All his life, Matt has been drawn to the city. In his youth, regular day trips into Chicago from the suburbs — as well as a stint living in Seoul, South Korea — solidified a love for the drama, activity and vibrancy of dense urban areas. Growing up in these cities, a hemisphere away from each other, provided a love of architecture and the built environment.
His other love from a young age was writing (he wrote his first short story — “Cacti Can Fly!” — at age 9). Matt attended Augustana College with an emphasis in English, but without much of a plan. Fortunately, he eventually landed a job that largely combined both loves: editing Chicago municipal code books such as the Chicago Building Code and Chicago Zoning Ordinance. Some years later, after identifying an editorial vacuum surrounding the then-burgeoning green building movement, Matt launched Sustainable Chicago magazine in 2007. During the 10-year stretch he managed this publication, Matt researched and wrote nearly every article. He also edited and laid out each issue and managed the publication’s social media accounts.
Taking this experience to REjournals, Matt covered commercial real estate news in Chicago as well as in Texas’ primary markets. For over three years, he wrote about notable transactions and emerging trends in every asset class. During this tenure as managing editor, he oversaw production of three print trade publications: Illinois Real Estate Journal, Chicago Industrial Properties and REDnews.
Matt joined Taylor Johnson in 2021 as a senior account manager. As storytelling is his greatest strength, he’s excited that he now gets to help a variety of real estate firms refine their brands and tell their stories in impactful ways.
Away from the office, Matt enjoys spending time with family and exploring urban locales. Others can have the beach — his idea of a great vacation is discovering the restaurants, museums and street life of a new city.
BEYOND THE BIO
With Taylor Johnson since: 2021.
People around the office come to me for: Tips as to what editors really want.
Three words that describe me are: Curious, reliable, caffeinated
When I was growing up I thought I’d be a: Novelist.
The best professional advice I received was: Being good at what you do isn’t enough. If you want more, no one is going to just give it to you — you have to go for it yourself.
Favorite Chicago building: I know we are lucky to have so many beautiful structures here, but I’m continuously awed by the elegant strength of the Hancock.
Favorite Halloween costume: I refused to go trick-or-treating one year until the last minute, so my ever-resourceful mom poked arm and leg holes in a garbage bag, stuffed newspaper in around me and sent me out with a sign on the back that read “spoiled rotten.”
Last good book I read: The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
On my playlist: Wilco, Spoon, Portugal the Man, Arcade Fire
Favorite pastime: Either reading or watching an old movie, preferably with a craft beer within reach.
What I like most about TJ: The collaborative model. Strengths cover weaknesses, ideas bounce back and forth. It’s both an effective and fun way to work.
The worst job I ever had was: Stocking the cooler at White Hen Pantry, which wasn’t really all that bad, so I guess I’ve been lucky.
My guilty pleasure is: Cinnamon and sugar is an intoxicating combination.