Cal Boender

PERSONAL LIFE AND PHILANTHROPY

• Boender was raised in the Dutch Christian Reformed area of Highland, Indiana. 
• He now resides in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two dogs, where he enjoys reading and biking.
• He is a major contributor to various philanthropic causes and non-profit organizations that address the needs of children and less fortunate individuals. 
  

CAREER

• Boender began his pioneering journey through the Chicago real estate landscape in the early 1980s by rehabbing historic properties in Chicago's DePaul neighborhood. 
• He continued to prosper in all sectors through the boom, and ultimate crash in the 2000s.
• He started North Development—originally named C&D Construction Company—immediately after graduating from college.
• He moved the firm to the Chicago area in 1980 and changed the name to North Development in 1986. 
• He is now developing Renew Biomass, an agricultural service that provides eco-friendly biomass products.
• He focuses his energy and knowledge on the impacts of agricultural real estate and is a guiding authority on how it will play a vital role in the future of global e onomics. 

LEARNINGS

• Boender says that he is not the sole power driving his financial success; the economic cycles were absolutely in control. 
• He says that if your goal is a continued success, you should never try to flow against these cycles.
• He believes that the underlying historical cycles in the marketplace are an essential aspect of his business decisions.
• Being a garbage truck driver taught him the Chicago street grid, a knowledge that has been fundamental when looking for real estate development projects in the city.
• His college education put him in a position to meet his first business partner, Doug Masolink.