Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Here is a look at one of this year’s new members, Suzet McKinney, principal and director of life sciences, with Chicago’s Sterling Bay.
Dr. Suzet M. McKinney is a public health expert, medical executive, thought leader, strategic thinker and nationally recognized expert in emergency preparedness and response.
As Principal and Director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay, McKinney oversees relationships with the scientific, academic, corporate, tech and governmental sectors involved in the life sciences ecosystem. She previously served as CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District where she managed a 24/7/365 environment that included 560 acres of medical research facilities, labs, a biotech business incubator, universities, raw land development areas, four hospitals and more than 40 healthcare-related facilities. Within two years of leadership, McKinney accomplished a financial turnaround of the IMD, successfully retiring more than $40 million in debt.
In 2020, McKinney was appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker as Operations Lead for the State of Illinois’ Alternate Care Facilities, a network of alternate medical locations designed to decompress the hospital during COVID-19. She worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and multiple construction, architecture and project management teams to prepare five facilities to open for overflow patient care.
McKinney is also experienced on camera and has frequently discussed healthcare disparities and racial inequities amplified by the pandemic, climate-related emergencies, biological and chemical threats and natural disasters. She’s been featured on CNN, ABC, NBC Nightly News, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crain’s Chicago Business and The Chicago Tribune.
Though McKinney has only worked in CRE, formally, for two years, she enjoys being able to leverage her experience in science/research, public health and healthcare in the business, but it’s just one of the factors that have contributed to her success at Sterling Bay.
“I’ve been successful in the business because I’m determined to show that I have something to offer,” McKinney said. “Because of my former roles, I have an ability to relate to and understand our clients and offer them familiarity and comfort. Most of all, I work for a phenomenal company that stands behind me in my efforts to be successful. Finally, I try to be prepared for every situation and have dedicated time to more formal study of the field to augment the skills and expertise that I’ve brought with me from my longtime career in public health and healthcare.”
McKinney said the coursework regarding the financial aspects of the field has been her greatest challenge to date. She said, “For someone who is relatively new to the field, calculating the value of a lease is not for the faint of heart!”
McKinney also serves on numerous boards and advisory committees in the community. Current board memberships include the Board of Directors for Wintrust Financial Corporation, Lurie Children’s Hospital, , Thresholds, and the Chicago Urban League. She is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) and Health and Medicine Division’s Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies. Additionally, McKinney serves on the Science and Security Board for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and is the former Chairperson of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response. She is a member of The Chicago Network and the Economic Club of Chicago.
In her free time, McKinney loves visiting new restaurants, spending time with friends—laughing and enjoying each other’s company—and watching her daughter play water polo.
