Lee R. Utke, MCR

During his career, Lee Utke has obtained extensive experience in corporate real estate, asset management and public/private real estate development. His professional credentials include experience in asset management, project management and financing, with direct experience in developing retail projects, warehouses, office buildings, and industrial/office parks.

Currently, Lee Utke is the Director, Global Corporate Real Estate for Whirlpool Corporation headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan. As the Director for Whirlpool’s global real estate organization, Lee Utke is responsible for developing an enterprise delivery organization that integrates all aspects of real estate, construction and facility management activities with Whirlpool’s operational and financial strategies. Whirlpool’s portfolio includes over 670 properties (owned and leased) consisting of 75 million square feet with a market value exceeding $3.5 billion. In addition to his department’s responsibilities, he is also a core team member on the Corporation’s M&A Team, and VP of Harbor Shores LLC, a corporation solely established to develop a 500 acre brown field project that will include a golf course, marinas, retail, hotels, and a variety of residential opportunities.

James C. Becker, International Director

Mr. Becker is Market Director and Team Leader for the Detroit Cleveland and Minneapolis (DCM) markets for Jones Lang LaSalle. In the fall of 1999, Mr. Becker transferred to Detroit to open the Jones Lang LaSalle corporate office. He is responsible for planning and implementation of real estate services for his clients on a national and global basis. His DCM Team is responsible for working with Strategic Alliance clients such as General Motors, Delphi, National City, United Health Group, Visteon, and others.

Mr. Becker has over 23 years of national transaction experience. Since opening the Detroit office, Mr. Becker and his team have been responsible for completing over 6.5 million square feet of transactions. He recently served as Co-Chair of the Road to Renaissance Aerotropolis Committee, serves as a volunteer advisor to the Alfred E. Taubman School of Architecture at the University of Michigan on its curriculum and is also a member of the Downtown Detroit Inc. Association.

Debra Homic-Hoge

Debra Homic Hoge is currently the Director of North American Operations for GM Worldwide Real Estate and is responsible for the acquisition, disposition, and redevelopment of corporate real estate throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Prior to her current position, Debra was on an international assignment in Russelsheim, Germany where she was responsible for the entire GM real estate portfolio across the European Region consisting of approximately 95 million square feet in over 21 countries.

In past positions, Debra was responsible for a retail portfolio consisting of over 400 locations with a book value of approximately $800 million. She was the President of Argonaut Holdings, Inc. and on the Board of Directors for GM-DI, both wholly-owned subsidiary of GM. Debra received her Bachelor’s degree from Oakland University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Detroit-Mercy. Debra maintains a State of Michigan Brokers License, and has also received a Master of Corporate Real Estate (MCR) designation from CoreNet, a global real estate consortium where she now serves on the State Board in Michigan.

Mike Collins

For the past eight years Mike was the director of the Global Real Estate and Facilities departments of Visteon Corporation with responsibilities for over 200 facilities in 26 countries. Prior to Visteon Mike was with Ford Motor Land where he was responsible for the global real estate department and the disposition of surplus properties.

Mike was the president of Stroh River Properties, the Stroh family real estate development company, prior to joining Ford Land. Before joining Stroh, Mike worked for the General Motors Real Estate organization for 24 years in both the engineering and Real Estate departments involved in global site selections, project management and industrial real estate programs. Mike’s real estate assignments have led to his having lived in Mexico, Japan, China, and Korea.