Our Team
Robert Palffy
Founder & CEO
Bob oversees the entire team’s work, from initiation to strategy through implementation and is deeply involved in the execution of transactional work bringing his financial and operational expertise to each project.
Bob has 35 years of tenant representation expertise in advising major corporations and professional service firms with a spectrum of services including: financial modeling, strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, structuring, and execution. His additional experiences as partner, manager, and developer provide his clients focused insight in creating real estate solutions. He has represented clients in the
acquisition and disposition of over ten million square feet of office space. Global/ National clients have included Old Republic Insurance, GEE (formerly Global Eagle Entertainment), ACT, Clark Hill PLC, Legacy.com, Edelman Public Relations, Homedco, and Ziff-Davis Publishing.
Bob’s transactional experience is diverse and includes build-to-suit and sale/leaseback projects of both branch and headquarter facilities, synthetic lease financing, the first data center transaction in Chicago, the first major furniture manufacturer lease outside of the Merchandise Mart as well as significant
lease/audit, incentives, and tax protestation projects on behalf of clients. He has participated in preferred retail development programs for retailers such as Walgreens.
Affiliations:
Lookingglass Theater Board Member, Co-chair of Facilities, Executive Committee Member
Past President University of Michigan, Greater Chicago Alumni Association
Past President Chicago Real Estate Organization
Education
University of Michigan
B.A. Economics and Political Science
University of Michigan
M.B.A. Finance and Accounting
Contact:
Phone: (312) 498-5611
Email: BPalffy@AICAFSolutions.com
Micheal Duncan
Co-Founder
Mike has significant commercial real estate experience and has been successful in leasing large city downtown office buildings in difficult markets. He has served as a portfolio manager for the ownership of large city office buildings and has also raised debt and equity for mid-cap corporations in his roles as Managing Director at Patriot Capital, Credit Suisse, and Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette.
He works with management to identify and quantify appreciated real estate value that can be used to preserve debt capacity while presenting his clients financing alternatives that support their business plan(s).
Mike presents multiple financing structures which enable clients to enter new markets, develop new products, and retool existing manufacturing plants. Clients have also used these funds to make corporate acquisitions, reduce their cost of capital employed by paying down high cost debt, or for new build-to suite facilities including data centers.
He is proven to be adept at customizing debt structures that preserve future debt capacity for the client in the face of today’s uncertainty.
Affiliations:
Former Board Member and Past Treasurer of The Chicago Children's choir
Served on two Chicago Public Schools’ Local School Councils
Education:
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, IL B.S. Accounting
University of Chicago Both School of Business M.B.A.
Contact:
Phone: (312) 953-9403
Email: MDuncan@AICAFSolutions.com
Sean Bostrom
Advisor
Sean joined the commercial real estate business in 2016. What initially drew him to the industry was the entrepreneurial aspect, which allowed him to leverage his work ethic, organizational skills, communication skills, and responsiveness. This enables him to provide clients with relevant market data
and tailored solutions for their real estate challenges and goals, using a strategic and creative approach that aligns with their business objectives. Each deal and client presents an opportunity for Sean to find
the most applicable solution for each individual company's needs.
As a former NCAA athlete, Sean is motivated by the competition to deliver the best service to his clients on a daily basis. In his free time, he continues to maintain a scratch golf handicap.
Sean Bostrom specializes in the metro Chicagoland area. Since entering the industry in 2016, he has focused on assisting and consulting public and private companies, owners, REITs, and developers in the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of industrial assets and land throughout the Chicagoland area.
During his career, Sean has been involved in over 120 transactions, with a total transaction value exceeding $95 million.
Education:
North Park University
B.S. Kinesiology
Contact:
Phone: (312)-246-9278
Email: SBostrom@AICAFSolutions.com
Your Partner in CRE Innovation
Creating Optimal Solutions For and With Our Clients
Aligned
Interests Is…
A client-focused strategic advisory for public and private companies, REITS, institutions, private equity, franchisors and franchisees that lease or own real estate.
