the more than 8,000 apartments managed by Marquette Management. Marquette’s unique culture and approach to property management, from its atypical organizational structure to its "hotel" style approach to customer service, is a direct result of these underlying principles. These key principles and beliefs are the heart and soul of Advanced Management:

Your People, not buildings, are your most important asset!

The real issue is that PEOPLE are the most valuable asset in our business ranging from our employees to our residents to our investor retirees. There are hundreds of examples of well-located and beautifully designed properties that are financial failures because of poor staff selection and the resulting property management. Sound, innovative property management performed by passionate and dedicated professionals is the single most effective way to ensure long term property success and asset value enhancement. The notion that "if one builds it, they will come" does not hold true in property management. It takes the right staff with passion and commitment and a well-developed marketing plan to make them come!!

Staff training and development is the key to employee productivity and fulfillment.

Marquette’s unique commitment to staff training and personal development is evidenced by the fact that more than $200,000 a year is dedicated to staff training and development through the Marquette School of Advanced Management (MSAM). A fully operating school with a Director who monitors a curriculum of more than 25 courses offers a unique opportunity for employee growth and training that directly impacts each employee’s ability to utilize their talents, making them more productive and enhancing the property’s bottom line cash flow.

Value is perceived and lies solely in the mind of the renter!

It is critical to understand that "value" is perception. It is not an absolute; that is, something that means the same to each renter. What someone is willing to pay in rent is a totally subjective issue and is based on the needs, wants, perceptions, and judgments of each individual. This means that value is created each time a staff member speaks with a customer or each time a customer visits one of our properties. During the past 13 years, we have developed a model that reflects the different levels of value. Our success depends on our ability to fulfill these different value levels for each resident.

This also means that each Marquette employee has the ability and obligation to understand what customers see as "valuable" and make sure this value is being provided at each property. Over the years, Marquette has developed a number of specific methods to accurately assess customer "value". These include:

4 Part Resident Survey Program
Resident Focus Groups
Maintenance Service Call Back Program
Resident Phone-a-thons
Move in Inspections
Resident Interest Surveys

The ability to generate income is the key to property success!

Fulfilling people’s needs translates into residents who will pay higher rent levels, want to stay longer, and refer others to be their neighbor and friends. That means more income to us making the properties that we manage financially successful. To that end, we focus on methods to enhance gross income rather than just control costs. After all…managed costs consume 40% of the gross income. Would you rather focus on a 10% savings on 40% or 10% growth on 100%? The real source of property financial success lies primarily in the ability to generate revenue through high rental rates, high occupancy and ancillary income. Expense control is also critical to achieving high returns on investment. But most properties live and die by their ability to control vacancy loss.

A Decentralized organizational structure will increase the likelihood of resident satisfaction and property success!

The more control, decision making, and accountability you can develop at the "point of customer contact" with those staff members who deal directly with your customers, the greater sense of "partnership" you will create and the more likely you are to increase resident satisfaction and property success. Corporate hierarchy that slows response time to market conditions and resident needs dis-empowers employees and decreases the ownership level a staff will have on a property.

Developing an "Open Book" style of Property Management will empower your staff and create ownership.

Keeping employees in the dark about financial matters and key property decisions is a sure way to create distrust and disinterest. Opening your books and involving your property staff in the important decisions, successes and failures of a property on a monthly basis, encourages more "ownership", "risk taking", and "personal development". One way that Marquette does this is through Leadership Community; where Property Managers, Maintenance Supervisors, Staff Group, and partners come together to promote the vision, contribute ideas, share property successes, and much more. The Managers and Maintenance Supervisors are then able to go back to their properties and do the same with their staffs. No one else uses that to their advantage like we have. It requires sharing of information, intentional contribution to others, open book management, etc.

Residents will pay more for Legendary Customer Service.

The entire approach to generating income at Marquette hinges on the conviction that residents will pay more in rent and stay longer at a property if they are receiving the type of legendary customer service and attention to detail found in the finest five star hotels.

Marquette has gained national recognition for its legendary, trademarked "We C.A.T.E.R." Service Program which stands for Customized Attention To Every Resident. A host of services found typically in luxury hotels are provided for residents by a dedicated concierge and property management staff that truly cater to a resident’s every need.

Systems are the Key to Consistency and Quality.

