Kenneth A. McHugh, J.D.
Career Highlights
President, CEO
Ken McHugh is a nationally recognized expert in facility development and operations, with a special focus on non-for-profit institutions. His unique vision and extensive track record in this area has been officially recognized by The City of Chicago.
Prior to launching IPM in 2003, Ken served as the Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for DePaul University. During his tenure at DePaul, he pioneered innovative mixed-use developments that combined academic, retail and office space. These breakthrough developments enabled the university to keep pace with its rapidly growing student population while minimizing tuition increases.
A notable example from this period was the transformation of the historic Goldblatt’s department store into the DePaul Center. This $70 million renovation in Chicago’s downtown anchored DePaul’s Loop Campus and energized the South State Street area. The DePaul Center elegantly blends academic space with retail and governmental office space for the City of Chicago. In November of 2000, the Urban Land Institute presented the DePaul Center with its prestigious Award for Excellence for Rehabilitation.
During McHugh’s twenty years at DePaul, the University exceeded $500 million in construction projects, with an enrollment of more than 24,000 students and annual revenue approaching $400 million. Ken was responsible for the university’s public financing, including three tax-exempt bond issues between 1992 and 2003. The university had $170 million in outstanding Illinois Educational Facilities Authority revenue bonds in 2001, financing new construction and renovations while enabling tuition to be spent on academics and student services. Ken continues to serve as the Executive Vice President Emeritus for the Real Estate Center at DePaul University. He is also the former President of the Education Advancement Fund, a not-for-profit organization created by Columbia College, DePaul University and Roosevelt University to develop, own, and manage the University Center of Chicago, a 1700 bed shared student residence. In 2005 the University Center of Chicago was awarded Project of the Year by Midwest Construction Magazine.
McHugh holds a law degree from ITT—Chicago Kent College of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.
- Member of the Illinois Bar Association
- Licensed Real Estate Broker
- Certified Mediator
- Member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers
- Committee Chair of the Alexian Brothers Medical Center Board of Trustees
- Member of NACUBO, Phi Kappa Phi, Ely Lamda Alpha