Merchandise Mart Properties Names Mark Wetzel Senior Vice President of Finance

Furniture World Magazine

Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) announced that Mark Wetzel has joined its management team as Senior Vice President of Finance. Located in its Chicago headquarters and reporting to Chris Kennedy, President of MMPI, Wetzel will be responsible for all aspects of Finance for the company’s operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. "Mark Wetzel’s REIT experience and familiarity with the many issues facing real estate firms with aggregate properties will be especially beneficial to MMPI,” said Chris Kennedy, President of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. "As owners of properties nationwide – in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, High Point, N.C., Washington, D.C., and Chicago – and as operators of 300 trade shows, conferences and events in the U.S. and throughout Canada, Mark’s large-portfolio financial experience will bring seasoned perspective that will further enhance our strong leadership team.” Wetzel has a long history in real estate finance having served most recently as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer for Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR), the largest publicly traded apartment company in the U.S. Previously he was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Wetzel holds an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a member of Financial Executives International and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year. MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 W. Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Washington Office Center in Washington, D.C. Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado's common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.