Mark Falanga
CEO, VentureMark, Inc.
Chicago, IL 60654
CEO of real estate investment firm
Phone (312) 952-6334
CEO of real estate investment firm
Property Types
Retail, Multi-Family
Markets
Chicago
Bio
Mark Falanga is the CEO and founder of VentureMark, Inc. For the 20 years prior to devoting his full time effort with VentureMark, Inc., Mark was employed by Vornado Realty Trust and was, until March of 2013, president of Vornado's Merchandise Mart Division and an officer of Vornado Realty Trust, a then $25 billion publicly owned real estate investment trust. In March of 2013, Mark stepped down from Vornado to focus his full time efforts with VentureMark, Inc. Mark was initially recruited to the Mart business by the Kennedy family, who were the then owners of The Merchandise Mart.
As president, Mark was responsible for Vornado’s nine million square foot portfolio of Mart-related real estate assets with buildings located in Chicago, NYC, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington D.C. In addition, Mark oversaw 85 trade shows and conferences, and a very capable staff of about 250 people.
As Vornado's Mart divisional President, Mark led the effort to streamline the company, improve its profitability and add value to its centerpiece asset, The Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
In his Chairman’s letter in Vornado Realty Trust’s 2012 annual report, Steve Roth, wrote, "Thanks to Mark Falanga, who left us in March 2013, after successfully completing the Mart’s transformation." Mark simplified the business by selling off all of its non-core assets for about $500 million, including 350 West Mart Center, Chicago, The LA Mart, The Washington Design Center, The Boston Design Center and MMPI Canada, a portfolio of 55 trade shows and events. Mark significantly increased operating profitability and added hundreds of millions of dollars in value to The Merchandise Mart in Chicago by repositioning the building to a technology and creative class epicenter. In doing so, Mark attracted technology and creative companies like Motorola Mobility, technology incubator 1871, advertising conglomerates WPP and Publicis, and Razorfish, a digital marketing firm.
Between 1990 and 1994, Mark taught, as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, a course in its MBA program titled, New Product and Service Development. Mark was named, by a student vote, as one of Kellogg’s most outstanding faculty members for each year he taught there.
Mark holds a Ph.D. degree from The University of Michigan in Urban Planning.
Education
