Alf McConnell
Liberty Mortgage and Development
Evanston, IL 60201
Developer in Wisconsin/Illinois
Phone (847) 491-9707
Developer in Wisconsin/Illinois
Specialties
Investment Sales Broker
Property Types
Land
Markets
Chicago, Milwaukee/Madison
Bio
Mr. McConnell was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois. He earned a B.S. degree in Economics
in 1967 and an M.B.A., with a concentration in Finance, in 1970, both degree from the University of
Wisconsin in Madison. From August 1970 through February 1971, he was employed by Peat, Marwick,
Mitchell and Company (since renamed KPMG Peat Marwick), the largest public accounting firm in the
world at that time.
Between 1971 and 1980, Mr. McConnell was associated with two diversified real estate
companies, both of which allowed him to develop real estate for his own account. From March 1971
through March 1979, he was associated with McElvain-Reynolds Co., where he was consistently the
leading loan officer during his last five years. From April 1979 through May 1980, Mr. McConnell was
associated with Draper & Kramer, Inc., where he was again the leading loan officer. In these positions,
he consulted with the owners of and was responsible for the structuring and financing of several hundred
million dollars’ worth of real estate, including apartment properties, shopping centers, condominium
projects, office buildings, hotels, industrial properties, special purpose properties, and real estate-related
bond transactions.
In July 1980, Mr. McConnell founded Liberty Mortgage & Development Company in Chicago.
Since 1973, Mr. McConnell has developed, owned, and managed real estate for his personal
account. As such, he has been instrumental in the development and redevelopment of numerous
residential and commercial properties located in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado,
California, and Illinois. One such development was the winner of the coveted “Pillars of the Industry
Awards” competition, which recognized this property as the best project of its kind in the nation. Another
of his developments was selected as a finalist in another national development competition. An office
property developed by Mr. McConnell is one of the finest multi-tenant office buildings of its kind ever
developed as of that time. Additionally, Mr. McConnell owns several parcels of vacant land (ready for
development); was an owner of a non-real estate-related business with annual revenues of $18,000,000
(1991 dollars); was the founder and owner of a private cable TV company.
Furthermore, a substantial portion of Mr. McConnell’s time, money, and efforts have been
utilized in supporting various non-profit causes. Specifically, he organized his 10-year, 25-year, 37½-
year, and 50-year high school reunions (a class of 775 students), the McElvain-Reynolds company
reunion, and his 40-year college fraternity reunion; was the founder, producer, and sponsor of two
separate non-profit world-music benefit concert series (fourteen concerts), donating all the net proceeds to
local charities; has been an annual sponsor, contributor, and supporter of Milwaukee Irish Fest
(considered to be the largest and best Irish festival in the world), the former Chicago Celtic Fest, the
Celtic Colours International Festival (Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada), and the Old Town
School of Folk Music; is the founder of a non-profit world-music record label; donated the KueblerLange Model of the USS Constitution (valued in 1975 at $1,000,000) to the USS Constitution Museum in
Boston; was the first swimmer in history to shave his head for a swimming meet, a practice that later
spread throughout competitive swimming world and then to other sports.
Current and past professional associations:
• University of Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association
• National Council of State Housing Agencies
• National Association of Industrial and Office Parks
• Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association
• Mortgage Bankers Association of America
