Elena Caminer

Setting the Stage: The Basics of TIF
Wednesday June 26 12:15 - 1:00 PM

Project Manager
SB Friedman Development Advisors

Elena specializes in economic development, real estate economics, market feasibility and affordable housing. Since joining SB Friedman, Elena has focused on helping clients progress their economic and community development goals responsibly. Her work includes conducting financial feasibility analysis and pre-development planning for large-scale infrastructure projects, identifying housing needs and strategies to address unmet needs, and conducting financial due diligence to determine the appropriate level and structure of public financial assistance. Select projects include: a financial feasibility analysis of the Red Line Extension for the Chicago Transit Authority and designation of the Red Line Extension Transit TIF district; preparation of TIF and other funding applications for affordable housing clients in Chicago; and housing studies, strategies and implementation in Glen Ellyn and Naperville, IL, Sun Prairie, WI, and the Charleston, SC region. Elena graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and summa cum laude from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics. She is a member of Women in Planning & Development, on the Tutoring Chicago Associate Board, and a past participant of Bonfire, a talent accelerator program for women.

Carrie Cecil

The Basics of TIF Underwriting & Deal Making
Thursday June 27 12:15 - 2:00 PM

Partner
Frost Brown Todd LLP

Carrie’s practice focuses on public and project finance. She has served as bond counsel, issuer’s counsel, underwriter’s counsel, bank or purchaser’s counsel and disclosure counsel in municipal finance transactions. Her practice also includes the financing and development of infrastructure and economic development projects, including tax increment financing and tax abatement structures. In addition, Carrie works with clients to prepare post-issuance compliance procedures for issuers and borrowers of tax-exempt bonds and assists with post-issuance contract review.

David Hawes

Combining & Leveraging TIF with Other Tools
Thursday June 27 3:45 - 5:00 PM

Managing Partner
Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP

David W. Hawes is founder and senior partner of Hawes Hill Calderón LLP, a professional consulting services firm that specializes in the creation and administration of municipal management districts, public improvement districts, tax increment reinvestment zones, and other public/private financing strategies that yield community improvement. He serves as the executive director of numerous districts and zones, guiding the development and revitalization of communities within the greater Houston metropolitan region and throughout Texas.

Prior to founding Hawes Hill Calderón in 1995, Mr. Hawes was the City of Houston’s Finance and Administration Revenue and Research Manager, where he served as chief economist and member of the city’s Bond Financing Team. In the 1980s and ‘90s, his experience included serving as CEO of a state-wide nonprofit corporation that provided residential treatment services to adolescents, and as Assistant Commissioner Finance for Texas Department of Human Services’ and served as the Texas Medicaid Budget Director, the third largest in the U.S.

Mr. Hawes holds a bachelor of arts in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a master of arts in public administration from the University of Houston. His articles on public financing methods have been published in Houston Economics and Urban Growth and Decision-Making. A member of the Council of Development Finance Agencies, he is a frequent workshop presenter and adviser to Texas cities and counties regarding public financing and incentives issues.

Brendan Heil

TIF Legal & Procedural Nuts & Bolts
Wednesday June 26 1:00 - 2:15 PM

Of Counsel
Bricker Graydon

Brendan Heil is a seasoned attorney in Bricker Graydon's Political Subdivision group. Brendan has extensive experience handling a variety of municipal law issues, including counseling cities and private entities on economic development transactions, public finance, legislation, eminent domain, annexation, land use, and zoning. Brendan is also well-versed in handling litigation matters for public and private clients in federal and state courts, including land use and zoning disputes, complex commercial class actions, and multi-district litigation.

In his previous position as the Law Director for the City of Sandusky, Brendan was the chief legal officer for the city overseeing all civil litigation, legal transactions, legislation, and advising city officials on a wide variety of municipal law issues. As law director, Brendan was the lead attorney managing economic development projects that involved public financing, incentives, and tax abatement, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact for the city.

Earlier in his career, Brendan served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Russ Kendig of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Ohio, where he managed trial proceedings, wrote opinions, drafted legal memoranda, and conducted legal research on bankruptcy and litigation issues before the Court.

Caren Kay

The Basics of TIF Underwriting & Deal Making
Thursday June 27 12:15 - 2:00 PM

Vice President
SB Friedman Development Advisors

Caren specializes in urban economics, land use planning and real estate development. Her experience at SB Friedman includes a financial analysis to assist in the negotiation and structuring of a public-private partnership for redevelopment of the former Michael Reese Hospital site in Chicago and market assessments for two Urban Renewal Districts in Boise, Idaho, which were used during a public improvement feasibility planning process. Prior to joining SB Friedman, Caren spent time working as a Mayoral Fellow in the Chicago Mayors Office where she was involved with the launch of the Retail Thrive Zone Program and prepared preliminary research for the Industrial Growth Zone Program. Caren holds a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University with a concentration in Economic Development Planning, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning from Miami University. She is a member of the American Planning Association (Illinois and Ohio Chapters), and is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois.