This principal is more about franchising the properties and entrepreneurial approach to property management. "Effective" and "Lean" systems are fundamental to the franchise concept. Think McDonald’s and their systemic approach to Quality. Their systems are essential because they empower their franchisees and allow them to replicate the product delivery. To that end, Marquette managed properties strictly adhere to approximately 30 systems that ensure the smooth and consistent operation of a luxury apartment community. An internal Systems Administrator monitors the effectiveness of each system and works closely with Property Managers, Property Mentors and Staff Group Trainers to maintain the highest level of quality and consistency throughout the entire portfolio. This consistency and quality translate into increased resident satisfaction and favorable bottom line performance.

Marketing innovations are critical to maintaining your competitive edge.

Years of experience have taught us that all properties compete on the basis of two of the following three criteria: price, quality or service. It is virtually impossible to compete effectively on all three criteria. Competing on price lowers profitability with properties in contrast to other consumer commodities. Through Advanced Management, we have learned that the two most effective ways to compete are generally on service and quality. To accomplish this requires a commitment to innovation and cutting edge marketing and management practices.

During the past twenty five years, Marquette has earned a niche as one of the most creative marketing companies in the nation. We have created a host of innovative programs and collateral pieces that have won numerous industry awards and made a positive contribution to the quality of life at our properties.

Advanced Management—The Key to the Future.

Marquette’s mission has always been to "Redefine the Quality of Life Through Real Estate Development and Management Services". Marquette’s commitment to raising the quality of life for its employees, residents, and investors remains as solid today as seventeen years ago. The successful implementation of Advanced Management has been the key to Marquette’s constant and noteworthy success as it will be for years to come.

What types of properties does Marquette purchase?

High quality, class "A" or "B" suburban mid rise or garden style complexes, student housing, downtown high-rise properties
Properties should be located in major markets, smaller markets considered
Construction completed preferably after 1980
Complexes typically 200 units or more
Single properties and portfolios considered
Value added opportunities

What information does Marquette require to evaluate these properties?

Property description
Photographs
Site plans
Maps, aerials (if possible)
Current rent roll
Most recent tax bill
Three (3) years of operating information

Marquette Management is one of the nation's premier fee managers.

Over the past twenty five plus years, Marquette Management has handled fee management assignments for some of the nations largest owners of Institutional Real Estate including the State of Michigan Retirement System, The State of Wisconsin Investment Board, The Detroit Police Pension Fund, ING, GMAC, Travelers Insurance, Freddie Mac and TIAA CREFF. Marquette Management has also been appointed Receiver by the Court and has successfully handled numerous distressed properties, workouts and/or foreclosures.

At any given time, Marquette's managed portfolio contains this portfolio spread:

Fee Management for Institutions and Pension Funds 65%
Fee Management for Private Individual Owners 10%
Fee Management of Marquette-Owned Properties 25%

Marquette fee manages a variety of product types including but not limited to Luxury Apartments, Value Added Apartments, Distressed/Workout Properties, Condominium Associations and Master Development Associations, Mixed Use Apartments and Retail, Mixed Use Condominiums and Retail, Independent Senior Housing and Student Housing Communities.

Marquette Management has gained a national reputation for its innovative and aggressive marketing programs, systemic and decentralized approach to operations and solid expense control systems that have their properties operating on a pre-tax and insurance basis at approximately 27% of total income and $2,800 on a per unit cost basis.

As a Master Developer who builds community from the ground up, Marquette Management has developed successful expertise in taking full charge of marketing and leasing new communities or existing communities in need of faster occupancy absorption.

Marquette has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to training and development of its employees and is known for its ability to hire and retain the industries best and brightest which also results in long term employees. Marquette's employee-focused philosophy of site empowerment, coupled with extensive on-line training through the Marquette School of Advanced Management, (MSAM) gives fee owners a high comfort level that their assets are extremely well managed.

Marquette has utilized Yardi Accounting Software since 1996, is a beta test company for Yardi and sits on Yardi's national steering committee to help develop accounting policy and procedures.

Recently Marquette Management was awarded the prestigious "Champion of Industry Award" by Pat Summerall for innovation in Real Estate and appeared on the Discovery Channel. A copy of this segment and/or other information is available upon request by contacting:

Rick Harb
Managing Director
815-588-6000 (office)

Marquette Principals also sit on the Board of the Ball State School of Residential Property Management and Marquette utilizes Ball State's internship program as a primary source for new employees.

For more information, contact: