The name of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) may not be instantly recognizable, but one entity the organization develops, owns, and operates is U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, just blocks away from IIT’s Main Campus. As ISFA’s chief executive officer, Perri Irmer is responsible for all facets of the construction, renovation, and maintenance of U.S. Cellular Field and its surrounding property.
After working at the architectural firms of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Holabird & Root, Irmer expanded into the real estate, construction, and public service sectors, and went on to obtain a juris doctor in 1991. With her unique background, Irmer has attained such positions as deputy commissioner for the City of Chicago Department of Buildings, assistant general counsel for the Chicago Board of Education, and vice president with Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
Before coming to ISFA, Irmer was senior vice president for Mesirow Stein Development Services, Inc., where she managed intergovernmental, regulatory, and affirmative-action issues for the $850 million McCormick Place West Expansion Project. For her accomplishments, Irmer was honored with the IIT Professional Achievement Award in 2007.