Young Professionals Breakfast Series: Chicago with David Schwartz, CEO, Chairman and Co-Founder, Waterton
Mr. Schwartz co-founded Waterton with Peter Vilim in 1995 and serves as CEO and Chairman. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for strategic decisions and leadership of the firm’s business activities and operations and participates on the Leadership and Investment Committees.
Prior to co-founding Waterton in 1995, Mr. Schwartz was a vice president of acquisitions for Equity Residential Properties Trust (EQR-NYSE) and was with AMLI Realty Co.
Mr. Schwartz holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is a member of the executive committee, and former chairman of the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC). He serves on the Global Board of Directors and is a Global Governing Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is a former chair of the ULI Multifamily Blue Council. Mr. Schwartz is also a board member of the Columbia Business School Real Estate Forum, the Merrllville Metals Recycling Board, and the Jewish Federation of Chicago Board, where he is the 2025–2026 Annual Campaign Co chair. He is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) and serves on the Advisory Council for the Pritzker School of Medicine and the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago. He is also a member of the Strategic Advancement Committee for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.