Naina Magon

Combining & Leveraging TIF with Other Tools
Thursday June 27 3:45 - 5:00 PM

Principal
Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP

Naina Magon has over 25 years in economic development, planning and finance experience in municipal government and consulting at the city, county and regional levels. She has served both public and private sector clients in facilitating new investment and development/revitalization efforts through creative and implementable solutions, including financing of public infrastructure and projects. Naina has worked with communities in evaluating their current economic situation, identifying opportunities, and developing strategic plans with solutions to move forward. She has successfully combined her passion for planning and economic development, allowing her to create and implement comprehensive and inclusive solutions for communities, with the goal of enhancing prosperity and fostering growth.

As a Principal with Hawes Hill & Associates, she has been involved in the creation and management of special districts including Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones and Municipal Management Districts, throughout the State of Texas. She specializes in assessing existing conditions and needs, project feasibility, financial analysis, project implementation and development agreements. Her background in economic development and planning along with her experience in development finance have allowed her to work with clients in crafting solutions and creative financing mechanisms for funding public infrastructure and achieving community goals.

Naina has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Calgary and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Texas A & M University. She has worked with communities all over Texas and served on several panels speaking on the creative use of public financing in achieving community goals.

Michael Ringle

The Most Overlooked TIF Element: Addressing Buy-in Public Policy
Wednesday June 26 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Attorney
Bricker Graydon

Mike Ringle serves as an attorney within the firm’s public finance team, partnering with private and public entities of all types and sizes to help them fund their capital projects. He is knowledgeable of both public law and innovative financing structures, guiding his clients throughout each phase of routine and complex transactions.

As a certified public accountant (CPA), Mike is qualified to offer counsel on state and local tax matters. Additionally, he has vast experience working within public offices, allowing him to understand his clients’ position in unique transactions, including the formation of port authorities, energy special improvement districts, joint economic development districts, new community authorities, and the implementation of real property tax exemptions.

As an accountant, elected official, and attorney, Michael has been trusted in overseeing public projects involving billions of dollars and has managed large portfolios of real property and other assets.

Previously, Michael held various professional roles with national, state, and local entities, including Delaware County, the Ohio Treasurer of State, the Ohio House of Representatives, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, and the United States Senate. He is also a former tax associate with global accounting firm KPMG.

Andy Struckhoff

The Most Overlooked TIF Element: Addressing Buy-in Public Policy
Wednesday June 26 4:00 - 5:00 PM

President
PGAV Planners, LLC

Andy Struckhoff brings to PGAV a variety of skills in economic and community development. Andy’s professional career includes both public and private sector experience. Andy has led underwriting activities analyzing potential acquisitions, tax increment financing planning activities including composing redevelopment plans and cost/benefit analyses, business retention and recruitment projects, undertook return analysis activities and also performed a variety of demographic analyses. Andy works with communities to develop solutions regarding open space, neighborhood, downtown planning, and public financing. His breadth of experience allows him to engage in projects as varied as land use policy, fiscal impact analyses, and market analyses. He also works with communities to develop effective policies and guidelines for using public incentives to attract private development.

Max Ungerman

TIF Legal & Procedural Nuts & Bolts
Wednesday June 26 1:00 - 2:15 PM

Attorney
Bricker Graydon

Max Ungerman is a public finance attorney who works with public sector entities to help them finance a variety of development projects. He is experienced in tax increment financing (TIF), community reinvestment area (CRA) incentives, transformational mixed-use development (TMUD) tax crediting, new community authority (NCA) implementation, project and ground lease incentives, and property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, guiding clients through all proceedings and every stage of these transactions. Additionally, he has also worked with the formation of joint economic development districts (JEDD).

Max has extensive administrative experience supporting municipalities and other public entities with their legal needs. He drafts ordinances and resolutions on behalf of municipalities and works with municipal officials for document execution. He also creates client engagement letters, drafts inducement letters, and incorporates edits into township law books. Some of his additional skills include compiling school district annual reporting disclosures, utilizing school bonds on OMAC and EMMA, filing entity articles of incorporation, drafting and filing DTE Form 24s, conducting legislation legal research, and utilizing county auditor and recorder data.

As a former public sector fellow with Bricker Graydon, Max gained experience within the education, public finance, and construction industries and is well-versed in legal transactions in several areas of public law. His specific experience includes working with local school districts in areas such as property tax proceedings, funding applications, and competitive bidding contracts.