PAUL M. ZELLER
President
Paul Zeller is the President and founder of Zeller Realty Group® and its affiliated companies, Zeller Realty Corporation, Zeller Management Corporation and Zeller Development Corporation. He combines an extensive background in commercial real estate development, finance, asset management and operations management, with substantial experience as an owner and developer of commercial property. Zeller is actively involved in all aspects of ZRG’s business, from overseeing underwriting and acquisitions, to reviewing asset management, to developing the strategic plans for the future of the organization. Zeller leads a strong group of loyal professionals committed to his philosophy of acquisition, investment, management and development.
Beginning in 1988, Zeller embarked on a new business plan and began to work on a variety of projects, including office, industrial and warehouse properties. In late 1989, Zeller led the company in design and construction of One North Franklin, a 700,000 square foot, 38 story office building located on the northeast corner of Madison and Franklin Streets in Chicago. Construction was completed in October 1991. In 1990, Zeller and his team also developed and completed construction on a 400,000 square foot, 13 level, 1,200 car self-park facility with 11,000 square feet of grade level retail, located at the southwest corner of Franklin and Lake Streets in Chicago.
Starting in 1994 Zeller began to focus on acquisition and repositioning of existing office buildings, particularly in Chicago, Minneapolis–St. Paul and Indianapolis. Since that time ZRG has acquired office buildings of various types, including downtown high-rises and a 42 building suburban office park.
Prior to founding Zeller Realty Group®, Zeller was a General Partner and Stockholder of The John Buck Company, involved in over four million square feet of high-rise office developments with a total cost in excess of $750 million. In addition, Zeller was a founding stockholder and director of Buck Investment Company ("BIC"), which acquired hotel properties in Chicago, Illinois; Canton, Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, Michigan; Dover, Delaware; Salisbury, Maryland; and High Point, North Carolina, a portfolio of over 1200 rooms. These properties were operated under Sheraton and Holiday Inn franchises by an affiliate of BIC.
Zeller is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a BBA in Finance and a Masters of Science in Real Estate Development and Urban Land Economics under Professor James A. Graaskamp.
Zeller is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois and Indiana, a full member of The Urban Land Institute, The Land Economics Society Lambda Alpha International, The Chicago Development Council, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a board member of the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts, a board member of the Chicago International Film Festival, a Cornerstone Member of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and past Chairman of the Chicago Chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association.
