Christopher G. Kennedy is President of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI). MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 West Mart Center/ Chicago Apparel Center in Chicago; The Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington, D.C.; The Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York™ in New York City; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza, Hamilton Market and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, NC; the L.A. Mart® in Los Angeles, CA., and the Boston Design Center in Boston, MA.

MMPI is a division of New Jersey-based Vornado Realty Trust (VNO), which purchased MMPI along with The Merchandise Mart, Chicago Apparel Center, the Washington Design Center and Washington Office Center from the Kennedy family in 1998. The Mart and 350 West Mart Center in Chicago together comprise the largest wholesale trade center in the United States. The mixed-use complex encompasses 6.2 million square feet.

Mr. Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College in 1986 and a master’s of management from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University in 1994.

Mr. Kennedy is involved with several companies. He sits on the board of directors of Ariel Mutual Funds and serves on the board of directors of the Interface Floor Covering Company. He also serves on the board of various privately held companies.

Mr. Kennedy also is involved in numerous civic organizations in Chicago, including the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the City Club of Chicago, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago and The Commercial Club of Chicago.