Valerie S. Kretchmer Associates, Inc.

Consultants

Valerie Sandler Kretchmer, President, has over 30 years of real estate and planning experience as a consultant, real estate analyst and city planner. Prior to forming Valerie S. Kretchmer Associates, Inc. 23 years ago, she was an Assistant Vice President at VMS Realty Partners, a real estate syndication company, where she was responsible for acquisitions and due diligence market analysis for shopping centers, office buildings, apartment complexes and hotels across the country.

In addition, Ms. Kretchmer is active in numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, Lambda Alpha land economics honorary society and the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago. She served as chair and as a member of the Evanston, Illinois Plan Commission for seven years and is a public member of the Joint Review Board of a tax increment finance district in Evanston.

Susan J. Friedman, Senior Consultant, has over 30 years of experience in real estate analysis, including 12 years with Homart Development Co. (now General Growth), one of the nation’s largest regional mall developers and owners, where she directed the market and consumer research program. She has worked on a wide range of consulting assignments for municipalities and private developers and has particular expertise in market analysis and consumer research.

Ms. Friedman is a member of the Urban Land Institute, Lambda Alpha land economics honorary society and the International Council of Shopping Centers. She also serves on the Wilmette, Illinois Plan Commission.

Deborah L. Brett, AICP, Senior Consultant, has 35 years of experience as a real estate market analyst and planning consultant. She was Senior Vice President and National Consulting Director at Real Estate Research Corporation where she worked for 18 years. In addition to her wide ranging consulting assignments for developers, financial institutions, property owners and municipalities, she is an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University where she teaches classes on housing and retail market analysis.

Ms. Brett is a prolific writer who has co-authored books and articles for the Urban Land Institute and other real estate publications. She has been a speaker at numerous professional meetings and is a member of the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, Lambda Alpha land economics honorary society and a charter member of AICP.

Laurie B. Marston, AICP, Senior Economic Development Planner, has been working as a consultant for the last 10 years, providing planning and economic development services to municipalities, businesses, developers and not-for-profit organizations. She worked in zoning and community development for local governments for 22 years, including 9 years as Director of Community Development for the Village of Wilmette, Illinois.

Ms. Marston is a member of the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, Women in Planning and Development, Lambda Alpha land economics honorary society of which she is Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors, and a past member of the Evanston, Illinois Plan Commission.