Our Team
Gabriel Martinez
Principal / Owner
Gabriel grew up in Little Village—one of Chicago’s largest Latino communities. He has not only seen his community grow and evolve through the years, but greater Chicagoland as a whole. From a young age, Gabriel knew he wanted to vitalize neighborhoods and impact communities.
For more than twenty years, Gabriel’s done just that.
As a young adult working a full-time job, Gabriel had his sights on real estate and made his first investment. Knowing he wanted to make intentional real estate investments, he started planning for more residential and commercial investments. From learning the ins and outs of general contracting to consulting for a materials company worth $600M, Gabriel has firsthand experience working with every level of a project. Throughout his career, he’s created strategic partnerships with community, business, and elected officials to ensure success for his projects.
In 2011, Gabriel launched Primera Group, Inc., to better leverage his experience and that of his peers - who he invited to join Primera at his side as part of his strategic team.
Gabriel is a member of the Latino Leadership Council, a prominent group of Latino leaders in the Chicago area that seeks to increase Latino power and representation in the public and private sectors.
Gabriel is also a co-owner of GRI, a cannabis company that was awarded licenses for dispensaries, craft grow cultivation, infusion, and transportation of cannabis in the budding $1B Illinois market. Green Rose has three cannabis dispensaries in operation in Chicago's River North neighborhood, Lincolnwood, and Harwood Heights. Gabriel was instrumental in advocating for amendments to Illinois' recreational cannabis laws to add protections and support for veterans and social equity license holders.
Zach Waickman
Chief Executive Officer
Originally from Ohio, Zach has called Chicago home for the past 20 years. He first came to the Windy City to attend Loyola University Chicago, going on to earn both his BA and MBA from the Jesuit university on the northside of the city.
Since joining Primera in 2011, Zach has overseen projects in commercial real estate consulting, planned development, and strategic business partnerships. He recognizes the need for a holistic approach to this work and excels in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
Zach has extensive knowledge and experience with zoning analysis, finance modeling, strategic project development, and consulting services. He also has over 15 years of experience in sustainability initiatives, green buildings, and the circular economy.
Since 2019 Zach has also advised cannabis start-ups in Chicago as they apply for licensure, pursue real estate entitlements, and launch operations in Illinois.
In his spare time Zach is an ardent supporter of early childhood education and volunteers his time to support services for families of all socioeconomic levels.