Chicago’s Bender Companies adds director of investments

Mark Barnes

Mark Barnes has joined Bender Companies as director of investments in Chicago. Barnes will help to manage the firm’s investor relationships and identify investment opportunities to expand Bender’s Midwest multifamily portfolio. He will also be actively involved in the financial oversight and strategy for Bender’s existing assets under management.

“Mark brings extensive investment real estate knowledge and experience to Bender Companies”, said Kurt Bender, the firm’s founder and principal. “We’re confident that he will make a meaningful impact to further the company’s growth.”

Barnes has experience in a wide range of multi-housing transactions, having advised for institutional, regional and private middle market investors and developers throughout the Midwest. He was previously a director in JLL’s Chicago office (and previously HFF) focused on multifamily investment sales and equity raises, where he participated in over $2 billion in transactions.

Barnes holds a bachelor of science in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA with a finance concentration from Loyola Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business.