Elworth had been with San Francisco-based the Lurie Co. for 24years and had been a VP and CFO of the company's Chicago operationsfor nine years. "Philip's more than three decades of financeexperience, including more than two decades in the commercial realestate industry, will be invaluable as our business continues togrow," says David P. Bossy, the company chairman and co-founder.The firm has more than 40 projects, including retail, hospitalityand mixed-use, in various stages of development

The Lurie Co. was a family-owned business that decided to closeand sell off all of its assets, Elworth tells GlobeSt.com. Elworthwas attracted to the newly created position at Mid-America because"there is the challenge of coming in and defining what the positionshould be doing" and "it gave me the chance to really use all of myskills," he says. Mid-America created the position after joiningwith Oakbrook Terrace-based the Harp Group last year to form theCrescendo Cos. "The biggest reason for the need for the positionwas the merger….which is really what prompted a lot of the growth,"Elworth tells GlobeSt.com.