Christopher Ilekis

Principal

Christopher Ilekis is the owner and founder of Vequity and its affiliated companies, with a focus on commercial real estate transactions since 2003. In that time, he’s represented over 500 lease and sale transactions for both national and local clients. His deep expertise in all aspects of the industry including development, design, finance, construction, and legal has contributed to Vequity’s success—including developing numerous retail projects valued over $200M in the last five years alone.

Christopher is also the owner and founder of Vequity Construction, a Chicago-based general contracting firm specializing in multi-unit facilities for local and global retailers, healthcare providers, and mixed-use commercial buildings in both urban and suburban locations nationally. Vequity Construction works in collaboration with its clients and its talented design and construction professionals to provide a trustworthy, transparent, and reliable construction process.

Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA) is a full-service retail real estate brokerage firm, started by Ilekis. VREA exclusively represents some of the world’s top retail brands and helps manage their real estate site selection process both locally and nationally.

Kim Ward

Operations Manager

Kim manages our overall operations and organizational processes for the development team as well as oversees all marketing efforts. Her wealth of administrative and leadership experience has been invaluable. Prior to joining Vequity, she spent four years as an Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Sales at Automatic Data Processing, a Fortune 500 Company. Kim earned her bachelor’s in public relations from Illinois State University and is a licensed real estate broker.

Zach Smrt

Managing Director

Zach is the Managing Director of Vequity Construction. Zach is responsible for managing all of Vequity Construction’s projects nationwide. He has extensive construction experience in retail, multi-family, hotels, senior-living, community centers, medical office buildings, and parking structures.

Prior to joining Vequity, Zach spent 10 years as a Senior Project Manager at McShane Construction. 

He is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. Zach is an LEED Accredited Professional. 

Kevin Guerin

Controller

Kevin is innovation-focused and passionate about enhancing investor value through improving the speed, accuracy, and reliability of financial information through process automation. He has significant experience in real estate accounting and financial analysis with a focus in commercial, industrial, and residential asset types. Kevin holds a Master’s in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Accountancy from Miami University. He’s also a Certified Public Accountant.

Mitch Hinderliter

Senior Project Manager

Mitch Hinderliter is a Project Manager for Vequity Construction LLC.  Mitch is responsible for tasks including gathering and distributing bid documents, qualifying subcontractor bids, negotiating and awarding subcontracts, scheduling, and the day-to-day communication with all members of the project team to ensure jobs remain on schedule and within budget.  

Mitch began his career in 2006 as a carpenter. Between 2010 and 2016, he travelled around the United States building for various clients as a project superintendent.  Performing and supervising field work for years, Mitch has thorough knowledge of "why" and "how" building processes should commence and occur.  

Throughout his career, Mitch has had the privilege of experiencing working with an array of clientele.  From restaurant groups like McDonald's, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, and Maggiano’s, to health and wellness centers such as Massage heights, CorePower Yoga, and Xsport Fitness.  He has also successfully completed many design builds, and large interior office renovations in high-rise or historical buildings. 

Frank Gerardi

Senior Project Estimator

Frank Gerardi is a Senior Project Estimator for Vequity Construction LLC.  Frank is responsible for tasks including gathering and distributing bid documents, qualifying subcontractor bids, negotiating and awarding subcontracts, scheduling, and the day-to-day communication with all members of the project team to ensure jobs remain on schedule and within budget.  

Frank comes to Vequity Construction with a B.S. in Construction Management from Illinois State University. He has been working as an estimator since 1996, at the start of his career. Frank has extensive experience in design build for several different project types including residential, retail, industrial, office, tenant-improvement, multi-family, and high-end restaurant builds. 

Jose Alvarado

Project Manager

As a Project Manager for Vequity Construction LLC.  Jose is responsible for tasks including gathering and distributing bid documents, qualifying subcontractor bids, negotiating and awarding subcontracts, scheduling, and the day-to-day communication and documentation of projects to help ensure projects move forward to completion on-time and on-budget with all members of the project team to ensure jobs remain on schedule and within budget.  

Jose began his career in 2005 as a commercial and industrial painter. In 2015 Jose started his career as a carpenter. Between 2017 and 2020, He works with clients as a project superintendent.  

Throughout his career,  has had the privilege of experiencing working with an array of clientele like Egg harbor, Panera bread, Uncle Julio’s, Andy’s Frozen Custard, Pups Pet Club, Dogtopia, Bach to rock, and LifeStance health.  He has also successfully completed many design builds for large interior office renovations in high-rise and historical buildings for LEVEL Offices. 

Zach Danna

Project Manager

As a Project Manager at Vequity Construction, Zach handles day-to-day coordination with all members of the project team, subcontractor negotiations, and documentation of projects to help ensure projects move forward to completion on-time and on-budget.

Zach comes to Vequity Construction with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. Prior to working at Vequity, Zach spent two years working as a project manager for a national design-builder, running projects from conceptual design to final turnover. He has had the privilege of working on projects for both Fortune 500 companies and family owned businesses in the light manufacturing and industrial sector.

Shen Krizic

Accounting Manager

As an Accounting Manager at Vequity Construction, Shen handles day-to-day accounts payables and cash activities for all active construction projects.

Prior to working at Vequity, Shen had years of working experience as a project accountant for various real estate firms including Pioneer Acquisitions, Kennedy Wilson, ALL Construction Group and so on.

She has worked with City of Chicago, Cook County, Chicago Park District, CPS, Nordstrom, Starbuck, Hilton hotels and more. Her experience in real estate ranges from residential, commercial, and industrial. Outside of work, Shen is an active volunteer with local housing non-profit and foundations that help to address affordable housing and homeless issues.

Stephen Konroyd

Project Coordinator

Maggie Madro

Marketing Coordinator

Maggie is the Marketing Coordinator in Vequity’s Chicago office, she partners with the brokerage team in creating and coordinating presentations and portfolios for both internal and external partners.

Maggie graduated from the University of Missouri in 2020 with a Multimedia Journalism Degree. From there she spent a year serving with City Year Chicago, where she served as a student success coach, helping students from Chicago build on their strengths and cultivate social, emotional, and academic skills.

Jeremy Larsen

General Superintendent