Mr. Freel joined the Empire team in 2021 and currently serves as Managing Director of Development. His responsibilities include overseeing and developing Empire’s national land development, and in particular the residential build for rent communities, including all aspects of acquisition, due diligence, planning, entitlements, financing, construction and leasing. In the 14 years immediately prior to joining Empire, Mr. Freel served as the Manager, Owner and Founder of Vine Properties, LLC, a custom home building and real estate development company focusing its operations in the Western Suburbs of Chicago where he purchased, developed and constructed over $100 MM in real estate, primarily focusing on residential construction. Prior to that Mr. Freel spent 11 years working with Deloitte and KPMG focusing on mergers and acquisition due diligence on large multi-national transactions, including Supervalu’s $17.4 Billion acquisition of Alberston’s and Alberto-Culver’s $3 Billion spin off of Sally Beauty Co., among other transactions. Mr. Freel also focused on complex tax planning strategies, structured leasing, structured financing, and other tax advantaged transactions, serving as engagement manager on engagements for many large clients, including, Bank of Montreal, AEGON USA, ABN Amro, Harley Davidson and others. Mr. Freel worked for a Chicago law firm as a corporate and taxation attorney prior to joining Deloitte and KPMG. In 1991, Mr. Freel graduated from the Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Mr. Freel received is CPA certification from Arizona State Board of Accountancy in 1993. Mr. Freel attended DePaul University College of Law and received his J.D. in 1996. Mr. Freel was an Editor, Writer and the Business Manager of the DePaul Law Review. Recipient of KPMG’s Encore Award for his participation in the structured financing of the St. Louis Cardinals new baseball stadium, which opened 2006.
Bryan Freel
Mr. Freel joined the Empire team in 2021 and currently serves as Managing Director of Development. His responsibilities include overseeing and developing Empire’s national land development, and in particular the residential build for rent communities, including all aspects of acquisition, due diligence, planning, entitlements, financing, construction and leasing. In the 14 years immediately prior to joining Empire, Mr. Freel served as the Manager, Owner and Founder of Vine Properties, LLC, a custom home building and real estate development company focusing its operations in the Western Suburbs of Chicago where he purchased, developed and constructed over $100 MM in real estate, primarily focusing on residential construction. Prior to that Mr. Freel spent 11 years working with Deloitte and KPMG focusing on mergers and acquisition due diligence on large multi-national transactions, including Supervalu’s $17.4 Billion acquisition of Alberston’s and Alberto-Culver’s $3 Billion spin off of Sally Beauty Co., among other transactions. Mr. Freel also focused on complex tax planning strategies, structured leasing, structured financing, and other tax advantaged transactions, serving as engagement manager on engagements for many large clients, including, Bank of Montreal, AEGON USA, ABN Amro, Harley Davidson and others. Mr. Freel worked for a Chicago law firm as a corporate and taxation attorney prior to joining Deloitte and KPMG. In 1991, Mr. Freel graduated from the Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Mr. Freel received is CPA certification from Arizona State Board of Accountancy in 1993. Mr. Freel attended DePaul University College of Law and received his J.D. in 1996. Mr. Freel was an Editor, Writer and the Business Manager of the DePaul Law Review. Recipient of KPMG’s Encore Award for his participation in the structured financing of the St. Louis Cardinals new baseball stadium, which opened 2006.
