C-Level Awards 2026: Stu Wangard, Executive Chairman, Wangard Partners

Stu Wangard is executive chairman of Wangard Partners, a commercial real estate firm recognized as a leader in the development of large and complex mixed-use projects across North America.

With more than four decades of experience in the real estate industry, Wangard has been involved in more than $3 billion in real estate transactions throughout the Midwest.

As executive chairman, Wangard oversees a firm that is distinctively positioned across multiple asset classes within the commercial real estate sector. He has built the organization around a commitment to the highest industry standards and a collaborative approach to development, bringing together key stakeholders and a specialized network of leading professionals to advance mixed-use projects.

Wangard serves as a member of the national NAIOP board of directors. He also serves on the national tax and finance committee, previously served as a director of the infrastructure and environment committee, and participates as a guest lecturer at NAIOP national conferences. His engagement with NAIOP reflects a long-standing dedication to advancing industry knowledge and best practices at the national level.

Throughout his career, Wangard has cultivated a reputation as one of the Midwest’s leading real estate developers, building Wangard Partners into a firm recognized for its diversity in asset classes and its capacity to execute complex, high-value projects.