Brad Shafer

Mr. Shafer is responsible for Project Management, and Project Administration at Cogent Management Group. In this role, Mr. Shafer ensures coordination, communication between the development team members.

Mr. Shafer has over 40 years of professional experience in the planning, design, and construction of industrial and commercial properties. Following an early career with Perkins & Will Architects, Mr. Shafer joined the former Continental where he was a project manager for a significant project and later lease and acquisition analysis and negotiations. Mr. Shafer joined the Chicago Office of The Austin Company, then a major international design-build organization. As Vice President and Assistant District Manager, Mr. Shafer co-managed the Chicago District operations and provided oversight as principal-in-charge on key projects in each of their technical markets: logistics & advanced manufacturing; aviation and aerospace; pharmaceutical & bioscience; IT &communications; food & beverage; and newspaper & media. Later, he joined Chicago-based, design-build company McClier which subsequently merged with the international engineering giant AECOM. As Senior Vice President McClier led the IT & Communications and Pharmaceutical & Bioscience Strategic Business Units. As Corporate Vice President AECOM Facilities, Mr. Shafer developed and implemented a variety of cross-selling initiatives which leveraged AECOM’s technical niche expertise with local geopolitical presence focusing on key market sectors: large-scale planning projects including special economic development zones; advanced manufacturing and logistics; aviation and aerospace; and broadcast and media. Internationally, Mr. Shafer worked extensively with newly merged AECOM companies throughout Asia, Australia and Europe. Domestically, he worked with sister AECOM companies in 20 major markets in the USA, thereby increasing market penetration.

Mr. Shafer is a graduate of the University of Illinois with both his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Architecture as well an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. He is past Board Member of Landmarks Illinois and past Chairman of the Landmarks President’s Committee; past Board Member of Youth Guidance, MS Chicago, English-Speaking Union, and Guild of Chicago Botanical Society;

Past Member of the American Institute of Architects; and Licensed Architect in Illinois and Wisconsin.