Compass Development
Heather Gustafson has found her place in the world, and as the new managing director of new development at Compass, she helps others do the same. “I love real estate,” she says. “I can’t think of anything I would rather do than help determine the best use for an old parking lot and imagine all of the possibilities it presents.”
Gustafson began her career at CMK Development before leading the Heather Gustafson Group with @properties. “I feel like I am on the professional ride of my life,” she says, adding that prior to joining the real estate industry, she worked with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “I couldn’t be happier.”
While transitioning to Compass and taking on a more operational role meant facing a variety of unknowns, Gustafson was ready to take this exciting step in her career and share her talents with one of the most rapidly growing real estate companies in the country.
In her new role, Gustafson is tasked with launching the Chicago new development market for the company. She is responsible for new development strategy and oversees the collaboration between Compass, developers, creative agencies and any other strategic partners who are involved in making a new construction development project a success. “We have an amazing city with world-class new developments and taking them from inception to close is a dream for me. The Compass resources are unmatched. Our research team is extraordinary, and if my team needs a social media schedule for a project, I can call a former Facebook or Instagram employee for input and execution,” she says.
In 2017, Gustafson was named one of Chicago’s most influential brokers by Crain’s Custom Media. Previously, she’s earned the titles of Member of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year from the Women’s Council of Realtors. She is a member of the board of directors for the Chicago Association of Realtors, a former chair and current trustee for the Chicago Association of Realtors Foundation, and previously served as the president of the Women’s Council of Realtors. Gustafson is a Certified Negotiation Expert and, thanks to her years in hospitality, she’s well practiced at providing the highest level of client service.
When not working, Gustafson loves spending time with her two children, husband and their two dogs adopted from the Turks & Caicos Islands. An avid traveler, Gustafson is excited to provide her children with new adventures. “Our kids are at an age where they can tolerate a long plane ride and time zone change so we can show them the world!” she says.