We focus on developing optimal solutions in support of our client's long term business plan objectives.
About Us
At Aligned Interests Capital and Facility Solutions, we are proud to serve as a conflict-free commercial real estate advisor, dedicated to crafting optimal solutions that align seamlessly with our client's business objectives.
With nearly a century of collective experience, our team has excelled in a myriad of roles, including brokers, developers, managers, investment bankers, CFO of a nationally recognized company, and auditors. Our expertise spans a wide array of real estate assets, from office and industrial properties, as well as retail and hospitality spaces and REITS.
Our track record includes some of the most significant transactions in their respective markets, from leasing Sears tower after Sears relocation to Hoffman Estates, National QSR innovative financing, anchor tenant transaction for the world’s largest multi-tenant data center, development of a 6-acre athletic dome facility, 1.3 million square foot synthetic lease for national finance corporation to
complex bankruptcy proceedings. We take immense pride in our ability to think creatively and pursue every possible avenue to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
Aligned Interests Capital and Facility Solutions stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence and our relentless pursuit of results. Join us in creating success stories that resonate across the real estate industry.
Leveraging Extensive Experience for Strategic Impact
Preserving a Family Founder’s Legacy during Financial Distress
A renowned consumer goods manufacturer, facing bankruptcy and potential loss of ownership, turned to Aligned for solutions. Through an astute analysis of the company's assets and
financial standing, an Aligned principal orchestrated a sale/leaseback arrangement of key assets. This strategic move effectively safeguarded the family’s stake and their enduring legacy.
Innovative Financing for a QSR Franchisee
Aligned principals engineered the pioneering securitization of ground rent for one of the nation’s largest QSR franchisees. This groundbreaking financial product secured an interest rate for a non-credit franchisee that was lower than that of the credit-rated franchisor. The success was attributed to a transaction-based, rather than franchisee-based, structured financing approach.
Strategic Expansion for an Insurance Giant
Faced with the challenge of expanding in a small town with limited options, a prominent insurer sought the help of Aligned. Our team secured a skilled contractor to competitively renovate and
expand the existing headquarters. Furthermore, Aligned facilitated pre arranged financing for future expansions, potentially doubling the office space to accommodate growth.
Our Values
AI’s values are the 4 Cs as we seek to "foresee" challenges, opportunities, and solutions through a deep understanding and proactive approach. This requires:
Curiosity – Thinking outside the box and seeking new knowledge and understanding where ever and whenever possible.
Character – It’s what you do when nobody is watching.
Commitment - Staying dedicated to goals and solutions even in the face of obstacles.
Collaboration - Leveraging perspectives and expertise to enhance collective understanding and solutions.
Our Mission
We are the resolute. The determined. The independent thinkers.
For Aligned Interests our mission statement defines who we are as a company and why we exist and what we stand for:
Guided by our values and relentless pursuit to proactively exceed the expectations of our clients with character and commitment in every interaction and transaction.
Our Solutions
Guided by our values and relentless pursuit to proactively exceed the expectations of our clients with character and commitment in every interaction and transaction.
SALE LEASEBACK ANALYSIS & STRUCTURE
OCCUPIER REPRESENTATION
INVESTMENT ADVISORY
DEBT & EQUITY ADVISORY
ASSET DISPOSITION
MUNICIPAL INCENTIVE ADVISORY
REAL PROPERTY TAX ADVISORY
EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY
We Bring Expertise
Within Structured Products
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Franchisee Ground Rent Securitization as owner or lessee from franchisor.
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Build-to-Suit / Buy to Suit (National Market growth roll out)
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Sale Leasebacks & hybrid Equity Portfolio
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Lease vs Own Exit Plan Analysis
With Our Experience
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Book/Tax implications
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Corporate Finance/Capital Markets
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Consistently Deliver Client Focused Results Without Conflict
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Assignments from $5 million - $1 billion