CHICAGOBUSINESS.COM I AUGUST 7, 2023
Northwestern flunking crisis management PR experts say the school’s vacillating message about the hazing scandal and slow response early on has only exacerbated its problems
Danny Wirtz (right) listens to his father, Rocky, during a 2019 interview with Crain’s about the 25th anniversary of the United Center. | STEPHEN J. SERIO
Attorney Ben Crump and Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti have mounted a fierce offensive against Northwestern University, barraging the college with a slew of lawsuits alleging serious hazing within its football program. As the scandal has marred Northwestern’s athletic programs and upended its potential new stadium, the school’s public relations arm has not responded quickly enough, according to crisis communications experts. “Unless everyone gets in the same room to map out and agree upon a prompt, transparent crisis response, then the longer you let the story fester, the worse it becomes,” said Ron Culp, a public relations consultant who teaches
ERIC FREDERICKS/FLICKR
By Leigh Giangreco
at DePaul University. He added that Northwestern was slow on the uptake to figure out the seriousness of the allegations. “That’s kind of where they got themselves off to a slow negative start in the public perception of what was going on there.” The school’s vacillating message
Danny Wirtz succeeds late father Rocky atop Wirtz Corp. JLL wants to unload The 46-year-old, who has been CEO of the family-owned part of its HQ space Chicago Blackhawks since 2020, will lead the fourth generation of Wirtzes I By Steve Daniels and Danny Ecker
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anny Wirtz will take his father’s titles as chairman and president of Wirtz Corp., as the fourth generation of the family that owns the Chicago Blackhawks suddenly takes leadership of a sprawling and closely held business worth billions. The Wirtz Corp. board approved the succession July 29, even as Danny Wirtz and others continued to plan services to honor Rocky Wirtz, who died unexpectedly July 25 at age 70. A brief letter to shareholders confirmed the news. “The board has full confidence that Danny is well-prepared to excel as the next-generation leader of Wirtz Corp.,” the letter said. Rocky Wirtz’s passing was more shocking and unforeseen than that of his father, William, in 2007. Still, the family feels Danny Wirtz, See WIRTZ on Page 26
Apart from the Blackhawks, for which the Wirtzes are best known, the two big businesses are liquor and real estate.
By Danny Ecker
Jones Lang LaSalle makes money off of helping other companies lease office space. But even the brokerage giant recognizes it doesn’t need as much. The Chicago-based company in July formally began marketing more than 61,000 square feet at its Aon Center headquarters for sublease, according to a flyer. The space on the 47th and 48th floors represents about 30% of JLL’s workspace in the East Loop skyscraper, where its lease runs through May 2032.
See CRISIS on Page 14
Separately, another big new sublease listing hit the market in recent weeks from cybersecurity company Trustwave, which put its entire 71,792-square-foot office at 70 W. Madison St. up for grabs, according to marketing materials. That offering comes with a lease term that runs through October 2029. The pair of new listings add more available office space to a downtown market already awash in it. The office vacancy rate in the central business
VOL. 46, NO. 31 l COPYRIGHT 2023 CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. l ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CRAIN’S LIST See who’s atop our rankings of the Chicago area’s biggest foundations.
NOTABLES These leaders in finance are excelling in business and aiding their communities.
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See JLL on Page 27