Steve Rachman – RPBG Director
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Steve Rachman had a lot of words of wisdom for me during our hour-long conversation about his career, his many volunteer activities and his involvement with Rogers Park Builders Group. But my favorite came near the end of our call when he quoted Winston Churchill:
“Make a living by what you get. Make a life by what you give.”
More than anything else, I think this sums up Steve and his philosophy of life. Even though he said it at the end of the conversation, I thought it deserved repeating right up front!
Steve has lived in Highland Park since he was eight years old and is both passionate about and dedicated to his community. From his earliest days, Steve says he has always liked to be busy and is constantly looking for things to keep him occupied and interested.
Steve started his career in 1983 at the Board of Trade in the high-pressure trading pits selling Treasuries, a job he describes as “not for the faint of heart.” Steve is a natural salesman by temperament and prides himself on always being self-employed, apart from the seven years he was Managing Director of the O’Hare Office of Marcus & Millichap.
There is probably not much in life Steve likes more than working with young people.
Steve was lured away from the Board of Trade by long-time friend and mentor, Greg Moyer who ran the Chicago office of Marcus & Millichap and convinced Steve he would be a great addition to the M&M team. Steve has worked at M&M since July 2002 as a broker and as a manager and mentor to many young broker-trainees just getting their start.
There is probably not much in life Steve likes more than working with young people. As someone who says he just loves kids, it is not surprising that Steve has coached baseball and soccer teams and is a proud dad and grandfather to three children and two granddaughters. He also loves helping young adults at the beginning of their careers strategize about their futures and be more successful in their chosen fields.
Another quip during our conversation that had me laughing out loud was when Steve confided in me that he had a “volunteer problem.” Like a lot of people who have gotten involved in RPBG over the years, Steve is someone who just does not seem to be able to say no when someone asks him if he’d be interested in this or that volunteer activity. And Steve’s list of volunteer involvements is impressive to say the least.
In addition to coaching baseball to first and second graders in the late 90s with former RPBG President, Marty Max, Steve became deeply involved with the American Youth Soccer Organization, an organization that provides services to 1,200 children with enlists the support of 280 volunteers. Steve served on the AYSO Board for 15 years and says the experience gave him the opportunity to meet and work with a wide array of people in the Highland Park community, both city officials and private citizens.
A little over a decade ago, Steve became involved in Highland Park’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program run by FEMA. The CERT website describes this program as offering “a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during a disaster situation.”
Steve confided in me that he had a “volunteer problem.”
In Highland Park, the CERT program is run through the Police Department, and Steve has become deeply involved with all aspects of emergency preparedness and citizen organizing through this program.
These skills were recently put to the test in a way that Steve could never have imagined, and would like never to experience again. As an Incident Commander, Steve was at the Fourth of July Parade in Highland Park just a few weeks ago when shots rang out from a nearby rooftop, instantly killing and injuring some of the spectators just 20 feet from where Steve was standing. The panic and chaos that ensued was both predictable and shocking as this normally peaceful and friendly town was suddenly gripped with panic and fear.
Steve’s years of training kicked in. Although he was a short distance from the fatalities, he was also close enough to see the terrible consequences of this brutal act of violence. What began as a celebration was instantly turned into a nightmare. It was a long day for Steve who was busy coordinating with other volunteers, police and fire personnel, and many private citizens in his community.
It was Steve’s involvement in the CERT program that also led him to become a Commissioner on both the Fire and Police Department Boards of Highland Park. These positions are appointed by the Mayor and are for six-year terms.
Steve was at the Fourth of July Parade in Highland Park just a few weeks ago when shots rang out from a nearby rooftop. The panic and chaos that ensued was both predictable and shocking as this normally peaceful and friendly town was suddenly gripped with panic and fear.
Other volunteer activities include the Harold E. Eisenburg Foundation (HEEF), an organization that combines gastrointestinal cancer research and real estate education. Steve has served as a mentor in the real estate education program, helping aspiring real estate professionals gain the skills and confidence needed to success in their chosen career paths.
On a whim, while listening to an interesting story on NPR about butterflies, Steve even decided to volunteer with the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, part of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
You get the idea. Steve just can’t sit still, and when he hears about something that piques his interest, he doesn’t just think about getting involved – he jumps right in!
We would be remiss not to mention Steve’s long years of involvement in RPBG, first as a Member in the early 2000s and then as a Director starting in 2013. Steve was a regular presence at RPBG meetings… back when we used to have meetings. Steve is looking forward to being able to get together again on a more regular basis now that the pandemic poses less of a risk than it once did.
Steve is full of compliments for the core group of RPBG movers and shakers. More than anything else, Steve appreciates the “good hearts” of the people who are the public face of the organization, including Mike Glasser, Marty Max, Allen Smith, Jay Johnson, John Brauc and so many other dedicated Members and Directors.
Steve just can’t sit still, and when he hears about something that piques his interest, he doesn’t just think about getting involved – he jumps right in!
Steve owns a few multifamily properties in Chicago and says it has made him a better broker in the process, helping him understand more directly what it is like to be a housing provider and deal with all the problems and issues that crop up in the industry. Steve’s enthusiasm for real estate has apparently rubbed off on at least one of his children. His eldest son Shane (33) is President of Peak Realty and oversees the company’s leasing and brokerage division. Shane is married and now has two young daughters of his own.
Of course, Steve is proud of his entire family, including wife Julie and two other children, Ben (30) and Natalie (24). Steve and Julie will celebrate 36 years of marriage this November. Ben just graduated from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago this past June, and Natalie, a Tulane graduate, is about to make the big move to New York City later this summer.
When Steve is not working, mentoring young people, volunteering or monitoring butterflies, he is probably working out, gardening, camping or paddling a boat somewhere with family and friends. He just got back from the trip of a lifetime – 19 consecutive days in Italy and the South of France with the entire family and their significant others – the longest vacation he has ever taken since he started working decades ago!
Steve has worked hard all his life, but will tell you he is more than just the sum of his work and volunteer experiences. “I have a lot to offer,” Steve told me as we were wrapping up our interview. Indeed he does. No one who knows Steve even a little would have any reason to dispute that claim.
