Agency Leasing Veterans Launch Consulting, Leasing Firm

CHICAGO, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial real estate industry veteran Brian Whiting today announced the launch of The Telos Group LLC, a commercial real estate leasing, marketing and consulting firm. With 6.5 million square feet in leasing assignments in place, The Telos Group LLC will provide agency leasing solutions for office building owners across metropolitan Chicago and consulting services nationwide. Whiting is joined by experienced landlord representatives Jack O'Brien, Matt Pistorio and Joy Jordan at the new company.

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"Our business starts with the clients' ultimate goals and applies imaginative, progressive and aggressive strategies for their office projects," Whiting says. "Telos' specialty will be creative marketing used in the repositioning, redevelopment and new development of major office projects where innovative solutions are required to address complex challenges."

The name Telos is derived from ancient Greek and was used by Aristotle to describe the end to a goal-oriented process. That process reflects the results-driven philosophy of The Telos Group, according to Whiting.

"Brian Whiting and his team have consistently brought strategic vision, marketing creativity and aggressive deal making to the table for us," says Michael Silberberg, President of Berkley Properties LLC, who has hired the new firm to lease three buildings.  "In large part, we continue to invest in Chicago because we know that Whiting and his team can aid us in finding value others have missed."

The team has been awarded more than 6.5 million square feet in exclusive leasing assignments, including The Citadel Center (131 S. Dearborn), The Civic Opera House (20 N. Wacker), 203 North LaSalle and 300 S. Riverside Plaza in downtown Chicago. Marc Wilkow of M&J Wilkow Ltd., owner of 203 North LaSalle and an inaugural client, stated, "Jack O'Brien and Brian Whiting have driven leasing results for us in various capacities for the better part of two decades. We view continuing this successful business relationship, now with The Telos Group, as an integral part of our broader strategy to grow our portfolio here in the Chicago area."

The Telos Group includes a deep bench of professional talent. Founding members of the firm include Whiting, Executive Vice President Jack O'Brien, Vice President Matt Pistorio and Leasing Director Joy Jordan. Each of the firm's team members have proven track records in office building marketing and leasing, having represented many of Chicago's iconic office buildings, including Prudential Plaza, 161 N. Clark, Willis Tower and 300 N. LaSalle. 

Whiting, a major force in both downtown and suburban office building leasing for more than two decades, has been involved in more than 11 million square feet of lease transactions. In previous roles, Whiting has been instrumental in the turn-around of some of Chicago's most well-known office properties and has led teams awarded the Greater Chicago Food Depository Office Representative Broker of the Year Award three times in the last five years.  Prior to founding The Telos Group, Whiting was a senior vice president with prominent commercial real estate agency J.F. McKinney & Associates, Ltd. Whiting earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Northwestern University in 1987.

O'Brien is also a two-decade veteran of the Chicago commercial real estate industry. Formerly a vice president of leasing for investment firm M&J Wilkow, Ltd., O'Brien was Leasing Director of the Chicago region for Equity Office Properties. O'Brien has represented more than 20 different downtown Chicago office buildings and has negotiated and completed transactions with a total value of more than one billion dollars.  He is a board member of COLBA (Chicago Office Leasing Brokers Association) and has represented clients including Sam Zell, UBS and TIAA-CREF.  He earned a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Kansas in 1993.

Pistorio was a member of Whiting's team at J.F. McKinney that earned the Greater Chicago Food Depository Office Representative Broker of the Year Award in 2012. He has been involved in more than 800,000 square feet of office leasing transactions in both downtown and suburban Chicago, and has worked on teams representing properties such as 111 W. Jackson, 300 S. Riverside, 55 W. Monroe and 180 N. LaSalle, where he was a key member of the team that took the building from 65% to 92% leased in 18 months. Pistorio earned a bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois, and worked at Cushman & Wakefield prior to joining J.F. McKinney.

Jordan joins the firm from U.S. Equities Realty, where she was a senior leasing associate on the Willis Tower leasing team during its recent turnaround. During her tenure at U.S. Equities, Jordan was a member of teams that leased more than 1.2 million square feet in 3.5 years. Jordan earned a bachelor's degree in Economics and French from Loyola University Chicago with a minor in Finance and is a member of the Chicago Architecture Foundation and YOBA (Young Office Brokers Association).

About The Telos Group, LLC
The Telos Group, LLC provides leasing, marketing and consulting services for Chicago area building owners and consulting services for real estate businesses nationwide. Telos Group leases more than 6.5 million square feet in the Chicago area.  Formed in 2012, Telos Group combines industry expertise with goal-driven processes to implement progressive and aggressive solutions for its clients. To learn more about The Telos Group LLC, visit its website at www.telosgroupllc.com.

SOURCE The Telos Group, LLC