On the heels of the announcement that 26-year Executive VP John Brennen was departing from the Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI), the company has reorganized its senior management team under the direction of Myron Maurer, a 27-year MMPI veteran who assumed leadership of the organization one year ago. The team now consists of Katherine Flaherty, Julia Chappell, Byron Morton, Madeleine Tullier and Susan McCullough.

“Our goal is to create an organizational structure that optimizes synergies between industry groups, better serves our customers and clients, and aligns our efforts and individual strengths,” said Maurer. “We’re reinforcing to the industry that we have a strong, experienced and dedicated team in place. We’ve reallocated our personnel in a careful and well-planned manner following Brennen’s departure.”

Myron Maurer and Katherine Flaherty

Flaherty, VP of building products and special projects, who is responsible for the Architects & Designers Building in New York and launching LuxeHome®, the kitchen and bath retail concept in Chicago, will now oversee residential home furnishings leasing at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Flaherty has more than 30 years of industry experience and has been a part of the MMPI leadership team for more than 20 years.

McCullough, senior VP who has been with MMPI for more than 25 years and oversees MMPI's Trade Show division, will now oversee the International Casual Furnishings and Accessories Market and Pre-Market. Tullier will also serve as a member of McCullough’s tradeshow team.

Chappell will continue to lead the Mart's residential home furnishings marketing efforts; Morton, a 10-year MMPI veteran, will continue as VP of Leasing, managing the Casual Market and NeoCon leasing efforts at the Mart; and Tullier, director of sales for the Casual shows for the past seven years, will continue to head those sales efforts.

During the past two years, MMPI improved and reorganized The Mart's design center, casual furnishings and gift permanent showrooms and invested significantly in infrastructure to make The Mart the epicenter for commerce across multiple industries, including a new Design Center Resource Lounge on the 14th floor.

“Over 100 showroom partners have renovated and upgraded their spaces in the last two years,” said Maurer. “The Mart assisted in these efforts…and in the future, there will be continued investment by The Mart, including upgraded and improved common areas, way-finding and beneficial amenities for all our partners, clients and visitors.”