Mark Matthews

Chairman & CEO

Mr. Matthews is the founding partner of the Argent Group and currently acts as Chairman and CEO. With more than 30 years of experience in real estate development, Mr. Matthews was largely responsible for the successful redevelopment of the North and Clybourn area in Chicago from an under-utilized, quasi-industrial corridor to what is today one of the busiest retail districts outside the Magnificent Mile. Mr. Matthews has planned, developed, constructed and marketed over $500 million in commercial real estate development transactions throughout his career. As Chairman and CEO of the Argent Group, Mr. Matthews oversees the acquisitions, development, leasing, and marketing. Prior to forming Argent Group in 1985, Mr. Matthews was an independent real estate developer and built the investment brokerage company of Hallmark and Johnson Properties. 


☎ CONTACT

[email protected]
(312)933-2375

Edwin Gausselin

EVP & General Counsel

Edwin A. Gausselin is Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Argent Group. Mr. Gausselin has a unique and diverse skill-set with over 20 years of experience in real estate law, finance, development and business operations. Mr. Gausselin is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and has overseen numerous development projects through the acquisition, entitlement, financing, construction, and operations.  Prior to joining the Argent Group, Mr. Gausselin was the Senior Vice President of Development for The Prime Group, Inc., a prominent development firm having developed over $10 billion of institutional quality real estate. While at Prime, Mr. Gausselin was involved in the over $1.0 Billion of development projects which included his successful negotiation of a tax increment financing agreement with the City of Country Club Hills to provide over $42,000,000 in TIF financing to the construction of 450,000 SF outlet mall. Prior to joining The Prime Group, Inc., Mr. Gausselin was the founding principal and CEO of a group of legal, finance and real estate-related companies, primary of which was Universal Financial Group, Inc. with offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Arizona, Massachusetts, Maryland and Nevada.   Mr. Gausselin received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois, Champaign / Urbana in 1988 and his J.D. from Loyola University Law School where he attended from 1988 through 1991. 


☎ CONTACT

[email protected]
(708)774-7149

Chris Matthews

Senior Vice President

Mr. Matthews has extensive experience in the acquisition, development, re-positioning, marketing and leasing of retail and mixed-use properties.  As Senior Vice President, Mr. Matthews manages a broad range of development activities including new project ideation and origination, due diligence, acquisition, feasibility analysis, financing, entitlement and investor relations.  Prior to joining the Argent Group, Mr. Matthews was Development Coordinator with the Harlem Irving Companies, a nationally recognized leader in the development of retail and mixed-use properties. Working directly with the President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Matthews was instrumental in the management and development of retail and mixed-use projects throughout the Midwest; valued in excess of $1.5 billion, consisting of over 4 million square feet of retail and 1,500 residential units.  As Development Coordinator, Mr. Matthews’ roles included coordination of project origination, due-diligence, feasibility, public and private financing, entitlement, marketing, and leasing of retail and mixed-use projects. Mr. Matthews holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, ICSC NextGen, Urban Land Institute, and Young Real Estate Professionals.


☎ CONTACT

[email protected]
(847)814-9694