Background and History

In the mid-1990s, real estate executives at First Interstate Bank, now part of Wells Fargo, asked for my assistance on a back-office consolidation.  I replied that I wasn't comfortable using the traditional spreadsheet approach because there were so many factors to consider.  I explained that in other disciplines, planners used "optimization modeling" techniques to evaluate the quantitative trade-offs.  Then, by changing goals and assumptions, we could develop a set of alternatives that decision makers could compare, evaluating the qualitative and subjective trade-offs and finally picking the best solution.

Since then, I've completed many consulting projects using Core Planning, adding additional functionality as needed for each project.  I've worked with Cisco, Google, PacifiCare Health Systems (now part of United Health Group), Manulife Financial, US Bank and others.  On a project for The Hartford, we didn't have time to extend Core Planning for their needs.  I was left using spreadsheets for their regional plan.  I hope that I never have to use spreadsheets for these projects again.  

Having developed and tested the basic intellectual property for this approach on consulting projects, I'm now exploring how Core Planning can be extended so that an organization's planners and advisors can use it on their own.  I’m looking for a few organizations to be client partners, whose planners could work with me to refine the functionality as they use Core Planning on their projects.  

If you would like to know more about Core Planning and how your organization could benefit from applying advanced analytics for your planning projects, please contact me using the Contact page or use the form to the right. 

Biography, Jane Mather, Ph.D.

With a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University and more than twenty-years of real estate experience, my background combines the technical skills and practical real estate experience needed to apply advanced analytics for real estate planning.  On projects, I work with clients to understand the real issues, complete the right analysis, evaluate the right information, and discuss recommendations in business rather than technical language.  My other analytics projects have included portfolio visualization, option pricing models for real estate leases, and simulation analysis for assessing co-location benefits. 

My current work builds on many years of experience in different facets of the real estate industry.  At LaSalle Partners (now JLL) and at BCED (now Brookfield Development), I provided real estate investment advisory and research services.   I've also worked in property management, leasing and tenant representation.  I'm a member of CoreNet Global, IFMA and INFORMS, the leading organization for professionals in operations research, management science, and analytics.  I was Co-Chair of CoreNet Global's Strategy and Portfolio Planning Community for many years.

Before entering the real estate industry, I taught economics at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, at Dartmouth College, and at Zhongnan University of Finance and Economics in Wuhan, China.   After several years in corporate real estate, I returned to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business to develop and teach a new course on Corporate Real Estate.

In my free time, I ski, hike, bike and train search dogs.