James E. Matanky, CRX, CLS, CDP, CSM, CMD

James E. Matanky, CRX, CLS, CDP, CSM, CMD is President of Matanky Realty Group in Chicago and heads the development and brokerage arms of the company. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Illinois state planning committee for ICSC and is certified in five industry designations. He currently serves as the North American Chair of the ICSC Ambassador program and is the Midwest Divisional Operations Chair.  He regularly participates as a panelist for both ICSC and the Urban Land Institute. James has worked with the City of Chicago as a mentor for retail redevelopment, and has served on the Chicago Building Department Commissioner’s advisory panel, as well as the Illinois Food Marketing Task Force tasked with determining strategies to eliminate food deserts around the State. He is Chairman of the Chicago Stockyard Commission SSA #13, and participates on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago advisory panel. 

He was a board member of the Chicago Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations and headed their real estate committee, has served as a principal for a day in the Chicago public schools and was an officer of the West Humboldt Park Development Council. James was on the committee of the JCCs of Illinois and is past Chairman of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago Circle Council. 

James was honored as a recipient of the Chicago Neighborhood Developer of the Year Award multiple times for his work in Chicago’s underserved communities. He was also honored as a recipient of the Chicago Good Neighbor Award. James received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Illinois College of Law and is an Honorary Fellow of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

James graduated with honors from the University of Illinois with degrees in finance, accounting and law. He earned an honors graduate degree in law from Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.  

Mr. Matanky will be participating in the “Speed Networking Event,” at the Talent Development Pavilion, Tuesday May 23, 8:00-9:00 am.  

He will also be available for individual mentoring sessions.