The Chicago-area commercial real estate industry lost a veteran leader when Milton Podolsky, founder of Riverwoods, Illinois-based Podolsky|Circle CORFAC International, died earlier this month.
Podolsky didn’t begin his career in commercial real estate until the age of 36. That didn’t stop him, though, from shaping a large portion of the O’Hare industrial market in the Chicago area.
Podolsky, born in 1921, attended DePaul University and studied at John Marshall Law School before serving in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. It wasn’t until 1957, while Podolsky was working at the drugstore his family owned at the corner of State and Elm streets in Chicago, that a regular customer encouraged Podolsky to pursue a career in commercial real estate.
Why? That customer was impressed with Podolsky’s natural sales skills.
During the next five years, Podolsky worked in the Chicago market, focusing on industrial brokerage. He soon began developing and managing buildings in what later became known as the O’Hare market.
In 1962, Podolsky founded his first entrepreneurial firm. Less than a decade after that, in 1971, he established Podolsky and Associates, Ltd.
In the years following this, Podolsky — joined by his sons Steven and Randy and, for many years, his daughter Bonnie — continually expanded and grew his company into what is now Podolsky|Circle CORFAC International, a full-sevice commercial real estate firm.
Podolsky is survived by his wife Lois; his brother Jerry; children Steven (Iris), Bonnie and Randy (Wendy); seven grandchildren; and four great grandchildren. His first wife, Phyllis pre-deceased him.
Podolsky’s underlying life’s philosophy was simple: “Chase your dreams, take your risks, follow your hunches, love and be loved – and be sure to have fun doing it!”
