MPEA
Matthew Simmons is an accomplished legal professional serving as the General Counsel for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority since July 2015, overseeing the Legal and Procurement Department and managing transactional matters related to real estate, construction, and public finance. Prior to this role, Matthew held the position of Assistant General Counsel at the Authority, ensuring compliance with legislation and procurement activities. Matthew's prior experience includes serving as an Associate at Mayer Brown, where representation involved municipal bond issuances and asset-backed securities, and working as an Attorney Extern for the City of Chicago, drafting legislation and providing legal counsel. Matthew began their legal career as a Law Student Intern at City Life/Vida Urbana, focusing on tenant rights during foreclosure, and as a Mayoral Fellow at the City of Chicago. Matthew holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
MPEA
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) is a municipal corporation created by the Illinois General Assembly. Its Board of Directors is appointed by the Governor of Illinois and the Mayor of Chicago. MPEA owns and manages the McCormick Place complex and seeks to promote and operate conventions, fairs and expositions in the Chicago area, in an effort to strengthen the local economy. Historic Navy Pier is also owned and managed by MPEA and the Authority is charged with carrying out the recreational, commercial and cultural redevelopment and operation of Navy Pier, which has become Chicago's most popular visitor attraction. MPEA is also active in the community, and oversees a variety of programs that positively impact the thousands whose jobs are tied to McCormick Place and Navy Pier, as well as the millions who visit both venues each year. Take a look at our contributions and then plan to visit acclaimed McCormick Place and multi-faceted Navy Pier in the near future.