Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of @properties, rounds out the panel of successful entrepreneurs at the 13th Greater Chicago Networking Extravaganza from 5:30 – 8:45 pm May 14, 2015 at TechNexus in Chicago. He joins Gary Rabine, CEO and founder of Rabine Group, and Genevieve Theirs, founder of Sittercity.com. All three have been inducted into UIC’s Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Moderator will be Jason Jacobsohn, event co-producer and business advisor, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative.
The 13th version of this highly popular Chicago networking event will focus on how to leverage relationships to start, build and grow a company. “Relationships are crucial to finding customers, partners, advisors, capital and peers with whom to share the journey,” said Lillian Bjorseth, event co-founder and co-producer.
@properties is the largest independently owned residential real estate brokerage firm in Illinois and one of the 25 largest brokerage firms in the U.S. by sales volume.
Wong, a Loyola graduate (BBA ’96), began his career in real-estate sales in 1996 and quickly established himself as one of the most successful agents in Chicago. During the early years of his career, he earned four consecutive Golden Eagle Awards from the Chicago Association of REALTORS® as the top-producing agent among the organization’s 10,000+ members.
In 2000 Wong and business partner Michael Golden established @properties and in less than 15 years have grown the company from $40 million in sales to more than $5 billion in annual sales. Today, @properties has 16 offices in the city of Chicago, surrounding suburbs and southwestern Michigan. The firm has divisions for residential and commercial brokerage, development marketing, relocation, property management and bank-advisory services.
A highly energetic and creative entrepreneur, Wong focuses on implementing his vision for a real estate company in which both the agent and client experience the highest level of service and support. He is primarily responsible for the business growth and development of @properties’ more than 1,600 agents, as well as the development and implementation of the firm’s award-winning marketing programs. Wong created and manages the company’s signature training, education and performance coaching programs utilized by hundreds of agents per year.
Wong’s accomplishments have been widely recognized by the real estate industry and the broader business community. Honors include: the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Midwest; Inc. Magazine’s “Inc. 500/5000” list; inclusion on Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Fast Fifty,” “40 Under 40,” and “Largest Privately Held Companies” lists; Inman News’ “100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders”; induction in the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame; the Impact Aware from the Lincoln Park Builders Club; and the Damen Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Wong and @properties support a number of charitable and civic organizations through the @properties Friends and Neighbors Community Fund. Past and present beneficiaries include: Teen Living Programs, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), Off The Street Club and Community Partnership for Affordable Housing.
Wong is a member of the NFTE board, a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation, and co-chairs the annual Beelzebub Halloween Bash and Fundraiser.
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