LEADERSHIP PROFILES DANIEL L. GOODWIN

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DANIEL L. GOODWIN

Founder

The Inland Real Estate Group, LLC

Daniel L. Goodwin was Founder, Chairman and CEO of The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc. ("Inland"), headquartered on a 28-acre campus in Oak Brook, Illinois. Founded by Goodwin in 1968, Inland specializes in creating, developing and supporting separate real estate investment and financial companies. Over more than 50 years, Inland entities have collectively raised over $26 billion in capital, conducted over $80 billion in commercial real estate transactions, and sponsored over 800 investment programs, including 8 public REITs. Inland has owned and managed hundreds of millions of square feet of commercial property across the country in all real estate sectors, including Apartments, Industrial, Medical, Office, Self-Storage, Retail, and Student Housing. As a group, Inland entities comprise one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate and finance organizations with experience in real estate investing, commercial real estate brokerage, real estate securities, land development, construction and mortgage banking and commercial lending,

Mr. Goodwin was the former Chairman of the Board of Inland Real Estate Corporation (IRC), a public company that was listed on the NYSE. In addition, he was the founder of the Retail Properties of America REIT, which is also listed on the NYSE as RPAI. Two other Inland sponsored corporations have merged with publicly traded companies. He was the founding Chairman of the National Association of Real Estate Trusts (NAREIT) Non-traded REIT Council. In addition, Mr. Goodwin was Chairman of the Board of Inland Bancorp, a multi-bank holding company sold to Byline Bank in 2023, and he was past Vice Chairman of the Chicago Better Government Association. Mr. Goodwin passed away at the age of 80 in January of 2024. 

Career Summary

Mr. Goodwin was a legendary figure in the real estate industry for over 50 years, and he demonstrated a lifelong interest in affordable housing-related issues. He was a member of the National Association of REALTORS® President’s Circle, the National Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame, the Illinois Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame and The Chicago Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame. During his legendary career, he developed thousands of housing units in the Midwest, New England, Florida and the Southwest. He was also the author of two nationally recognized real estate reference books for the management of multi-family residential properties. Mr. Goodwin served for 10 years on the Board of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Trust Fund. He was an advisor for the Office of Housing Coordination Services of the State of Illinois and was a founding member of the Illinois State Affordable Housing Conference. He also completed the definitive DuPage County Affordable Housing Study as Chairman of the DuPage County Affordable Housing Task Force. In 1994, Mr. Goodwin founded New Directions Housing Corporation, a not-for-profit developer of affordable housing for low income residents throughout Illinois.

Education

A product of Chicago-area elementary and high schools, Mr. Goodwin obtained his Bachelor’s Degree and his Master’s Degree from Illinois state universities. Following graduation, he taught for five years in the Chicago Public Schools. He served as a member of the Board of Governors of Illinois State Colleges and Universities, and served for 10 years as the Chairman of Northeastern Illinois University. He has been Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Benedictine University for 20 years. Northeastern's College of Education and Benedictine's College of Business are both named after Mr. Goodwin. Mr. Goodwin continued his commitment to education through his work with the BBF Family Services’ Pilot Elementary School in Chicago, and the funding and development of the Inland Vocational Training Center for the Handicapped at Little City in Palatine, Illinois. He established an endowment for the funding of a perpetual college scholarship program for inner-city disadvantaged youth and also instituted a program to transition disabled students from school to the workplace.

Public Service

Mr. Goodwin’s passionate focus on ethics in business led to Inland winning the coveted Better Business Bureau Annual Ethics Award three times in 2009, 2014 and 2019, . Additionally, Inland received the prestigious Addams-Palmer Award for Exemplary Civic Involvement by a Chicago Institution for its focus on affordable housing, real estate investments in the community and fostering a spirit of volunteerism in its employees. Mr. Goodwin was elected Chairman of the DuPage Airport Authority, a publicly owned agency in January 2003. Prior to his appointment, the Airport suffered annual operating losses and was $26 million in debt. Since his appointment, operating losses were turned into operating profits, all airport debt was repaid, and for the first time, the government-owned airport is debt free. The Airport property tax levy was reduced from $18 million to $6 million, and the Airport has recently been rebating $1 million back to the taxpayers. The Gruen, Gruen & Associates Economic Impact Study showed that the DuPage Airport now generates over $106 million in income annually for the surrounding area.

Honors/Awards

Daniel Goodwin spent the better part of his lifetime in public service as exemplified by the following list of awards:

  • Catholic Charities – Recipient of the Affordable Housing Leader of the Year Award
  • Chicago Metropolitan Coalition on Aging – Leading Provider of Affordable Housing for Chicago’s Senior Citizens
  • DuPage Area Association of Business and Industry – First Place, Excellence in Business Award
  • The Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities – Employer of the Year
  • Chicago Association of REALTORS® – Hall of Fame
  • Illinois Association of REALTORS® – Hall of Fame
  • National Association of REALTORS® – Hall of Fame
  • Little Friends Handicapped Infant Rescue Program – Outstanding Benefactor Award
  • March of Dimes – Life Achievement Award
  • Northeastern Illinois University – Lifetime Meritorious Service Award
  • Oak Brook Area Association of Commerce and Industry – Corporate Leader of the Year
  • Oak Brook Jaycees – Outstanding Business Leader of the Year Award
  • PADS, Inc. (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) – Leading Provider of Transitional Housing Award for the Homeless People of DuPage County
  • YWCA, DuPage District – Corporate Recognition Award for Commitment to the Advancement of Women in the Workplace
  • Northeastern Illinois University – Honorary Doctorate
  • Better Business Bureau – Winner of the 2009, 2014 & 2017 Ethics in Business Award
  • NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) – Visionary Partner Award
  • Little City – Man of the Year
  • Better Boys Foundation – Two time Chairman of the National Football League Players Association Awards Benefiting Inner-City Youth
  • Austin Career Education Center – Leading Supporter of Literacy Award
  • IHDA – Trust Fund Award for Outstanding Contribution to Affordable Housing
  • Benedictine University – Outstanding Trustee of the Decade Award
  • DuPage County Airport Authority – Outstanding Leadership Award
  • DuPage County Affordable Housing Task Force – Highest Achievement Award for Affordable Housing Efforts
  • The Business Ledger Newspaper – Outstanding DuPage Business Leader Award
  • DuPage Home Ownership Center – Robert Christ Award for Outstanding Service to Affordable Housing
  • Boy Scouts of America – Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award
  • Women’s Council of Realtors - Elevate Award – In recognition of advancement opportunities for women throughout the Inland companies
  • Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce - Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award – Honoring Inland for the large number of women executives in senior management positions
  • DuPage County Historical Museum - Making a Historical Difference Award
  • West Suburban Philanthropic Network - 2015 Philanthropist of the Year Award
  • Village of Oak Brook - Resolution of Appreciation
  • Investment Program Association - Lifetime Achievement Award
  • National Association of REALTORS® - 2015 Good Neighbor Award Winner
  • American Business Awards – Gold Stevie Award for Executive of the Year – Real Estate
  • Better Government Association Watchdog Award for 2016
  • Illinois Association of REALTORS® - 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Better Government Association – Named the Watchdog Award in Honor of Daniel L. Goodwin
  • The Executives' Club of Chicago - 2018 Corporate Citizen of the Year Award
  • Better Business Bureau - 2019 Torchbearer Award
  • Illinois Real Estate Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award -- 2023

 

The Making A Historical Difference Documentary


 

The National Association of REALTORS® Good Neighbor Award