Suburban Office Vacancy Hits Lowest Level in 14 Years

By: Ryan Ori, Crain’s Chicago Business Suburban Chicago office landlords didn’t sign any blockbuster leases in the fourth quarter, but they still had reason to toast 2015. Overall suburban vacancy fell to 18.5 percent in the period, down from 19 percent in the previous quarter and 22.6 percent a year earlier, according to Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle. Vacancy, which climbed all the way to 25.4 percent in 2010 during a downturn, is at the lowest level since third-quarter 2001. Continue reading

Illinois Moves Up to #2 in the Nation for Electrical Grid Modernization

ComEd Smart Grid project helps position Illinois for improved ranking in Grid Modernization Index

CHICAGO (Jan. 25, 2016) – In 2015 ComEd achieved record reliability for a third year in a row, much of it due to smart grid work begun in 2012. This modernization work, along with ComEd’s focus on customer engagement, helped position Illinois as the second in nation in the 2015 Grid Modernization Index (GMI).

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Seize the Future Development Foundation is Now Invest Aurora

Aurora, IL – Seize the Future Development Foundation, Aurora’s economic development partnership is now Invest Aurora. The city of Aurora launched a branding initiative in early 2015, revealing a new logo at the State of the City. Subsequently, Seize the Future Development Foundation sought to rebrand as well, with a focus to more closely align the name and look of the organization with its mission – to grow the economic vitality of the city of Aurora. As such, the Board of Directors chose to rebrand the organization as Invest Aurora. Continue reading

Mesirow Financial Named One of the Best Places to Work in Money Management

Mesirow Financial announced that it has been named among the Best Places to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments, the leading source for international money management news, research and analysis. In its category of firms with more than 1,000 employees, Mesirow Financial earned top rankings from its employees for its entrepreneurial environment, accessibility of management, camaraderie and collaboration. Mesirow Financial first earned this honor in 2013. Continue reading

Calamos Investment Team Releases January 2016 Economic Outlook

The paper explains why the team expects bifurcation and volatility to remain dominant themes in 2016, making positioning especially important. Topics covered in the piece include the firm’s perspectives on: U.S. equities, emerging markets, Europe and Japan, convertible securities, high yield opportunities, and alternative strategies. Calamos invites you to read the entire Economic Outlook at www.calamos.com/outlook. Continue reading