Buck Appoints New CFO, COO

CHICAGO-Kent A. Swanson has been promoted to CFO of the John Buck Co., replacing John O’Donnell in the position. O’Donnell, who is the firm’s vice chairman, will retain his other management responsibilities, including membership on the board of directors, the development committee and the investment committee.

Swanson, a principal of the firm, is a member of Buck’s investment committee and president of the JBC Foundation. He joined the company in 1992. His responsibilities in recent years have included all debt financing sourced for acquisition and development projects. He also has overseen transactions that include completion of the land assembly transactions and the $700-million capitalization of the nine-block North Bridge mixed-use development.

The company also announced the appointment of Paul Mertz to chief operating officer, and Charles R. Beaver, principal and director of the JBC Acquisition and Development Fund staff, to the company’s board of directors. As a result of the expansion, the board is now a five-member group that includes John A. Buck, chairman; William L. Moody, principal-in-charge of design and construction; and O’Donnell.